| Peter Thornton / Dana Elcar
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Peter Thornton
MacGyver's boss and best friend, Pete Thornton worked for many years as an operative of
the Department of External Services. It was during this time that he met MacGyver while
tracking the international assassin Murdoc. Seven years later, Pete took the position
of Director of Operations at the Phoenix Foundation, which he now holds.
Peter has a son named Michael from a previous marriage (to a lady named Connie).
Their marriage ended twenty years ago, when Michael was very young. It ended,
basically, becaused Peter cared too much about work and never gave Connie the attention
that she deserved. Michael, in all fairness, grew up without really knowing his father.
However, Pete ran to his and Connie's aid when they got kidnapped by a former DXS agent.
Afterwards, Pete tried to make amends by letting Michael work alongside him at the Phoenix
Foundation. Unfortunately, Michael's scarred past of growing up without Pete, tempted him
to betray him. He got mixed up in a theft ring and hatched a plot to steal top-secret
government blueprints from the Phoenix Foundation. After getting caught red-handed by
both Pete and MacGyver, Michael was forced to expose the rest of the co-conspiritors.
To this day, Pete and Michael are still trying to reconcile their differences.
Through the next couple of years, Pete begins to develop symptoms of glaucoma,
a degeneration of the eyes that eventually leads to blindness. Pete underwent an eye
operation (with his ex-wife, by his side) that did very little to aid his
condition. He is now legally blind and needs a special computer to magnify printed text.
Peter Thornton, among many things, is a true friend. He is, perhaps, one of the most
realistic characters of any television show. He has his problems (his temperment and a
superior lack of patience) but when it comes down to it, his loyalty (to both his friends
and job) and determination makes him quite a marvelous and extraordinary individual.
Dana Elcar Episodes: |
Dana Elcar
Dana Elcar portrays Pete Thornton on "Macgyver", A recurring guest-star when the one-hour
series premiered in September, 1985, Elcar joined the permanent cast in 1986. As director
of field operations for the Phoenix Foundation for Research, it is Thornton who assigns
Macgyver the dangerous missions wich inspire Macgyver's unique scientific approach.
Born to Danish parents in 10 October 1927, Elcar was raised on a farm in Ferndale, Michigan where he and
his siblings built a stage and recreated stories they heard on the radio. The young
performer further developed his acting skills during his elementary and high school
years, appearing in shool productions and competing in speech contests and debates.
Upon graduating from high shool, Elcar enlisted in the Navy. During his two years
or service, he originated a play-reding group in Argentia, New Foundland. The asiring
Actor then enrolled in the University of Michigan, Where he created the Inter-arts Union,
A club in wich students produced plays, Poetry, Opera and Musical concerts. The Inter-Arts
Union soon grew into the arts Theatre club, a Reggional theathre that brought 25 plays
to the stage within two-and-a half- years.
The summers after his freshman and sophomore years in college, Elcar studied acting with
Sandy Meisner at the Neighborhood playhouse in New York. After his sophomore year, He
elected not to return to college and remainde in New York to gain practical Experience
in his Craft. While working off-broadway he drove an ambulance for one year and a cab
for five. Among the plays he did at this time were "our Town" and "play for Bleeker Street".
Written by Thornton Wilder, for the circle in the Square, and Harlod Pinter's "Dumb Waiter"
and "The Collection".
Dana Elcar has appeared in some 350-400 tv segments, specials and Movies of the week, and
starred in two TV-series, as Colonel Land in "Black Sheep", With Robert Conrad, and as
the Captain in "Baretta", with Robert Blake.
Dana is married and has four children and he is 75 years old and has been legally blind since 1991 due to
glaucoma. He is very active in local theater in the S. CA town where he lives. Most recently
he guest starred on an episode of "ER".Dana played a blind homeless person. The episode title
was "Damage Is Done". |
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