Actor Biography - Dana Elcar

The late Dana Elcar is best known for his role as Pete Thornton in the popular classic TV show MacGyver. However, the character Pete Thornton was not introduced until the eleventh episode of the TV series. His first appearance in the show was in the pilot episode where he played the role Andy Colson. Dana Elcar is the son of Danish immigrants who settled in Michigan. His father worked as a butcher, while his mother as a nanny. Continue reading...He managed to attend the University of Michigan where he founded the Ann Arbor Theater. In the late 1940’s he joined the U.S. Navy and was stationed in Newfoundland, Canada. His acting career started in the early 1950’s appearing on television shows such as A Time to Live, Mission: Impossible, MacGyver, Law & Order, E.R. among others. While still in the show MacGyver, he developed the eye illness glaucoma and eventually went blind. This did not stop him from acting in fact his ailment was introduced in the show’s Pete Thornton character. Later on, he took on roles as a blind person on other acting engagements. He died in June 6, 2005, a day before the DVD for the second season of MacGyver was released. He is survived by his long-time companion Thelma M. Garcia and five children from three divorces.