Known for movies

Short Info

DiedJune 6, 2005, Ventura, California, United States
SpousePeggy Romano, Katherine Frances Mead
MarkPlayed leaders of secret/government agencies on several occasions.
FactAt the time of his death in 2005, he was survived by his companion, Thelma M. Garcia, one son, Dane, and three daughters, Nora, Chandra and Marin.


Dana Elcar (1927-2005) was an American actor best known for his role as Peter Brock on the television series “MacGyver.”

Born in Ferndale, Michigan, Elcar was the son of Danish immigrants. He began his career as a stage actor, appearing in productions of “The Crucible” and “Death of a Salesman.” He made his film debut in “The Young Lions” (1958) and went on to appear in such films as “The Sting” (1973), “The Hindenburg” (1975), “The Watcher” (2000) and “Hidalgo” (2004).

Elcar began appearing on television in the 1950s, with guest roles on such shows as “The Twilight Zone,” “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” and “The Untouchables.” He had a recurring role on the soap opera “Dark Shadows” (1966-67) and appeared on Broadway in the play “The Great White Hope” (1969).

In 1985, Elcar was cast as Peter Brock on the ABC series “MacGyver.” He appeared in all seven seasons of the show, until his character was killed off in 1992.

After “MacGyver,” Elcar appeared in guest roles on such television shows as “ER,” “Touched by an Angel” and “The X-Files.” His final film role was in the 2004 film “Hidalgo.”

Elcar died of complications from pneumonia on June 6, 2005, at the age of 77.

General Info

Full NameDana Elcar
DiedJune 6, 2005, Ventura, California, United States
ProfessionActor, Television Director
EducationUniversity of Michigan
NationalityAmerican

Family

SpousePeggy Romano, Katherine Frances Mead
ChildrenDane Elcar, Marin Elcar, Chandra Elcar, Nora Elcar Verdon
ParentsJames Aage Elcar, Hedwig Anderberg
SiblingsMarie E. Hewitt, Janet K. Melville

Accomplishments

MoviesThe Sting, Soldier Blue, The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid, 2010, The Nude Bomb, All of Me, The Learning Tree, Buddy Buddy, Condorman, Fail Safe, The Champ, The Last Flight of Noah's Ark, Murder in Three Acts, Baby Blue Marine, Jungle Warriors, Crisis in Mid-Air, The Maltese Bippy, A Lovely Way to...
TV ShowsMacGyver, Baretta, Baa Baa Black Sheep, A Time To Live

Social profile links

Marks

#Marks / Signs
1Played leaders of secret/government agencies on several occasions.

Quotes

#Quote
1"The fact that you are losing your eyesight does not mean you have forgotten how to act." - in a speech to the National Federation of the Blind in 1991.

Facts

#Fact
1He was awarded the 1986 Drama Logue Award for Outstanding Direction for "Rat in the Skull," at the Mark Taper Too Theatre in Los Angeles, California.
2He made guest appearances on both of the longest running prime time dramas in US television history: Gunsmoke (1955) and Law & Order (1990).
3Befriended Richard Dean Anderson on the set of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" in 1982. Anderson remembered Elcar when production on "MacGyver" started, and recommended Elcar for the part of Pete Thornton, MacGyver's friend and director of operations at The Phoenix Foundation. Elcar appeared in almost every episode of the show, only backing out when becoming ill in his later years.
4Dana drove taxicab in New York City in the early 1960s prior to making the move to Los Angeles and Hollywood.
5The second season of MacGyver (1985), on which he played the role of Peter Thornton, was released on DVD in the United States on June 7, 2005, only one day after his death.
6His body double on MacGyver (1985) was Don S. Davis who would later star on Stargate SG-1 (1997) with Elcar's co-star Richard Dean Anderson.
7Died the same day as Anne Bancroft.
8Founded L.A. Actors' Theater in mid-1970s. Founded Santa Paula Theater Center in 1987.
9Attended University of Michigan. Founded Ann Arbor Theater, while in college. Joined the U.S. Navy in 1948: Was stationed in Newfoundland, Canada.
10Parents were Danish immigrants. Father was a butcher; mother was a nanny.
11Father of son, Dane Elcar, daughters, Nora Elcar Verdon, Chandra Elcar, and Marin Elcar, and stepdaughter, Emily Prager. Brother of Marie E. Hewitt and half-sister Janet K. Melville.
12Married and divorced three times. Was long-time companion of Thelma M. Garcia, at the time of his death.
13At the time of his death in 2005, he was survived by his companion, Thelma M. Garcia, one son, Dane, and three daughters, Nora, Chandra and Marin.
14Bald and beefy American character actor from the off-Broadway stage, a noticeably gruff presence in scores of 1970s TV crime shows and action adventure.
15Did not appear in either of the two MacGyver (1985) TV-movies: MacGyver: Lost Treasure of Atlantis (1994) and MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday (1994)
16Most recently played a blind character in a guest spot on ER (1994).
17When he started going blind, his character Peter Thornton on MacGyver (1985) was also written with the same affliction. His blindness was also written into his guest appearance on Law & Order (1990), resulting from Diabetic Retinopathy.
18Went blind due to Glaucoma c. 1991 and required special computer equipment to read printed text for the rest of his life.

Pictures

Movies

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Black Sheep Squadron1976-1978TV SeriesCol. Thomas A. Lard
Waiting for Godot1977TV MovieVladimir
Police Story1977TV SeriesLieutenant Garippo
The Six Million Dollar Man1976TV SeriesLarry Stover
St. Ives1976Lt. Charles Blunt
Gemini Man1976TV Mini-SeriesDr. Harold Schuyler
Baby Blue Marine1976Sheriff Wenzel
Law of the Land1976TV MovieRev. Mr. Endicott
W.C. Fields and Me1976Agent Dockstedter
Cannon1972-1975TV SeriesJohn Brinegar / Walter Ryan / Lieutenant
The Rockford Files1975TV SeriesSheriff Mitchell
Baretta1975TV SeriesLt. Shiller
Love Nest1975TV MovieMort
Report to the Commissioner1975Chief Perna
The Missiles of October1974TV MovieSecretary of Defense Robert McNamara
Panic on the 5:221974TV MovieHal Rodgers
The Manhunter1974TV Series
Petrocelli1974TV SeriesProsecutor Daley
Sons and Daughters1974TV SeriesPaul Reed
Chase1974TV SeriesPhelps
Heatwave!1974TV MoviePrescott
The Sting1973F.B.I. Agent Polk
The F.B.I.1968-1973TV SeriesWaverly / Ewing Carter / Ed Garth / ...
The Waltons1973TV SeriesGeorge Porter
Columbo1973TV SeriesFalcon
Kung Fu1973TV SeriesNoah Jones / Judge Todd A. Pritikin
The New Perry Mason1973TV SeriesDory Strong
Dying Room Only1973TV MovieSheriff
Catch-221973TV MovieCol. Cathcart
Hawkins1973TV SeriesDr. Aaronson
The Partridge Family1973TV SeriesMr. Felcher
Hernandez1973TV MovieJackman
Mannix1968-1973TV SeriesFred Reston / Skip Seldon / Tom Coleman / ...
Alias Smith and Jones1971-1973TV SeriesSam Haney / Benjamin T. Bowers
The Delphi Bureau1972TV SeriesMichael Kendall
Bonanza1969-1972TV SeriesMr. Merrick / Caleb Milton
Marcus Welby, M.D.1971-1972TV SeriesDr. Tomlinson / Dr. Jim McCready
Ironside1969-1972TV SeriesGeorge / Joe Markham / Bill O'Brien / ...
The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid1972Allen
The Sixth Sense1972TV SeriesEdward Winslow
Fireball Forward1972TV MovieCol. Talbot
The Bravos1972TV MovieCaptain Detroville
Sarge1971TV SeriesFather Frank Dinsmore
Longstreet1971TV SeriesDr. Burlen
The Death of Me Yet1971TV MovieHank Keller
Love, American Style1971TV SeriesA. J. Potts (segment "Love and the Naked Stranger")
The Bold Ones: The Lawyers1969-1971TV SeriesGale / District Attorney Shannon / Huston
A Gunfight1971Marv Green
Mrs. Pollifax-Spy1971Carstairs
The Bold Ones: The Senator1971TV SeriesCollie Ford
Medical Center1969-1970TV SeriesGeneral Montague / George Mazur
Gunsmoke1970TV SeriesPennigrath
Men at Law1970TV SeriesH.L. Sloane
Room 2221970TV SeriesEverett Stiles
Mission: Impossible1970TV SeriesC.W. Cameron
San Francisco International Airport1970TV SeriesGeorge Woodruff
Adam at Six A.M.1970Van Treadly
Soldier Blue1970Capt. Battles
Zig Zag1970Harold Tracey
Hawaii Five-O1970TV SeriesDr. Benjamin
D.A.: Murder One1969TV MovieDr. Carl Enright
Get Smart1969TV SeriesKruger
The Virginian1969TV SeriesBennett Poole
The Learning Tree1969Kirky
The Maltese Bippy1969Sgt. Kelvaney
The Bold Ones: The Protectors1969TV SeriesGeorge Stack
Pendulum1969Det. J.J. 'Red' Thornton
The Sound of Anger1968TV MovieAndrew Pearce
The Outsider1968TV SeriesFred Oliver
Judd for the Defense1968TV SeriesChampion
The Boston Strangler1968Luis Schubert
The Name of the Game1968TV SeriesHood
A Lovely Way to Die1968Layton
The Invaders1968TV SeriesSheriff Tom Halloway
Of Mice and Men1968TV Movie
Run for Your Life1968TV SeriesDr. George Graham
Saint Joan1967TV MovieLa Hire
Dark Shadows1966-1967TV SeriesSheriff George Patterson Sheriff George Patterson #1
N.Y.P.D.1967TV SeriesPhelan
The Crucible1967TV MovieMarshall Herrick
The Borgia Stick1967TV MovieCraigmeyer
A Christmas Masque1966TV MovieThe Giant
ABC Stage 671966TV SeriesLou Coolidge
Hawk1966TV SeriesStanley Yullen
The Trials of O'Brien1965TV SeriesSam Styles
The Defenders1962-1965TV SeriesDistrict Attorney / Dr. Marvin Graham / Rankin / ...
The Doctors and the Nurses1962-1965TV SeriesDr. Fuller Dr. Fellowes Dr. Zack Fuller ...
The Fool Killer1965Mr. Dodd
The Edge of Night1964TV SeriesClinton Wheeler
The Patty Duke Show1964TV SeriesAnderson
Fail-Safe1964Foster
Look Up and Live1964TV SeriesGutman
East Side/West Side1964TV SeriesFather Mello
Espionage1963TV SeriesKevin
The Patriots1963TV MovieJacob
Armstrong Circle Theatre1961-1963TV SeriesCarl Rogers
Car 54, Where Are You?1962-1963TV SeriesFBI Agent Potter / Gunderson - Construction Boss / Van Police Officer
Naked City1962-1963TV SeriesAl Borris / Varney
The DuPont Show of the Week1962TV SeriesDennis Wilcox
'Way Out1961TV SeriesThe Flophouse Manager
Our American Heritage1961TV Series
Play of the Week1959-1960TV SeriesFriend Ed
Omnibus1960TV Series
Sunday Showcase1960TV SeriesNewspaperman
Art Carney Special1959TV SeriesDr. Gibbs
Brenner1959TV SeriesBartender
Steve Canyon1959TV SeriesLarry Hanson
Deadline1959TV SeriesSchneider
The Big Story1956-1958TV SeriesLt. Alameda / Cashmore / Bernie / ...
A Time to Live1954TV SeriesDr. Clay
Guiding Light1952TV SeriesDistrict Attorney Andrew Murray (1962)
ER2002TV SeriesManny Kendovich
The Magic School Bus1995TV SeriesMr. Terese
Law & Order1993TV SeriesRobert Cook
For Their Own Good1993TV MovieSally's father (uncredited)
MacGyver1985-1992TV SeriesPete Thornton King Arthur Santa Claus ...
Matlock1987TV SeriesArthur Hughes
Inside Out1986Leo Gross
Murder in Three Acts1986TV MovieDr. Strange
Trapper John, M.D.1983-1985TV SeriesJared Vennemar / Howard Bowman
Toughlove1985TV MovieMax Wiley
There Were Times, Dear1985TV MovieDon Mason
The A-Team1984-1985TV SeriesJudge Leonard Mordente / George Olsen
Riptide1985TV SeriesHarry Silverman
Hill Street Blues1985TV SeriesLt. Mel Taber
Scarecrow and Mrs. King1985TV SeriesMitch Larner
20101984Dimitri Moisevitch
Sweet Revenge1984TV MovieSen. Arthur Hagerty
The Fall Guy1984TV SeriesDean Hackett
All of Me1984Burton Schuyler
The Paper Chase1984TV SeriesMr. Sam Hart
Jungle Warriors1984D'Antoni
Matt Houston1984TV SeriesMayor Akers
Hardcastle and McCormick1984TV SeriesFrank Cardigan
Quarterback Princess1983TV MovieMr. Caine
Insight1983TV SeriesDr. Dimitri
Hart to Hart1983TV SeriesAdmiral Springfield
Knight Rider1983TV SeriesStrock
Small & Frye1983TV SeriesProblems
I Want to Live1983TV MovieWarden
Blue Skies Again1983Lou
Voyagers!1983TV SeriesColonel Knox
Newhart1983TV SeriesSam Ebersol
Inspector Perez1983TV MovieCaptain R. C. Hodges
Breach of Contract1982
Forbidden Love1982TV MovieBurt Wagner
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers1982TV SeriesJudge Carlson
Teachers Only1982TV SeriesClayton
Herbie, the Love Bug1982TV SeriesWarden
Falcon Crest1981-1982TV SeriesCarl Reed
The Day the Bubble Burst1982TV MovieMr. Block
Code Red1982TV SeriesJason Conners
Help Wanted: Male1982TV MovieMilhauser
Buddy Buddy1981Capt. Hubris
Benson1981TV SeriesSenator Chapman
Flamingo Road1981TV SeriesCrane
Wendy Hooper, U.S. Army1981TV MovieSergeant
Condorman1981Russ Devlin
Foul Play1981TV SeriesLieutenant Bidecker
Mark, I Love You1980TV MovieMr. Bassett
The Last Flight of Noah's Ark1980Benchley
The Nude Bomb1980Chief
Galactica 19801980TV SeriesJohn Steadman
Eight Is Enough1980TV SeriesBen
Death Penalty1980TV MovieJohn Mulligan
B.J. and the Bear1979TV SeriesSheriff Nathan T. MacCandles
One Day at a Time1979TV SeriesCaptain
Greatest Heroes of the Bible1979TV SeriesRanol
Samurai1979TV MovieFrank Boyd
Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff1979Havermeyer
The Champ1979Hoffmaster
Crisis in Mid-air1979TV MovieBrad Mullins
Centennial1979TV Mini-SeriesJudge Hart
The Incredible Hulk1978TV SeriesSheriff Harris

Director

TitleYearStatusCharacter
MacGyver1989TV Series 2 episodes
The Duke1979TV Series
Salvage 11979TV Series 1 episode
Black Sheep Squadron1977-1978TV Series 4 episodes
The Rockford Files1978TV Series 1 episode

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Dispatches from Nicaragua2008Video documentary in memory of
The Sci-Fi Boys2006Documentary special thanks

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Good Morning America1991TV SeriesHimself
Medieval Theater: The Play of Abraham and Isaac1974Short documentaryLord Cornwallis
The Presidency: A Splendid Misery1964TV Movie documentary

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards2006TV SpecialHimself - In Memoriam
Gunfighters of the Old West1992Video documentaryTownsman (uncredited)
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color1981TV SeriesBenchley
The Dick Cavett Show1971TV SeriesMarv Green from film A GUNFIGHT

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia

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