Biography
Dana Elcar, also credited as Ibsen Dana Elcar, was an American character actor who worked in film and television from the 1950s until the early 2000s. He appeared in approximately 40 films and numerous television series.
Elcar is best known for playing Peter Thornton, administrator at the Phoenix Foundation, in the series MacGyver (1985–1992). He had earlier appeared in the pilot as a different character, Andy Colson. His film credits include the role of F.B.I. Agent Polk in The Sting (1973) and Dimitri Moisevitch in 2010 (1984). He also had recurring or guest roles in series such as Baa Baa Black Sheep, The A-Team, Columbo and ER, and directed several episodes of Baa Baa Black Sheep.
Born in Ferndale, Michigan, Elcar attended the University of Michigan. He developed glaucoma in the early 1990s; the condition was incorporated into his MacGyver character from the sixth season onwards.
