Dana Elcar
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Dana Elcar |
Bucks County Playhouse productions
Operation Mad Ball - Lt. Col. Rush - 1960
Twelve Angry Men - Juror #3 - 1960
Internet Broadway Database - Dana Elcar
Internet Movie Database - Dana Elcar
Dana Elcar
(1927 - 2005 )
DANA ELCAR is probably best remembered for his many TV appearances, especially on the TV series "MacGyver." He has appeared on just about every TV series imaginable over his long, 45 plus years, career. He is an amiable looking chap of hefty girth, a round quite handsome and smiling face with sparkling eyes and, like Corbin and Karen, a smooth tenorish voice. He, too, played many an authoritative figure: policemen, detectives, doctors, military men, bosses and clergymen to mention a few. He could add a dash of temper, anxiety or malevolence to give his characters complexity. He was best at playing "good guys" as it fit his demeanor but he could portray a convincing villain too. He was born Ibson Dana Elcar on October 10, 1927 in Ferndale, Michigan. He grew up on the family farm near Ferndale and as a kid dreamt of being an actor. Spurred on by radio shows like "Fibber McGee & Molly", he and his siblings would act out radio shows in the barn. After college he studied drama at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York. He drove an ambulance and cabs to support himself during this period. He likely appeared on stage in New York and in 1954 had his first television role on the soap opera "A Time to Live." He appeared on other soaps over the years including "The Edge of Night" and "Dark Shadows" as did many other actors. His film debut came in the classic "Fail-Safe" (1964) with Henry Fonda, as Mr. Foster. His other film credits included: "The Fool Killer" (1965) as Mr. Dodd; "A Lovely Way to Die" (1968) as Layton; "The Boston Strangler" (1968) with Tony Curtis, as Luis Schubert; "Pendulum" (1968) with George Peppard, Det. J.J. 'Red' Thornton; "The Maltese Bippy" (1969) with Rowan & Martin, as Police Sgt. Kelvaney; "The Learning Tree" (1969) as Kirky; "Soldier Blue" (1970) as Capt. Battles; "Zigzag" (1970) as Harold Tracey; "Mrs. Pollifax-Spy" (1971) as Carstairs; "The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid" (1972) as Allen; "The Sting" (1973) with Paul Newman And Robert Redford, as Special Agent Polk of F.B.I.; "Report to the Commissioner" (1975) as Chief Perna; "St. Ives" (1976) as Charlie Blunt; "W.C. Fields and Me" (1976) with Rod Steiger, as Agent Dockstedter; "Baby Blue Marine" (1976) as Sheriff Wenzel; "The Champ" (1979) with Jon Voight, as Hoffmaster; "The Nude Bomb" (1980) with Don Adams, as The Chief; "Condorman" (1981) as Russ Devlin; "Buddy Buddy" (1981) as Capt. Hubris; "All of Me" (1984) with Steve Martin, as Burton Schuyler; "2010" (1984) as Dimitri Moisevitch and "Inside Out" (1986). On TV he was a regular on the series: "A Time to Live" (1954) a soap opera, as Dr. Clay; "Edge of Night" (1956-84) a soap, as Clinton Wheeler; "The Guiding Light" (1952-present) as D.A. Andrew Murray in 1962; "Dark Shadows" (1966-71) as Sheriff George Patterson from 1966-67; "Baretta" (1975-78) as Police Lt. Shiller in 1975; "Baa Baa Black Sheep" (1976-78) as Col. Thomas Lard; "Centennial" (1978) a mini-series, as Judge Hart and "MacGyver" (1985-92) as Peter Thornton. He has appeared in many TV movies including: "The Borgia Stick" (1967); "The Whole World Is Watching" (1969); "Sarge" (1971); "Heat Wave!" (1974); "The Missiles of October" (1974); "Forbidden Love" (1982); "Quarterback Princess" (1983) and "Tough Love" (1985). He has guest starred on numerous TV series including: "Naked City"; "The Defenders"; "Mannix"; "Bonanza"; "Get Smart"; "Hawaii 5-0"; "Mission: Impossible"; "Gunsmoke"; "Marcus Welby, M.D."; "The Partridge Family"; "Kung Fu"; "The Rockford Files"; "Hill Street Blues"; "The A-Team"; "Matlock" and "Law & Order." It was in 1992, while he was working on "MacGyver", that he began to lose his sight due to glaucoma. As blindness set in, the series adapted by having Elcar's character develop the same disease. He has handled his blindness with integrity and class and goes on happily with his everyday life. He uses a special computer to communicate and write. He and his wife run a small theatre in Santa Paula, California and they have four children.