David Thornton (actor)

David Thornton
Born
David Farrington Thornton[1]

(1953-06-12) June 12, 1953 (age 71)
Cheraw, South Carolina, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1983–present
Spouse
​
(m. 1991)​
Children1

David Farrington Thornton (born June 12, 1953) is an American actor. He has appeared in John Q, Home Alone 3 as Earl Unger, Law & Order, The Notebook, and The Other Woman, among other roles. He is the husband of singer songwriter Cyndi Lauper.[2]

Personal life

Thornton was born in Cheraw, South Carolina. He is the son of professor Robert Donald Thornton (1917–2006),[3][4] who taught English at Harvard University among other institutions, and Grace Ellen (née Baker; 1919–2019).[5][6][1][7][8] He graduated from Hamilton College and Yale Drama School and studied at Lee Strasberg's Actors Studio.[2]

Thornton met singer Cyndi Lauper on the set of the film Off and Running.[2] They married in November 1991 and have a son, Declyn Wallace Thornton (born November 19, 1997).[9]

In 2005, the New York Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Thornton in Thornton v. Baron, which is considered a landmark decision in the New York real estate industry, specifically dealing with rent stabilization in New York.[10]

Filmography

Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1988 Java Burn Lomax
1990 Men of Respect Philly Como (Fleance}
1991 Off and Running Reese
1994 Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle George S. Kaufman
1995 Jeffrey Man #3
1995 Search and Destroy Rob
1996 Unhook the Stars Frankie Warren
1996 Breathing Room Brian
1996 If Lucy Fell Ted
1997 Home Alone 3 Earl Unger
1997 The Real Blonde Alex
1997 Office Killer Gary Michaels
1997 She's So Lovely Saul Sunday
1998 A Civil Action Richard Aufiero
1998 The Last Days of Disco Berrie Rafferty
1998 Illuminata Orlandini
1998 Hush Gavin
1998 High Art Harry
1998 Too Tired to Die Lulu
2000 Blessed Art Thou Elmo
2000 Blue Moon Frank's Father
2000 Dead Dog Stevenson Nagel
2001 The Girl Under the Waves David
2002 Swept Away Michael
2002 Garmento Ronnie Grossman
2002 John Q Jimmy Palumbo
2002 XX/XY Miles
2002 For Earth Below Ron Short film
2002 Private Property Sam
2002 100 Mile Rule Jerry
2003 Prologue —
2004 The Notebook John Hamilton
2004 Noise Elliot
2004 The Warrior Class Sancerre
2005 Life on the Ledge Mr. Eddy
2005 Romance & Cigarettes Urologist
2006 Alpha Dog Butch Mazursky
2009 Here and There Robert
2009 My Sister's Keeper Dr. Chance
2010 Zenith Berger
2011 Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life Simon Rudolph
2011 Dirty Movie Little Johnny's Dad
2011 Fake Tay Murphy
2011 Trophy Kids Charlie
2014 The Other Woman Nick
2023 God Is a Bullet Arthur Naci
TBA Transfer at Aachen † Ludwig Vnuk Pre-production[citation needed]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1983 Sessions Marc Television film
1985 Miami Vice Lile Episode: "Rites of Passage"
1986 Tales from the Darkside Werewolf Episode: "The Circus"
1988 Crime Story Thalberg Episode: "Femme Fatale"
1989 American Playhouse Nelson's Pal Episode: "Ask Me Again"
1993 Blind Spot Frank
1994 The Cosby Mysteries — Episode: "The Lottery Winner Murders"
1995 New York News — Episode: "New York News"
New York Undercover Alan Warwick Episode: "The Shooter"
1996-2005 Law & Order Defense Attorney Lionel Granger / Jeremy Cook / Paul Radford / Paul Medici 4 episodes
2000 The $treet Carl Kettner Episode: "Closet Cases"
Law & Order: Criminal Intent Kenny Strick Episode: "Maledictus"
2003 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Lionel Granger 10 episodes
2013 Cyndi Lauper: Still So Unusual Himself 12 episodes
2016 Elementary Joe Ballantine Episode: "A Study in Charlotte"
2017 Homeland George Pallis 3 episodes
2020 Tommy Robert 'Bob' Flake Episode: "In Dreams Begin Responsibilities"
2021 A Time to Kill James Lapan Episode: "Killer on the Roof"

Video games

Year Title Voice Role Notes
1995 Ripper Twig

References

  1. ^ a b "Robert Donald Thornton". cheraw.uber.matchbin.net. Archived from the original on 2016-02-16. Retrieved 2016-01-28.
  2. ^ a b c Neustatter, Angela (5 July 1992). "How We Met: 41. David Thornton and Cyndi Lauper". The Independent. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  3. ^ "Robert Donald Thornton Obituary (2006) Charlotte Observer". Legacy.com.
  4. ^ "Robert D. Thornton". WorldCat Entities. 24 October 2006. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  5. ^ "Grace Thornton Obituary 2019". www.kiserfuneralhome.com.
  6. ^ Who Was Who In America 2006-2007, vol. XVIII, Kerry Nugent Morrison, Marquis Who's Who, 2007, p. 241
  7. ^ Jane Wollman Rusoff (2008-06-15). "Cyndi Lauper is still unusual, but within reason". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2017-08-30. Retrieved 2016-01-28.
  8. ^ "Robert Thornton An appreciation". HeraldScotland. 7 December 2006.
  9. ^ Sullivan, Caroline (12 October 2008). "'I've always been the outsider'". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  10. ^ Thornton v. Baron, 833 N.E. 2d 261 (N.Y. June 30, 2005).


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