Michael Patrick Thornton

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Michael Patrick Thornton is an American actor and theater director. He recently played the character of Dr. Gabriel Fife in the ABC drama series Private Practice.

Early life and education[]

Thornton is a native of Jefferson Park, a neighborhood on Chicago's northwest side. He is a graduate of The School at Steppenwolf, The Second City Conservatory, and The Second City Directing Program.

Career[]

Thornton is artistic director and co-founder of The Gift Theatre.^[1] He has acted in productions including Richard III at Steppenwolf, where he became the first actor to act onstage while wearing a robotic exoskeleton. He has also portrayed Iago in Othello at The Gift Theatre and in Actors Theatre of Louisville’s 50th anniversary production of Our Town. Thornton received a Jeff Nomination for his performance in The Gift's premiere of ensemble member Andrew Hinderaker's Suicide, Incorporated.

Thornton also directs at The Gift, including the world premiere of David Rabe's Good For Otto, War of the Worlds, the Chicago Premiere of Will Eno's Oh, The Humanity (and other exclamations). As a writer, his plays have been workshopped in New York through Young Playwrights, Inc. and in Chicago through Second City. He is the theater's artistic director.^[2]

Thornton's has appeared in episodes of television's Elementary (CBS) The Exorcist (FOX), Private Practice, The Chicago Code, Ron Howard's The Dilemma and the independent feature film The View From Tall.

Filmography[]

Feature films[]

Television[]

References[]

External links[]

• Michael Patrick Thornton at IMDb