THOR NIELSEN Actor Director Choreographer

BIO CONTINUED

As a theater specialist for the City of Anaheim Parks and Recreation Dept. Thor created a wide range of programs including the innovative "Show Wagon", a theater on wheels that presented plays, reviews, presentations and musicals throughout the city in summer months, often starring himself and most under his direction. His Summer Music Repertory presented three musicals in an outdoor setting and his annual Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" was an Orange County tradition for several years.

If you knew or worked with Thor and would like to share your comments and memories or contribute archival material to this website -- such as photos, programs, videos, posters or other media, please CONTACT US.

He directed and staged a wide range of productions in many venues throughout southern California in college, community, youth and professional theater, including an innovative "Merry Wives of Windsor" for the Chapman Shakespeare Festival and a long running "Stop the World, I Want to Get off" in which he starred for the Anaheim Playhouse.

Thor inspired a long-lasting love of the art as a teacher and coach, especially in young theater students and budding professionals including Jennifer Warnes (I’ve Had The Time of My Life" [with Bill Medley: Oscar, Emmy, Golden Globe]), Richard Gould ("Phantom of the Opera", "Scrooge"), Alyson Reed ("A Chorus Line", "High School Musical") and Jayne Hamil (Story Editor: "The Nanny"; Writer: "Donny & Marie", "Jeff Foxworthy's Comedy Classics" and "WordGirl" [Emmy]) in their early stage musical debuts.

He was a member of Actor's Equity and the Screen Actors Guild and appeared in a number of films including several starring Steve McQueen, a variety of television shows and theater productions and worked with Ian McKellan in his acclaimed production of Ibsen’s "Enemy of the People" at the Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles. With his enduring affection for the works of Hans Christian Anderson, he portrayed the writer to critical success in a one man show for the annual Danish Festival in Solvang, CA.

He died in Los Angeles in 2000 and is buried with military honors at the National Cemetery in Riverside, CA having served well as soldier, actor, innovator and a truly dedicated and inspired man of the theater.