# Christopher Thornton
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{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{short description|American actor}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Christopher Thornton
|birth_name =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|3|29}}
|birth_place = [New Orleans](/source/New_Orleans), Louisiana, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|occupation = Actor
|years_active = 1990–present
|education ={{ubl|[University of New Orleans](/source/University_of_New_Orleans)}}
}}
'''Christopher Thornton''' (born March 29, 1967) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Kenny "Shammy" Shamberg in ''[Magnum P.I.](/source/Magnum_P.I._(2018_TV_series))'', and has had numerous other film and television roles from 1990 to the present.
==Early life and education==
Thornton was born in [New Orleans](/source/New_Orleans), Louisiana. His father was an amateur opera singer who appeared in local theater.[{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0861502/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t8 |title=Christopher Thornton at IMDB |website=IMDB.com |access-date=May 4, 2021}}] Christopher appeared in several plays while majoring in theater at the [University of New Orleans](/source/University_of_New_Orleans), but quit college after two years to relocate to Los Angeles and train at the [Stella Adler Conservatory](/source/Stella_Adler_Studio_of_Acting).[
==Career==
Thornton made his first feature film appearance in the 1990 horror sequel ''[Watchers II](/source/Watchers_II)'', playing a young man who gets his eyes gouged out by the mutant antagonist.][ Only two years later, at age 25, Thornton suffered an accident while [rock climbing](/source/rock_climbing) which fractured two [vertebrae](/source/Vertebra) and left him paralyzed from the waist down. He returned to mostly theater roles for the remainder of the 1990s. In 2000, he was cast to play [Hamlet](/source/Hamlet) at the Lillian Theater in Los Angeles. Believed to be the first actor to ever play the [iconic Shakespeare character](/source/Prince_Hamlet) in a wheelchair, Thornton's performance won rave reviews.][
Thornton has gone on to appear in numerous film and television roles. He has recurred in TV series such as ''[Any Day Now](/source/Any_Day_Now_(TV_series))'', ''[Rules of Engagement](/source/Rules_of_Engagement_(TV_series))'' and ''[Vice Principals](/source/Vice_Principals)'', and had guest roles in ''[Curb Your Enthusiasm](/source/Curb_Your_Enthusiasm)'', ''[Alias](/source/Alias_(TV_series))'', ''[Brothers & Sisters](/source/Brothers_%26_Sisters_(2006_TV_series))'', ''[My Name Is Earl](/source/My_Name_Is_Earl)'', ''[Grey's Anatomy](/source/Grey's_Anatomy)'', and ''[Will & Grace](/source/Will_%26_Grace)''. From 2018 to 2024, he played recurring character Kenny "Shammy" Shamberg, a Marine veteran paralyzed during a tour of duty in Iraq, on the [CBS](/source/CBS) reboot of ''[Magnum P.I.](/source/Magnum_P.I._(2018_TV_series))''][{{cite web|url=https://2paragraphs.com/2019/02/who-is-veteran-in-wheelchair-shammy-on-magnum-p-i/ |title=Who Is Veteran in Wheelchair Shammy on 'Magnum, P.I.'? |website=2paragraphs.com |date=February 25, 2019 |access-date=May 5, 2021}}]
Thornton was both writer and lead actor for the 2010 film ''[Sympathy for Delicious](/source/Sympathy_for_Delicious)'', playing [disc jockey](/source/disc_jockey) "Delicious" Dean O'Dwyer.[{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-jan-24-la-ca-sympathy24-2010jan24-story.html |title=Writer turns the story of his paralyzing accident into 'Sympathy for Delicious' |website=latimes.com |last=Abramowitz |first=Rachel |date=January 24, 2010 |access-date=May 5, 2021|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250708220807/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-jan-24-la-ca-sympathy24-2010jan24-story.html|archive-date=2025-07-08}}] The film was directed by close friend [Mark Ruffalo](/source/Mark_Ruffalo), who also stars in it alongside [Orlando Bloom](/source/Orlando_Bloom), [Laura Linney](/source/Laura_Linney), and [Juliette Lewis](/source/Juliette_Lewis).[
He will appear in the upcoming [Netflix](/source/Netflix) limited series adaptation ''[All the Sinners Bleed](/source/All_the_Sinners_Bleed_(TV_series))'', based on the [S. A. Cosby](/source/S._A._Cosby) novel of the [same name](/source/All_the_Sinners_Bleed).][{{cite web |last=Agard |first=Chancellor |date=2026-02-23 |title=In All the Sinners Bleed, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù Hunts an Unholy Serial Killer |url=https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/all-the-sinners-bleed-series-cast-release-date-news |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260304000712/https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/all-the-sinners-bleed-series-cast-release-date-news |archive-date=2026-03-04 |access-date=2026-04-16 |publisher=Netflix}}]
==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
! {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
| 1990
| ''[Watchers II](/source/Watchers_II)''
| Boy at Motel
|
|
|-
| 1992
| ''Valhalla''
| Paul Reitnauer
| Lead Actor
|
|-
| 1993
| ''A Song for You''
| Donny O’Brien
| Short film
|
|-
| 2002
| ''[Bug](/source/Bug_(2002_film))''
| Gary – Guy Hit by Car
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2"|2005
| ''[Pretty Persuasion](/source/Pretty_Persuasion)''
| Emmett Friedman
|
|
|-
| ''Hitched''
| Gary
| TV movie
|
|-
| 2010
| ''[Sympathy for Delicious](/source/Sympathy_for_Delicious)''
| "Delicious" Dean O’Dwyer
| Lead actor and writer
|[
|-
| 2017
| ''[Anything](/source/Anything_(film))''
| Ted Sachman
|
|
|}
===Television===
{{Pending series key}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
! {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
| 1991
| ''[Homefront](/source/Homefront_(American_TV_series))''
| Bartender
| Episode: “Man, This Joint Is Jumping”
|
|-
| 2000
| ''[Any Day Now](/source/Any_Day_Now_(TV_series))''
| Marty
| 3 episodes
|
|-
| rowspan="2"|2001
| ''[Curb Your Enthusiasm](/source/Curb_Your_Enthusiasm)''
| Cliff Cobb
| Episode: “Trick or Treat”
|
|-
| ''[Alias](/source/Alias_(TV_series))''
| Nevil
| 2 episodes
|
|-
| rowspan="2"|2008
| ''[Unhitched](/source/Unhitched)''
| Darren
| Episode: “Yorkshire Terrier Sucked Into the Internet”
|
|-
| ''[My Name Is Earl](/source/My_Name_Is_Earl)''
| Brett Hansen
| Episode: "Killerball"
|
|-
| rowspan="2"|2010
| ''[Brothers & Sisters](/source/Brothers_%26_Sisters_(2006_TV_series))''
| Aaron
| Episode: "Time After Time: Part 2"
|
|-
| ''[Lie to Me](/source/Lie_to_Me)''
| Johnny Wheels
| Episode: "The Canary Song”
|
|-
| 2013
| ''[Rules of Engagement](/source/Rules_of_Engagement_(TV_series))''
| Edward
| 3 episodes
|
|-
| 2015
| ''[Battle Creek](/source/Battle_Creek_(TV_series))''
| Mickey Long
| Episode: “The Hand-Off”
|
|-
| 2016
| ''[Grey's Anatomy](/source/Grey's_Anatomy)''
| Daniel Campbell
| Episode: “Falling Slowly”
|
|-
| 2017
| ''[Vice Principals](/source/Vice_Principals)''
| Mr. Milner
| 5 episodes
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |2018
|''[Speechless](/source/Speechless_(TV_series))''
|Chris
|Episode: "N-o-Nominee"
|
|-
|''[Santa Clarita Diet](/source/Santa_Clarita_Diet)''
| Kevin
| Episode: "Going Pre-med"
|
|-
| 2018–2024
| ''[Magnum P.I.](/source/Magnum_P.I._(2018_TV_series))''
| Kenny "Shammy" Shamberg
| Recurring role, 27 episodes
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2020
| ''[Will & Grace](/source/Will_%26_Grace)''
| Luke
| 2 episodes
|
|-
| ''[Broke](/source/Broke_(2020_TV_series))''
| Max Lefleur
| 2 episodes
|
|-
| 2022– present
| ''[The Lincoln Lawyer](/source/The_Lincoln_Lawyer_(TV_series))''
| Sam Scales
| 8 episodes
|
|-
| 2023
| ''[Class of '09](/source/Class_of_'09)''
| James Row
| Episode: "Orders Night"
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2024
| ''[Presumed Innocent](/source/Presumed_Innocent_(TV_series))''
| Jeremy Buck
| Episode: "The Elements"
|
|-
| ''[FBI: Most Wanted](/source/FBI%3A_Most_Wanted)''
| Elias Nelson
| Episode: "The Electric Company"
|
|-
| 2026-
| ''[The Pitt](/source/The_Pitt)''
| Dr. Caleb Jefferson
| Recurring role, 5 episodes
|
|-
| 2026
| ''[Doc](/source/Doc_(2025_TV_series))''
| Troy Willis
| Episode: "Fare Well"
|
|-
|{{TBA}}
|{{Pending series|[All the Sinners Bleed](/source/All_the_Sinners_Bleed_(TV_series))}}
|Dispatcher Cam Trowder
|Limited series
|]