Biography
Thorne was born in Manhattan and grew up in the Bronx, New York. Following college at CCNY, where he earned a BA in English, Thorne worked as a reporter and editor on newspapers in Pennsylvania. On returning to New York a young woman friend suggested that they go to California together. Having been to L.A. once before for a few months, Thorne thought that a splendid idea, but at the appointed time the young woman was unable to go. However, for Thorne the trip was still on, and two male friends piled into his 10 year-old car instead, to accompany him on the journey. After several years in publicity, working for entertainment industry clients and major corporations, Thorne segued into television writing. Working mainly in the hourlong drama, Thorne made it a point to write all of the major genres, including science fiction, mystery and detective drama, medical drama, "soap opera," animal-based dramas, fantasy, and legal drama. Thorne was also executive script consultant on several series, a post then which was second-in-command under the producer, and approximately equivalent to supervising producer today. For four years he taught Screenwriting on a part-time basis at Columbia College, Los Angeles. Thorne was also elected to two 2-year terms as a Governor of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the Emmy-awarding body. He has long been an active member of the Writers Guild of America, west, serving as chairman of a number of committees and in organizational and supervisory positions during strikes. Thorne has also been a political activist, at one time supervising press relations for the California Democratic Council and as Vice-Chairman of Citizens for the Impeachment of Richard Nixon. He organized Writers United, a group of prominent writers who came together to support Salman Rushdie when the novelist's life was threatened by an ayatollah's fatwa. In 2011, Thorne was awarded an M.A. in English Literature, with Honors, by Califonria State University, Northridge.
