[3] He then played an uncredited role in the 1957 film The True Story of Jesse James.

[3] Thordsen guest-starred in numerous television programs including Gunsmoke (S2E38 - “The Man Who Would Be Marshall in 1957 & S11E2 - “The Storm” in 1965), Bonanza (S6E21 "The Search" in 1965), Wagon Train, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, The Deputy, Tales of Wells Fargo, Cheyenne, The Andy Griffith Show, Rawhide, Perry Mason, The Time Tunnel, The Fugitive, The Rockford Files , The Rifleman and Cimarron Strip.

[6] He played the recurring role of "Colorado Charlie" for five episodes of the action and adventure television series Yancy Derringer.

[3] Other film appearances included The Misadventures of Merlin Jones (1964), The Ugly Dachshund (1966), Good Times (1967), and Blackbeard's Ghost (1968).

[citation needed] Thordsen died in January 1978 of cancer at his home in Sun Valley, California, at the age of 61.