Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Harris Taylor C.
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
10/10/2012		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
THORATEC CORP [THOR]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
6035 STONERIDGE DRIVE		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
VP, Chief Financial Officer
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

PLEASANTON, CA 94588		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 18,990 (1)
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Non-Qualified Stock Options (right to buy) 03/15/2011 03/15/2020 Common Stock 10,000 (2) $ 33.16 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Options (right to buy) 03/01/2012 03/01/2021 Common Stock 5,775 (3) $ 27.3 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Options (right to buy) 03/09/2013 03/09/2022 Common Stock 6,447 (4) $ 33.99 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Harris Taylor C.
6035 STONERIDGE DRIVE
PLEASANTON, CA 94588		       VP, Chief Financial Officer  

Signatures

/s/Taylor C. Harris 10/17/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Includes 15,229 unvested Restricted Stock Units. The restricted stock units vest in four equal annual installments commencing one year after the grant date.
(2) Represents 5,000 exercisable Non-Qualified Stock Options and 5,000 Non-Qualified Stock Options scheduled to vest as follows: 2,500 shares on 03/15/2013 and 2,500 shares on 03/15/2014
(3) Represents 1,444 exercisable Non-Qualified Stock Options and 4,331 Non-Qualified Stock Options scheduled to vest as follows: 1,444 shares on 03/01/2013, 1,444 shares on 03/01/2014 and 1,443 shares on 03/01/2015
(4) Represents 6,447 Non-Qualified Stock Options scheduled to vest as follows: 1,612 shares on 03/09/2013, 1,612 shares on 03/09/2014, 1,612 shares on 03/09/2015 and 1,611 shares on 03/09/2016

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