Merlin Olsen
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- September 15, 1940
- Died
- March 10, 2010 (aged 69)
- Birthplace
- Logan, Utah, USA
Biography
Merlin Jay Olsen (September 15, 1940 – March 11, 2010) was an American professional football player, announcer, and actor. For his entire 15-year professional football career (1962 - 1976), he was a defensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams. He was selected to play in the Pro Bowl a then-record 14 times (surpassed only by Tom Brady). He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. As an actor, Olsen is best known for portraying farmer Jonathan Garvey on the fourth through seventh seasons of Little House on the Prairie (1977 - 1981). He went on to star as the title character in the Western series Father Murphy (1981 - 1983).
Known For
Filmography
Joe Montana: Cool Under Pressure
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
Aaron's Way
TV · as Aaron Miller · 14 eps
Fathers and Sons
TV · 4 eps
Time Bomb
Movie · as Jake Calahan
Father Murphy
TV · as John Michael Murphy · 35 eps
The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story
Movie · as Todd Simms
A Fire in the Sky
Movie · as Stan Webster
Mitchell
Movie · as Benton
Little House on the Prairie
TV · as Jonathan Garvey · 50 eps
Kung Fu
TV · as Perlee Skowrin · 1 ep
The Brian Keith Show
TV · 1 ep
Something Big
Movie · as Sgt. Fitzsimmons
One More Train to Rob
Movie · as Eli Jones
Monday Night Football
TV · as Defensive Tackle, Left Defensive Tackle, Defensive tackle · 6 eps
The Undefeated
Movie · as Little George
Shindig!
TV · 1 ep
Petticoat Junction
TV · 1 ep