Merlin Olsen
September 15, 1940 (84 years old) in Logan, Utah, USA
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
Credits
- 2022 · Joe Montana: Cool Under Pressure as Self (archive footage)
- 1988 · Aaron's Way as Aaron Miller
- 1986 · Fathers and Sons as
- 1984 · Time Bomb as Jake Calahan
- 1981 · Father Murphy as John Michael Murphy
- 1980 · The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story as Todd Simms
- 1978 · A Fire in the Sky as Stan Webster
- 1975 · Mitchell as Benton
- 1974 · Little House on the Prairie as Jonathan Garvey
- 1972 · Kung Fu as Perlee Skowrin
- 1972 · The Brian Keith Show as
- 1971 · Something Big as Sgt. Fitzsimmons
- 1971 · One More Train to Rob as Eli Jones
- 1970 · Monday Night Football as Defensive Tackle
- 1970 · Monday Night Football as Left Defensive Tackle
- 1970 · Monday Night Football as Defensive tackle
- 1969 · The Undefeated as Little George
- 1964 · Shindig! as
- 1963 · Petticoat Junction as