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Merlin Olsen

Acting · Born September 15, 1940 · 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).

Merlin Olsen movies and shows

  • Little House on the Prairie1974
  • Petticoat Junction1963
  • Monday Night Football1970
  • Shindig!1964
  • Father Murphy1981
  • The Brian Keith Show1972
  • Joe Montana: Cool Under Pressure2022
  • A Fire in the Sky1978
  • The Undefeated1969
  • Kung Fu1972
  • Fathers and Sons1986
  • One More Train to Rob1971
  • Something Big1971
  • Mitchell1975
  • The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story1980
  • Time Bomb1984