MO
Merlin Olsen
Actor
Born September 15, 1940Died March 10, 2010 (69 years)
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 Filmography
| 1988 | Aaron's Way (TV Series) · as Aaron Miller |
| 1984 | Time Bomb · as Jake Calahan |
| 1982 | The Juggler of Notre Dame · as Jonas |
| 1981 | Father Murphy (TV Series) · as John Michael Murphy |
| 1981 | Walking Tall (TV Series) · as Webb Mcclain |
| 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 (TV Series) · as Jonathan Garvey |
| 1972 | The Brian Keith Show/The Little People (TV Series) |
| 1972 | Kung Fu (TV Series) · as Perlee Skowrin |
| 1971 | Something Big · as Sgt. Fitzsimmons |
| 1971 | Police Surgeon (1971) (TV Series) · as The Cat |
| 1971 | One More Train to Rob · as Eli Jones |
| 1969 | The Undefeated · as Little George |
| 1964 | Shindig (TV Series) |
| 1963 | Petticoat Junction (TV Series) |