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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
September 15, 1940
Died
March 10, 2010
Place of Birth
Logan, Utah, USA
Merlin Olsen
0.9 Popularity
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
6.5
Self (archive footage)
Joe Montana: Cool Under Pressure
2022
🎬
5.0
Aaron Miller
Aaron's Way
1988
5.0
Fathers and Sons
1986
4.0
Jake Calahan
Time Bomb
1984
8.0
John Michael Murphy
Father Murphy
1981
0.0
Todd Simms
The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story
1980
5.5
Stan Webster
A Fire in the Sky
1978
3.2
Benton
Mitchell
1975
7.9
Jonathan Garvey
Little House on the Prairie
1974
7.7
Perlee Skowrin
Kung Fu
1972
Credits
Joe Montana: Cool Under Pressure
as Self (archive footage)
2022
6.5
🎬
Aaron's Way
as Aaron Miller
1988
5.0
Fathers and Sons
1986
5.0
Time Bomb
as Jake Calahan
1984
4.0
Father Murphy
as John Michael Murphy
1981
8.0
The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story
as Todd Simms
1980
0.0
A Fire in the Sky
as Stan Webster
1978
5.5
Mitchell
as Benton
1975
3.2
Little House on the Prairie
as Jonathan Garvey
1974
7.9
Kung Fu
as Perlee Skowrin
1972
7.7
The Brian Keith Show
1972
5.0
Something Big
as Sgt. Fitzsimmons
1971
5.1
One More Train to Rob
as Eli Jones
1971
5.4
Monday Night Football
as Defensive Tackle
1970
0.0
Monday Night Football
as Left Defensive Tackle
1970
0.0
Monday Night Football
as Defensive tackle
1970
0.0
The Undefeated
as Little George
1969
6.2
Shindig!
1964
6.2
Petticoat Junction
1963
5.7