Merlin Jay Olsen (/ˈoÊŠlsÉ™n/; September 15, 1940 â€" March 11, 2010)
was an American football player, announcer, and actor. He played his
entire 15-year professional football career in National Football
League (NFL) as a defensive tackle with the Los Angeles Rams. He was
selected to the Pro Bowl a record 14 straight times, missing selection
only in the last year of his career. This record of 14 seasons being
selected to play in the Pro Bowl, consecutive or otherwise, is shared
with current Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, former
offensive lineman Bruce Matthews, former tight end Tony Gonzalez, and
former quarterback Peyton Manning. A recipient of the 1961 Outland
Trophy as the best lineman in college football, Olsen is a member of
the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame.
As an actor, he portrayed farmer Jonathan Garvey on Little House on
the Prairie. After leaving that series, he starred in his own NBC
drama, Father Murphy.Merlin Olsen was born in Logan, Utah, where his
parents Merle Barrus and Lynn Jay Olsen graduated from Utah State
University (USU) and began their careers. His father was a professor
at the university while his mother had graduated in elementary
education. Merlin was the second of nine siblings and the first-born
son. The family opened their home to host, feed, sleep or tutor anyone
in the neighborhood; during the winter, Merle would lay wood over the
entrance of the house so that ice skaters from the local park could
walk in.Merlin pursued athletics in high school but was cut from the
basketball team while in grade 9, told by the coach that athletics
wasn't for him and that he should take up the arts. Later, Olsen
turned down a football scholarship to Stanford University to play for
USU. Classmate Ross Peterson described him as a "natural, big, strong
leader ... he could have been successful at anything". His brothers
Phil and Orrin also played football.
was an American football player, announcer, and actor. He played his
entire 15-year professional football career in National Football
League (NFL) as a defensive tackle with the Los Angeles Rams. He was
selected to the Pro Bowl a record 14 straight times, missing selection
only in the last year of his career. This record of 14 seasons being
selected to play in the Pro Bowl, consecutive or otherwise, is shared
with current Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, former
offensive lineman Bruce Matthews, former tight end Tony Gonzalez, and
former quarterback Peyton Manning. A recipient of the 1961 Outland
Trophy as the best lineman in college football, Olsen is a member of
the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame.
As an actor, he portrayed farmer Jonathan Garvey on Little House on
the Prairie. After leaving that series, he starred in his own NBC
drama, Father Murphy.Merlin Olsen was born in Logan, Utah, where his
parents Merle Barrus and Lynn Jay Olsen graduated from Utah State
University (USU) and began their careers. His father was a professor
at the university while his mother had graduated in elementary
education. Merlin was the second of nine siblings and the first-born
son. The family opened their home to host, feed, sleep or tutor anyone
in the neighborhood; during the winter, Merle would lay wood over the
entrance of the house so that ice skaters from the local park could
walk in.Merlin pursued athletics in high school but was cut from the
basketball team while in grade 9, told by the coach that athletics
wasn't for him and that he should take up the arts. Later, Olsen
turned down a football scholarship to Stanford University to play for
USU. Classmate Ross Peterson described him as a "natural, big, strong
leader ... he could have been successful at anything". His brothers
Phil and Orrin also played football.
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