Actor
Merlin Olsen
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).
Notable work
Often works with
Harry Carey Jr.
3 titles together
The Undefeated, Something Big, One More Train to Rob
Victor French
2 titles together
Little House on the Prairie, The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story
Richard Loo
2 titles together
Kung Fu, One More Train to Rob
John Vernon
2 titles together
Kung Fu, One More Train to Rob
Ben Johnson
2 titles together
The Undefeated, Something Big
Edward Faulkner
2 titles together
The Undefeated, Something Big
Full filmography · 16
Aaron's Way
as Aaron Miller
1988
Fathers and Sons
cast
1986
Father Murphy
as John Michael Murphy
1981
Little House on the Prairie
as Jonathan Garvey
19748
Kung Fu
as Perlee Skowrin
19727.7
The Brian Keith Show
cast
1972
Monday Night Football
as Defensive Tackle and as Left Defensive Tackle and as Defensive tackle
1970
Shindig!
cast
1964
Petticoat Junction
cast
19635.9