Editing Merlin Olsen

{{Short description|American football player, announcer, and actor (1940–2010)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| image         = Merlin Olsen Jonathan Garvey Little House on the Prairie 1977.JPG
| caption       = Olsen on ''Little House on the Prairie''
| position      = [[Defensive tackle]]
| number        = 74
| birth_date    = September 15, 1940
| birth_place   = [[Logan, Utah]], U.S.
| death_date    = {{death date and age|mf=yes|2010|3|11|1940|9|15}}
| death_place   = [[Duarte, California]], U.S.
| height_ft     = 6
| height_in     = 5
| weight_lbs    = 270
| draftyear     = 1962
| draftround    = 1
| draftpick     = 3
| afldraftyear  = 1962
| afldraftround = 1
| afldraftpick  = 2
| high_school   = [[Logan High School (Utah)|Logan High School]] in [[Logan, Utah]]
| college       = [[Utah State Aggies football|Utah State]] (1959–1961)
| pastteams     = * [[Los Angeles Rams]] ([[1962 NFL season|1962]]–[[1976 NFL season|1976]])
| highlights    = * 5× First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1966 All-Pro Team|1966]]–[[1970 All-Pro Team|1970]])
* 3× Second-team All-Pro ([[1963 All-Pro Team|1963]]–[[1965 All-Pro Team|1965]])
* 14× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1963 Pro Bowl|1962]]–[[1976 Pro Bowl|1975]])
* [[NFL 1960s All-Decade Team]]
* [[NFL 1970s All-Decade Team]]
* [[NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team]]
* [[NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team]]
* [[Bert Bell Award]] (1974)
* [[Los Angeles Rams awards#St. Louis Football Ring of Fame|St. Louis Football Ring of Fame]]
* [[Los Angeles Rams#Retired numbers|Los Angeles Rams No. 74]] retired
* [[Outland Trophy]] (1961)
* Consensus [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1961 College Football All-America Team|1961]])
* First-team All-American ([[1960 College Football All-America Team|1960]])
| statlabel1    = Games
| statvalue1    = 208
| statlabel2    = [[Interception]]s
| statvalue2    = 1
| pfr           = OlseMe00
| HOF           = merlin-olsen
| CollegeHOF    = 1902
}}

'''Merlin Jay Olsen''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|oʊ|l|s|ən}}; September 15, 1940 – March 11, 2010)<ref name="Smith0311">{{Cite news |last=Florio |first=Mike |author-link=Mike Florio |date=March 11, 2010 |title=Reports: Merlin Olsen dies at 69 |url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/03/11/reports-merlin-olsen-dies-at-69 |access-date=March 11, 2010 |work=ProFootballTalk |publisher=NBC Sports}}</ref> was an American professional [[American football|football]] player, announcer, and actor. For his entire 15-year professional football career he was a [[defensive tackle]] with the [[Los Angeles Rams]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL).  He was selected to play in the [[Pro Bowl]] 14 times — every year but his last. The only other football players to have matched or exceeded that number are [[Bruce Matthews (American football)|Bruce Matthews]], [[Tony Gonzalez]], [[Peyton Manning]], and [[Tom Brady]], who is the only NFL player to have played more times in the Pro Bowl, with 15 selections.

In 1961, Olsen received the [[Outland Trophy]], awarded to as the best lineman of the year in college football. He 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 (TV series)|Little House on the Prairie]]''. After leaving that series, he starred in his own [[NBC]] drama, ''[[Father Murphy]]''.

==Early life==
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. <!--Olsen had three brothers and five sisters: Colleen, Clark, Lorraine, Gwen, Phil, Winona, Ramona, and Orrin-->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.

Merlin pursued athletics in high school but was cut from the basketball team while in grade&nbsp;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".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cox |first1=Erin |title=Magic Merilin |url=https://www.hjnews.com/cache_magazine/magical-merlin-the-incredible-life-of-logan-native-merlin-olsen/article_b57a79fe-6a5e-57cb-adfc-d6fd66c75497.html |website=The Herald Journal |date=January 13, 2017 |access-date=18 November 2019}}</ref> His brothers [[Phil Olsen (American football)|Phil]] and [[Orrin Olsen|Orrin]] also played football.

== College career ==
Olsen attended [[Utah State University]] where he became a member of the [[Sigma Chi]] fraternity, and was a three-year [[Letterman (sports)|letterman]] in [[College football|football]] as a [[defensive tackle]]. He graduated from the [[Jon M. Huntsman School of Business|College of Business and Social Sciences]] at USU with a bachelor's degree in finance in 1962 and a master's degree in economics in 1971.<ref name="Honorary Degree Recipients">[https://web.archive.org/web/20100609025145/http://huntsman.usu.edu/htm/alumni/honorary-degree-recipients/memberID=15 Honorary Degree Recipients] Utah State University.</ref> He later received an honorary doctorate degree in business from the Huntsman School.<ref name="Honorary Degree Recipients"/>

In football, as a senior, he was a consensus [[All-America]] selection and was the winner of the [[Outland Trophy]]. After Olsen's junior year in 1960, he was also named All-American by the [[Football Writers Association of America]] and [[Newspaper Enterprise Association]]. He was also All-Conference in both 1960 and 1961. Olsen and Utah State were in the 1960 Sun Bowl, losing to New Mexico State, 20–13. Led by Olsen, the Aggie defense held the New Mexico State Aggies to just 44 rushing yards on 32 carries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lowongankerja2010x.com/merlin-olsen-college |title=Merlin Olsen College |publisher=Lowongankerja2010x.com |access-date=March 12, 2010 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

The Aggie defense Olsen anchored as a senior gave up an average of 50.8 rushing yards (which led the nation), 88.6 passing yards, and 139.4 total yards which all still stand as school records for defense. The 1961 Aggie defense gave up an average 7.8 points a game, which is second in team history behind Olsen's 1960 team, which allowed 6.5 points per game.<ref name="Utah State University Media Guide">{{Cite web |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ust/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/06Section8.pdf |title=Utah State University Media Guide |access-date=May 4, 2007 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304051249/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ust/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/06Section8.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Additionally, the Aggie defense held four opponents to less than 100 total yards. One, the [[University of Idaho]], was held to a school-record 23 total yards, with the Aggies winning 69–0.

The Aggies, not known as a national power football program, finished 10th in both the [[AP Poll|AP]] and [[Coaches' Poll|UPI]] post-season polls, the only time that has occurred in school history. The Aggies had a combined 18–3–1 record during Olsen's junior and senior seasons under coach [[John Ralston (coach)|John Ralston]] and were conference champions those two seasons as well.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/wac/utah_state/championships.php |title=Utah State Championships |publisher=College Football Data Warehouse |access-date=2010-03-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100216125629/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/wac/utah_state/championships.php |archive-date=February 16, 2010 }}</ref>

He was a member of the Utah State University chapter of the [[Sigma Chi]] fraternity, which has an annual Merlin Olsen Day of Service named in his honor where brothers are encouraged to give back to their communities.

===Awards and honors===
Olsen played in the [[East-West Shrine Game]] in 1961 and in 2003 was voted to the game's Hall of Fame.<ref>[http://www.shrinegame.com/halloffame.php The East West Shrine Game | Hall of Fame<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090721114802/http://www.shrinegame.com/halloffame.php |date=July 21, 2009 }}</ref> He also played in the [[Hula Bowl]] after his senior season and was voted MVP of the game.<ref>[http://www.hulabowlhawaii.com/about/history.asp Hula Bowl | History<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070714000235/http://www.hulabowlhawaii.com/about/history.asp |date=July 14, 2007 }}</ref>

Olsen is a member of the State of Utah's Sports Hall of Fame, the Utah State University Sports Hall of Fame and USU's All-Century Football Team. In 2000, he was selected by ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' as one of the State of Utah's Top 50 Athletes of the Century. He was voted to the All-Academic All-America Hall of Fame in 1988. In 1969, he was voted to the [[Newspaper Enterprise Association]] All-Time All-America team with collegiate greats such as [[Bronko Nagurski]], [[Red Grange]], [[Jim Thorpe]], and [[O. J. Simpson]], among others.<ref>NEA All-Time All-America Team – ''Beckly Post-Herald'', August 24, 1969</ref>

In 2008, Olsen was named to the 75th Anniversary All-[[Sun Bowl]] Team to commemorate the Sun Bowl Association's Diamond Anniversary.<ref>{{cite press release| url=http://www.utahstateaggies.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/070308aad.html| title=Utah State's Merlin Olsen Named To 75th Anniversary All-Sun Bowl Team| publisher=Utah State University| date=July 3, 2008| access-date=November 16, 2009| archive-date=November 22, 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122080721/http://utahstateaggies.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/070308aad.html| url-status=dead}}</ref>

Utah State University announced the intention to name its football field after Olsen during a ceremony in Logan during halftime of the USU-St. Mary's basketball game on December 5, 2009.<ref>{{cite press release| url=http://www.utahstateaggies.com/genrel/111609aaa.html|title=Utah State University Will Honor Merlin Olsen on Saturday, Dec. 5 At Aggie Basketball Game| publisher=Utah State University| date=November 16, 2009| access-date=2010-03-11}}</ref>

Olsen was also a three-time academic All-American at Utah State and graduated [[summa cum laude]] in 1962 with a degree in finance.<ref name="Utah State University Media Guide"/>

== Professional football career ==
After college, Olsen had offers from both the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League and the [[Denver Broncos]] of the rival [[American Football League]]. He chose the security of the NFL and signed with the Rams. Olsen's first contract was for around $50,000 for two years, plus a signing bonus. It was [[1962 NFL season|1962]], and the average football player salary at the time was around $12,000 a year. He was the first USU Aggie to be drafted in the 1st round of the [[NFL draft]].<ref name="Utah State University Media Guide"/>

Olsen played professionally ([[1962 Los Angeles Rams season|1962]]–[[1976 Los Angeles Rams season|1976]]) for the [[Los Angeles Rams]] of the National Football League.  A leading defensive star of his era, he missed only two games in his 15-season NFL career. He was named the NFL's Rookie of the Year in 1962 and was First-team [[All-Pro]] in 1964, and 1966 through 1970. He was voted Second-team All-Pro in 1965, 1973 and 1974.<ref name="2008 St. Louis Rams Media Guide">2008 St. Louis Rams Media Guide</ref>

Olsen almost ended up on [[offense (sports)|offense]], but was later moved to the [[defensive line]] after a few experiments in practice. Soon he became part of one of the best front fours in NFL history. [[Deacon Jones]], [[Rosey Grier]], and [[Lamar Lundy]] joined Olsen on the defensive line in [[1963 Los Angeles Rams season|1963]] that was nicknamed "The [[Fearsome Foursome (football)|Fearsome Foursome]]".<ref name="2008 St. Louis Rams Media Guide"/> He was named the [[Associated Press|AP]] NFL Defensive Player of the Week for week 12 in 1965. Olsen scored his first touchdown in that game. As Jones was the face of the Fearsome Foursome, offensive linemen often double- or triple-teamed him, leaving Olsen one on one with a clear path to the ball carrier.

Throughout the 1960s, this quartet terrorized opposing offenses. Olsen's play helped the Rams to the playoffs in [[1967 Los Angeles Rams season|1967]] and [[1969 Los Angeles Rams season|1969]]. He was voted the club's Outstanding Defensive Lineman from 1967 to 1970 by the Los Angeles Rams Alumni. In week 14, 1967, Olsen and the rest of the Fearsome Foursome were named the AP NFL Defensive Players of the Week for their performance against the Baltimore Colts. In the 1970s, Olsen continued his dominant play at defensive tackle and his 11 [[Quarterback sack|sacks]] in [[1972 Los Angeles Rams season|1972]] were second on the team. After week 8 in 1972, Olsen was named the Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Week for the third time in his career.<ref name="2008 St. Louis Rams Media Guide"/>

The Rams won the [[NFC West]] crown in [[1973 Los Angeles Rams season|1973]] through [[1976 Los Angeles Rams season|1976]] thanks in part to the play of Olsen. They ranked first in the NFL in run defense in 1973 and 1974 and finished second in sacking opposing passers both years. In 1973 Olsen was voted the [[National Football League Players Association|NFLPA]] NFC Defensive Lineman of the Year and the next season, 1974, he was the recipient of [[Bert Bell Award]] as the NFL MVP as voted by the [[Maxwell Club]]. Olsen accepted the award "on behalf of all who toil in the NFL trenches".

Merlin and two of his brothers, [[Phil Olsen (American football)|Phil]] and [[Orrin Olsen|Orrin]], played in the NFL; Merlin and Phil playing together for the Rams from 1971 to 1974. Their nephew Hans, son of their brother Clark, also played professional football.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/O/OlseHa20.htm | title=Hans Olsen Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] }}</ref> In 1975 and 1976, the Rams defense finished second in the NFL against the run while ranking in the top five in sacking opposing quarterbacks and compiling a 22-5-1 record over those two seasons.

Olsen's last game was the [[List of NFC Championship Game winners|NFC Championship game]] in [[1976 NFL season|1976]] at [[Bloomington, Minnesota]]. The [[Minnesota Vikings|Vikings]] took advantage on a freak play early in the game. A blocked [[field goal (football)|field goal]] returned 90 yards for a [[touchdown]] shocked the Rams in the first quarter. The defense was later victimized by a couple of big plays by the Vikings. The Rams came up short, losing 24–13, bringing the storied career of the Rams' finest defensive tackle to an end.

Olsen made the [[Pro Bowl]] a then-record 14 times, missing it only in his final year. He was inducted into the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in 1982 in his first year of eligibility; he selected his college position coach [[Tony Knap]] as his presenter.<ref>[http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=168&tab=Speech profootballhof.com] - Merlin Olsen - enshrinement speech - 1982 - accessed 2012-03-25</ref> In [[1999 in sports|1999]], Olsen was ranked 25th on ''[[The Sporting News]]''' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://tsn.sportingnews.com/nfl/100/list-complete.html| title=NFL News, Scores, Schedule & Standings - Pro Football| journal=[[Sporting News]]| access-date=2010-03-13| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100309062226/http://tsn.sportingnews.com/nfl/100/list-complete.html| archive-date=2010-03-09| url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Post-football career ==
Olsen enjoyed continued success after the NFL as a broadcaster, actor, and businessman.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://theenterprisereport.typepad.com/news/2010/03/breaking-news-the-fearsome-foursome-now-two-nfl-legend-merlin-olsen-dead-at-69.html| title=BREAKING NEWS: The Fearsome Foursome now two: NFL Legend Merlin Olsen Dead at 69| website=The Enterprise Report| date=March 11, 2010}}</ref>

Olsen served as a [[television]] [[color commentator]], teaming mostly with [[Dick Enberg]] on [[NFL on NBC|NBC]]'s coverage of the [[American Football Conference|AFC]] during the late 1970s and almost all of the 1980s. He and Enberg also teamed for four [[Super Bowl]]s ([[Super Bowl XV|XV]], [[Super Bowl XVII|XVII]], [[Super Bowl XX|XX]] and [[Super Bowl XXIII|XXIII]]), as well as nine [[Rose Bowl Game|Rose Bowls]] from [[1980 Rose Bowl|1980]] to [[1988 Rose Bowl|1988]]. Olsen also worked [[Super Bowl XIII]] in 1979 with [[Curt Gowdy]] and [[John Brodie]] (Enberg was then serving as pre-game/halftime/post-game host). In [[1989 NFL season|1989]], Olsen was replaced by<ref>{{cite web |url=http://classicsportsmedia.blogspot.com/2013/02/history-of-1-analyst-demotions.html |title=History of #1 analyst demotions |date=February 18, 2013 |work=Classic Sports TV and Media |access-date=April 13, 2013}}</ref> [[Bill Walsh (American football coach)|Bill Walsh]] as NBC's lead NFL color commentator. For the 1989 season, Olsen worked with [[Charlie Jones (sportscaster)|Charlie Jones]] on NBC's broadcasts. In [[1990 NFL season|1990]] and [[1991 NFL season|1991]], he moved to [[NFL on CBS|CBS Sports]] doing NFL games with [[Dick Stockton]].

Olsen developed a successful career as an actor. He appeared as the character Little George in the [[John Wayne]] movie, ''[[The Undefeated (1969 film)|The Undefeated]]'', with Rams teammate [[Roman Gabriel]], in 1969.

In 1970, he appeared once on ''[[Petticoat Junction]]'', playing mountaineer Merlin Fergus in the episode "With This Ring".

When ''[[Little House on the Prairie (TV series)|Little House on the Prairie]]'' actor [[Victor French]] left to star in his own comedy ''[[Carter Country]]'' in 1977, Olsen was tapped to play [[Michael Landon]]'s new sidekick Jonathan Garvey for several years. One memorable quote from his character's son Andy Garvey, "My pa doesn't know anything about football!" came when Andy's friends suggested that Jonathan coach their football team.

Olsen played the starring role of John Michael Murphy in the 1981-83 [[NBC]] television drama series ''[[Father Murphy]]''.

In the ''[[Highway to Heaven]]'' episode 2.12 ("The Good Doctor"), the main character, Alex, tells Mark Gordon (Victor French) that "All I could see was the flowers and the beard.  I thought you were Merlin Olsen." This is an inside joke since Olsen, Landon, and French were in the TV series ''Little House on the Prairie''  earlier in their careers.

Olsen's last acting work was in the short-lived [[1988 in American television|1988]] TV series ''[[Aaron's Way]]''.

Olsen was also the [[Television commercial|commercial]] spokesman for [[Florists' Transworld Delivery|FTD Florists]] for many years. A part-time resident of the [[Coachella Valley]], Olsen was the longtime radio and television spokesman for [[Palm Desert, California|Palm Desert]]-based El Paseo Bank.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mydesert.com/article/20100311/NEWS01/100311013|title=The Desert Sun - Palm Springs and Coachella Valley news|website=Desert Sun}}</ref>

Olsen also appeared in many [[Sigma Chi]] fraternity promotional campaigns; he and his brother Phil were Life Loyal Sigs, Significant Sigs (given to members for distinguishing acts outside the fraternity), and  members of the Order of Constantine (given for service to the Fraternity). Olsen donated one of his cleats, which were [[bronze]]d, to be used during the annual football rivalry between two [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]] high schools, [[Eldorado High School (Nevada)|Eldorado High School]] and [[Chaparral High School (Nevada)|Chaparral High School]], which both opened in 1973.<ref name=cleat1>{{cite news|author=Ray Brewer (March 11, 2010)|title="Merlin Olsen's death felt at Eldorado, Chaparral"|newspaper=Las Vegas Sun|url=https://lasvegassun.com/blogs/high-school-sports-scene/2010/mar/11/merlin-olsens-death-felt-chaparral-eldorado/|access-date=8 January 2020}}</ref> Each year, Olsen presented the "trophy" in the ceremony at the rivalry game.{{citation needed|date=March 2010}}

Olsen often co-hosted the [[Children's Miracle Network]] [[telethon]]s, a humanitarian organization founded in 1983 by [[Marie Osmond]] and [[John Schneider (screen actor)|John Schneider]].

==Awards==
He was named the [[Walter Camp Man of the Year]] in 1982 and Athlete of the Century for the state of Utah. During halftime of a basketball game between [[2009–10 Utah State Aggies men's basketball team|Utah State]], Olsen's alma mater, and [[2009–10 Saint Mary's Gaels men's basketball team|Saint Mary's]] on December 5, 2009, Utah State University announced that the playing surface inside [[Romney Stadium]], home stadium for [[Utah State Aggies football|the university's football program]], would be named Merlin Olsen Field in Olsen's honor. Because of Olsen's illness, Utah State decided not to wait until the 2010 football season to hold the ceremony; he was able to attend the game, but did not speak.<ref name="NFL obituary"/> A sculpture of Olsen was unveiled in a plaza south of the stadium during an official dedication ceremony in Fall 2010.<ref>{{cite web| last=Harrison| first=Shawn| title=Field named after Olsen: Utah State honors Aggie legend in halftime ceremony| newspaper=[[The Herald Journal]]| location=Logan, Utah| date=December 6, 2009| url=https://www.hjnews.com/sports/field-named-after-olsen-utah-state-honors-aggie-legend-in/article_71d9089a-80c1-52fd-aeff-ba5462f54143.html| access-date=July 14, 2018}}</ref>

In 1979, Olsen was inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.utahsportshalloffame.org/honorees/ | title=Honorees – Utah Sports Hall of Fame Foundation }}</ref>

In 1980, Olsen was inducted into the National College Football Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1902 | title=Merlin Olsen (1980) - Hall of Fame }}</ref>

In 1998, Olsen was inducted into the Utah Tourism Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://utahtourism.org/tourism-hall-of-fame | title=Tourism Hall of Fame }}</ref>

Olsen was voted to the [[California Sports Hall of Fame]] Class of 2010, along with [[Bill Walton]], [[Dwight Stones]], and [[Jim Otto]], among others.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://californiasportshalloffame.org/cshof-inductees/| title=2010 Inductees| publisher=California Sports Hall of Fame| access-date=July 14, 2018}}</ref>

In 1983, Olsen served as Grand Marshal of the [[Rose Parade]].

==Personal life==
On March 30, 1962, Olsen married Susan Wakley, a fellow USU student. They had three children: Kelly, Jill, and Nathan. 
Olsen was a member of [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] and a resident of San Marino, California.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.glen-hampton-gardens-designs.com/mediterranean-estate-gallery.html |title=Mediterranean Estate, San Marino, California 1984 |publisher=glen-hampton-gardens-designs.com |access-date=August 20, 2019 |archive-date=January 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200126024729/http://www.glen-hampton-gardens-designs.com/mediterranean-estate-gallery.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Olsen was diagnosed with [[peritoneal mesothelioma]] in 2009,<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705349465/USU-names-field-after-Merlin-Olsen.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091208092458/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705349465/USU-names-field-after-Merlin-Olsen.html| url-status=dead| archive-date=December 8, 2009| title=Utah State football names field after Merlin Olsen| first=Jared| last=Eborn| date=December 6, 2009| newspaper=[[Deseret News]]| location=Salt Lake City}}</ref> and underwent three courses of [[chemotherapy]]. In December 2009, he filed a lawsuit against 25 defendants including NBC Studios, NBC Universal, 20th Century Fox, Georgia Pacific, Sherwin-Williams, and Lennox Corp. for allegedly exposing him to the [[asbestos]] which he claimed had caused his cancer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/01/01/merlin-olsen-suing-nbc|title=Merlin Olsen suing NBC|publisher=TV Squad|date=December 31, 2009|access-date=2010-03-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://survivingmesothelioma.com/mesothelioma-takes-life-of-merlin-olsen/|title=Mesothelioma Takes Life of Merlin Olsen|date=March 12, 2010|access-date=2010-03-12|archive-date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305195616/http://survivingmesothelioma.com/mesothelioma-takes-life-of-merlin-olsen/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Olsen died on March 11, 2010, at [[City of Hope National Medical Center]] in [[Duarte, California]], at age 69.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-merlin-olsen12-2010mar12,0,4391015.story| title=Merlin Olsen dies at 69; Hall of Fame football star later became actor| first=Keith| last=Thursby| newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]| date=March 12, 2010| access-date=2010-03-12}}</ref><ref name="NFL obituary">{{cite news| url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d816e27e3/article/olsen-hall-of-famer-and-member-of-fearsome-foursome-dies| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100829013808/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d816e27e3/article/olsen-hall-of-famer-and-member-of-fearsome-foursome-dies| url-status=dead| archive-date=August 29, 2010| title=Olsen, Hall of Famer and member of 'Fearsome Foursome' dies| agency=Associated Press| publisher=NFL News| date=March 11, 2010| access-date=2010-03-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/12/sports/football/12olsen.html| title=Merlin Olsen, 69, Football Star, Commentator and Actor, Dies| first=Richard| last=Goldstein| date=March 11, 2010| newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>

Olsen is buried at San Gabriel Cemetery in San Gabriel, California.

==Filmography==

===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
|1969|| ''[[The Undefeated (1969 film)|The Undefeated]]''  || Little George ||
|-
|rowspan="2"|1971|| ''[[One More Train to Rob]]'' || Eli Jones ||
|-
| ''[[Something Big (film)|Something Big]]'' || Sgt. Fitzsimmons ||
|-
|1975|| ''[[Mitchell (film)|Mitchell]]'' || Benton ||
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
|1970|| ''[[Petticoat Junction]]'' || Merlin Fergus || Episode: "With This Ring"
|-
|1973|| ''[[Kung Fu (1972 TV series)|Kung Fu]]'' || Perlee Skowrin || Episode: "Nine Lives"
|-
|1974|| ''[[Dr. Simon Locke]]'' || The Cat || Episode: "The Killer"
|-
|1977-1981|| ''[[Little House on the Prairie (TV series)|Little House on the Prairie]]'' || Jonathan Garvey || 51 episodes
|-
|1978|| ''[[A Fire in the Sky]]'' || Stan Webster || Television film
|-
|1980|| ''The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story'' || Todd Simms || Television film
|-
|1981|| ''[[Walking Tall (TV series)|Walking Tall]]'' || Webb McClain || Episode: "Hitman"
|-
|1981-1983|| ''[[Father Murphy]]'' || John Michael Murphy || 34 episodes
|-
|1982|| ''The Juggler of Notre Dame'' || Jonas || Television film
|-
|1984|| ''[[Time Bomb (1984 film)|Time Bomb]]'' || Jake Calahan || Television film
|-
|1986|| ''[[Fathers and Sons (1986 TV series)|Fathers and Sons]]'' || Buddy Landau || 4 episodes
|-
|1988|| ''[[Aaron's Way]]'' || Aaron Miller || 14 episodes, (final appearance)
|}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{Profootballhof|id=168|name=Merlin Olsen}}
* {{cfbhof|id=1902|name=Merlin Olsen}}
* {{Footballstats |nfl=Merlin-Olsen|cfl= |afl= |espn= |cbs= |yahoo= |fox= |si= |pfr=O/OlseMe00 |dbf=OLSENMER01 |rotoworld=}}
* {{IMDb name|id=0647744|name=Merlin Olsen}}
* {{find a Grave|49555171}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box| title=''[[NFL on NBC]]'' lead analyst (with [[John Brodie]] in [[1978 NFL season|1978]])| before=[[John Brodie]]| years=[[1978 NFL season|1978]]–[[1988 NFL season|1988]]| after=[[Bill Walsh (American football coach)|Bill Walsh]]}}
{{succession box | before=[[Don Meredith]] | title=[[List of Super Bowl broadcasters|Super Bowl television]] color commentator ([[American Football Conference|AFC package carrier]]) | years=[[Super Bowl XI|1978]]-[[Super Bowl XXIII|1988]]| after=[[Bob Trumpy]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Merlin Olsen—awards and honors
| list1 =
{{Outland Trophy}}
{{1961 College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{1962 NFL Draft}}
{{RamsFirstPick}}
{{Los Angeles Rams 1962 draft navbox}}
{{Broncos1962DraftPicks}}
{{BroncosFirstPick}}
{{Bert Bell Award}}
{{NFL1960s}}
{{NFL1970s}}
{{NFL75}}
{{NFL100}}
{{St. Louis Football Ring of Fame}}
{{St. Louis Rams}}
{{Rams retired numbers}}
{{Los Angeles Rams 40th Anniversary Team}}
{{1982 Football HOF}}
{{Pro Football Hall of Fame members}}
{{Walter Camp Man of the Year}}
}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Olsen, Merlin}}
[[Category:1940 births]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:American football defensive tackles]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:American people of Danish descent]]
[[Category:College football announcers]]
[[Category:Canadian Football League announcers]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Rams players]]
[[Category:NFL announcers]]
[[Category:Utah State Aggies football players]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]
[[Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Western Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Los Angeles County, California]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Logan, Utah]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Utah]]
[[Category:Male actors from Utah]]
[[Category:American Latter Day Saints]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in California]]
[[Category:Deaths from mesothelioma in the United States]]
[[Category:NFL players with retired numbers]]