Merlin Olsen Movies, TV Shows, and Filmography

Merlin Olsen

Merlin Olsen

Acting

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).

Filmography Movies

Acting

Mitchell movie poster
MOVIE

Mitchell

3.3(0.0K)
Mitchell
Benton
The Undefeated movie poster
MOVIE

The Undefeated

6.3(0.1K)
The Undefeated
Little George
Time Bomb movie poster
MOVIE

Time Bomb

6.3(0.0K)
Time Bomb
Jake Calahan
The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story movie poster
MOVIE

The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story

Not rated yet
The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story
Todd Simms
A Fire in the Sky movie poster
MOVIE

A Fire in the Sky

5.7(0.0K)
A Fire in the Sky
Stan Webster
Something Big movie poster
MOVIE

Something Big

5.3(0.0K)
Something Big
Sgt. Fitzsimmons
One More Train to Rob movie poster
MOVIE

One More Train to Rob

5.4(0.0K)
One More Train to Rob
Eli Jones

Gallery

Merlin Olsen portrait