Page 164 - Cousins - Celebrities, Saints & Sinners

Olsen played professionally (1962–1976) 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.
Olsen almost ended up on 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 that was nicknamed "The Fearsome
Foursome". He was named the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Week for week 12 in 1965. Olsen scored his first
touchdown in that game.
Olsen enjoyed continued success after the NFL as a broadcaster, actor, and businessman.

Olsen served as a television color commentator, teaming mostly
with Dick Enberg on NBC's coverage of the AFC during the late
1970s and almost all of the 1980s. He and Enberg also teamed
for four Super Bowls (XV, XVII, XX and XXIII), as well as nine Rose
Bowls from 1980 to 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). For the 1989 season,
Olsen worked with Charlie Jones on NBC's broadcasts.
In 1990 and 1991, he moved to CBS Sports doing NFL games
Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen with Dick Stockton.

Olsen also developed a successful career as an actor. He appeared as the character Little George in the John
Wayne movie, "The Undefeated", with Rams teammate Roman Gabriel, in 1969.

In 1970, he appeared once on Petticoat Junction, in the episode: "With This Ring". He played mountaineer
Merlin Fergus.

When 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 was the eponymous Father Murphy, which lasted for two seasons.

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 all three actors, Merlin Olsen, Michael Landon, and Victor 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 TV series Aaron's Way.

Olsen often co-hosted the Children's Miracle Network telethons, a humanitarian organization founded in 1983
th
by Marie Osmond (10 cousin, 1 time removed) and John Schneider.
Olsen was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma in 2009, and underwent three courses of chemotherapy.
Olsen died on March 11, 2010 at City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California, at the age of 69.

References:
1. Relative Finder, associated with FamilySearch, and the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS)
2. Wikipedia.org
3. Learn more - #27: Merlin Olsen – The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players
4. LDS Family Tree attached

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