Actor
Merlin Olsen
Born 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).
Acting
Little House on the Prairie
Jonathan Garvey · 1974
Kung Fu
Perlee Skowrin · 1972
The Undefeated
Little George · 1969
Father Murphy
John Michael Murphy · 1981
Joe Montana: Cool Under Pressure
Self (archive footage) · 2022
Something Big
Sgt. Fitzsimmons · 1971
One More Train to Rob
Eli Jones · 1971
A Fire in the Sky
Stan Webster · 1978
Aaron's Way
Aaron Miller · 1988
Time Bomb
Jake Calahan · 1984
Mitchell
Benton · 1975
Monday Night Football
Defensive Tackle · 1970
The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story
Todd Simms · 1980