Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen, who helped form one of the NFL's greatest defensive lines before embarking on a successful career in television, died Thursday after a battle with cancer. He was 69.
Article Source: NBC Sports
from:NBC SportsHall of Famer, 'Little House' star Olsen dies
Seeded on Thu Mar 11, 2010 11:59 AM EST (NBC Sports)
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RIP Merlin
Classy guy. . .modern athletes and actors take notes.
Great actor, so sorry to hear that. I hope he's considered important enough to have his life honored at the Academy Awards.
AMEN!! RIP.. The likes of you and those gone before will surely be missed..
Wonderful man. I'm sad to hear of his passing. God broke the mold when he made Merlin.
RIP
Len.>>>>>>Academy Awards? What does this have to do with who Merlin Olsen was? He was larger than life...........not plastic like those academy people. I cannot think of a "lesser honor" for a man like Merlin Olsen.
My Dad loved him on the field and my Mom and I loved him on TV, a real class act. RIP you will be missed!
That's a weird cause of death. You get mesothelioma from asbestos exposure! RIP Merlin. You will be missed.
He had filed a suit against NBC for exposing him to asbestos. I believe the suit was filed in January of this year.
He definitely was a wonderful, and very believable actor...he will be missed. All the best to his family.
A great man.
Goodnight Jonathen Garvey. Thanks for all of the wonderful memories!
Loved his role on Little House, too. I wanted to grow up to be Mrs. Garvey lol. He was a handsome man with a fine voice and an easygoing spirit.
RIP Merlin Olsen
Hey, Olsen family ----- I wish to extend my condolences at the passing of a great football player, a fine actor, an undoubtedly exceptional family man and an all around CLASS ACT. Merlin Olsen was indeed a FINE ROLE MODEL ! He will be missed by a great many. R.I.P.
God rest your sweet, fabulous soul, Merlin.
R.I.P. Who says that pro athletes can't be role models.
Amen, Chris. Very few of our athletes are role models today.
Both of you are 100% correct!
RIP Mr. Olsen!
He will be missed.
My condolences to his family and friends.
Loved him as a football player, never watched "Little House on the Prairie", but always thought of him as an impressive and decent human being.
Bless you, Mr. Olsen.
I had no idea he played football before acting! Little House was and is one of my favorite shows ever. RIP Merlin!
Victor French died of lung cancer, Michael Landon died from pancreatic cancer and now this..I wonder what the hell was on that set of Little House because it just seems too strange just for this to be a coincidence.
The article said he was exposed to asbestos as a youth and young man on construction sites. I did not read anything that would imply that NBC was liable. I didn't know he was such an academic as well - summa cum laude graduate and a master's in economics obtained during his off-seasons. Wow. Is there a single player in the NFL up to Merlin Olsen's standards? I highly doubt it.
Merlin was part of the best defensive unit that never got to bask in the Super Bowl spotlight. He will be remembered for his play, his intellectual broadcasting, being the spokesman for FTD florists and his acting in a popular TV series. He will be missed.
He was also in "Highway To Heaven" with Michael.
B,
Small point, but might you be thinking of Victor French?
Victor French was on Little House and Highway to Heaven.
Olsen, I believe, was only on Little House on the Prairie.
I know, it's these philosophical discussions that drive me crazy, but they must be discussed, without prejudice.
:)
A excellent football player, a gifted actor and a classy human being. He will be missed. But he lives on with Michael Landon and Victor French in syndication. R.I.P Merlin.
Loved this show & he was so good in it!
How ironic I watched a show last night a biography of Michael Landon and it had Merlin Olsen on it giving a commentary, Landon died of pancreatic cancer. He was a great actor on "Little House" I still love that show.
A great player and, more importantly, a great man. The world is not a better place without Merlin.
One great football broadcaster, loved to watch the games he called. I am a little young to remember his playing days with the Rams but have read of his exploits.
As a kid I did watch and loved Little House, I always liked his charecter. I also have a fondness for him because of his name. The only other Merlin I know of is from fantasy and literature.
Thanks for all the memories and R.I.P. Good Sir.
Just to show my age, my first reaction upon seeing the breaking news of Merlin Olsen's death was,
"NO! Not Mr. Garvey!"
Just to show MY age, I remember the "Fearsome Foursome."
OK, I'll show my age too. I remember he was an awesome player for the LA Rams.
RIP. You will be missed.
A great football player and an even better human being.
May he rest in peace.
Obviously, this race was well run. RIP
RIP. Corey Haim now Olsen, who will be the third? They always go in three's.
GREATNESS......
RIP Olsen! Now HE was an athlete you could look up to.
Both figuratively and, at 6 feet 5 inches tall, literally.
We've lost another of the 'good' guys, not too many left that we can look up to..My sympathy goes out to his family and friends..Thanks for the clean entertainment and memories..