Merlin Olsen, the NFL hall of famer who went on to a second career as a television actor, has died at 69 after a battle with cancer.
Along with Deacon Jones, Lamar Lundy and Rosey Grier, Olsen was part of the Los Angeles Rams' Fearsome Foursome - a defensive line capable of either stopping or knocking back pretty well any offence mounted by rival teams.
On television, Olsen was a regular on "Little House on the Prairie," after which he appeared in his own series, "Father Murphy," from 1981 to 1983. He also also a popular football color commentator and hosted broadcasts of the Rose Bowl and Children's Miracle Network telethons, as well as being a spokesman for FTD Florists.
Olsen was diagnosed last year with mesothelioma, a form of cancer often associated with exposure to asbestos.
He died early today at a hospital in Duarte, California.
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