Hall of Fame Defensive Lineman Merlin Olsen Dies of Mesothelioma

Merlin Jay Olsen, a Hall of Fame defensive lineman, was also well known for his role on one of television's most wholesome shows, Little House on the Prairie, and as a spokesman in a FTD flower advertisement campaign.

Mr. Olsen's deep, rich voice and sincerity made him a success both as an actor and in the broadcast booth, where he offered insights to the game he played so well for so long. Olsen died at age sixty-nine on March 11, 2010 after battling malignant pleural mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lungs caused by asbestos.

He was one of the Los Angeles Rams' so-called Fearsome Foursome defensive line, and later a character on the TV shows Little House on the Prairie and Father Murphy.  He was even the spokesman for a well-known FTD ad campaign in the 1980s pitching flower arrangements.

Mr. Olsen, 6' 5" and 270 lbs, was an All-American at Utah State, as well as Phi Beta Kappa, and a first-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 1962.  He joined Deacon Jones, Lamar Lundy and Rosey Grier on the Rams' storied "Fearsome Foursome" defensive line.  In 1968 the Rams set an National Football League (NFL) record for the fewest yards allowed during a (fourteen-game) season.  Mr. Olsen was Rookie of the Year for the Rams in 1962 and is still the Rams' all-time leader in career tackles with 915.  He was named to fourteen consecutive Pro Bowls, a string that started his rookie year.  He was voted NFC Defensive Lineman of the Year in 1973 and the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1974, and was voted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982.  His two brothers Phil and Orrin also played in the NFL.

After football, Mr. Olsen played the role of Jonathan Garvey on Little House on the Prairie.  Mr. Olsen later starred in his own series Father Murphy for three seasons in the early '80s, and Aaron's Way in 1988.