1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Merlin Olsen Biography (1940-)

Full name, Merlin Jay Olsen; born September 15, 1940, in Logan, UT; son of Lynn Jay and Merle (Barrus) Olsen; married Susan Wakley, March 30, 1962; children: Kelly Lynn, Jill Catherine, Nathan Merlin. Addresses: OFFICE--c/oNBC Sports, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Birth Details

September 15, 1940

Logan, Utah, United States

Famous Works

• Credits; FILM APPEARANCES
• Big George, The Undefeated, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1969.
• Eli Jones, One More Train to Rob, Universal, 1971.
• Sergeant Fitzsimmons, Something Big, National General, 1971.
• Benton, Mitchell, Allied Artists, 1975.
• Credits; TELEVISION APPEARANCES; SERIES
• Announcer and analyst, NFL Game of the Week, NBC, 1977--.
• Jonathan Garvey, Little House on the Prairie, NBC, 1977-81.
• John Michael Murphy, Father Murphy, NBC, 1981-82.
• Buddy Landau, Fathers and Sons, NBC, 1986.
• Aaron Miller, Aaron's Way, NBC, 1988.
• Credits; PILOTS
• Buddy Landau, Fathers and Sons, NBC, 1985.
• Credits; MOVIES
• Stan Webster, A Fire in the Sky, NBC, 1978.
• Todd Simms, The Golden Moment--An Olympic Love Story, NBC, 1980.
• Jake Calahan, Time Bomb, NBC, 1984.
• Credits; SPECIALS
• Bob Hope's All-Star Comedy Look at the Fall Season: It's Still Free and Worth It!, NBC, 1981.
• Jonas Wintergreen, The Juggler of Notre Dame, syndicated, 1982.
• co-host, Children's Miracle Network Telethon, 1983--.
• Bob Hope's All-Star Super Bowl Party, NBC, 1983.
• The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast, NBC, 1984.
• The World's Funniest Commercial Goofs, ABC, 1985.
• NBC's 60th Anniversary Celebration, NBC, 1986.
• host and narrator, Lifequest, syndicated, 1987.
• narrator, The Sleeping Beauty, PBS, 1987.
• Kraft Salutes Super Night at the Super Bowl, CBS, 1987.
• commentator, Super Bowl XXIII, NBC, 1989.
• host "Conquering Pain," LifeQuest, syndicated, 1989.
• host, "Diet Dilemma, LifeQuest, syndicated, 1989.