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Merlin Olsen - Transition To Broadcasting, Acting

Olsen joined Dick Enberg in the NBC booth and "won plaudits for his insight and precision." He effectively countered the exuberant Enberg, whose trademark call was "Oh, my!" They became NBC's top broadcast team and worked five Super Bowls, several American Football Conference championship games and major college bowls such as the Rose and Orange.

Chronology

1940 Born September 15 in Logan, Utah
1959-61 Plays three years at defensive tackle for Utah State University.
1962 Drafted in first round by Los Angeles Rams of National Football League and Denver Broncos of American Football League; signs with Rams.
1976 Retires as player after fifteen seasons
1977 Begins career as announcer and actor with NBC; broadcasts five Super Bowls and stars in such TV shows/movies as "Little House on the Prairie" and "Father Murphy"
1983 Becomes national spokesman for FTD Florist Inc.

Making, as German wrote, "a more difficult transition to acting," Olsen achieved popularity as Jonathan Garvey in the NBC show "Little House on the Prairie." He also starred on both "Father Murphy," in which he played a prospector-turned-clergyman and saves the orphanage he founded, and "Aaron's Law." Olsen has also been a nationwide spokesman for FTD Florist.

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