Merlin Olsen, American football player and actor (b. 1940)
Merlin Jay Olsen (; September 15, 1940 – March 11, 2010) was an American football player, announcer, and actor. For his entire 15-year professional football career he was a defensive tackle with the Los Angeles Rams in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected to play in the Pro Bowl 14 times — every year but his last. The only other football players to have matched that number are the former offensive lineman Bruce Matthews, the former tight end Tony Gonzalez, and the former quarterback Peyton Manning. (Tom Brady is the only NFL player to have played more times in the Pro Bowl, with 15 selections.)

In 1961, Olsen received the Outland Trophy, awarded to as the best lineman of the year in college football. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. As an actor, he portrayed a farmer, Jonathan Garvey, on Little House on the Prairie. After leaving that series, he starred in his own NBC drama, Father Murphy.