No Huddle

Alex Karras To Be Remembered

Photo Credit: IMDB.com

He was one of the all-time greats. Former NFL player and successful Webster actor Alex Karras died yesterday of kidney failure in his Los Angeles home. He was 77. 

Karras was considered one of the original stars to crossover from the sports world to the entertainment world.

This past Monday, it was reported that Karras was near death after suffering from another bout of kidney failure. This news prompted his former team, the Detroit Lions, to pay him a tribute.

"Perhaps no player in Lions history attained as much success and notoriety for what he did after his playing days as did Alex," Lions president Tom Lewand said in a statement Monday.

Karras's success on the field started during his early days playing football for the University of Iowa. He was a football stand-out in Iowa City, which then launched him into his career as a Pro Bowl linebacker for the Lions from 1958-1970. Following his football days, Karras went on to join the Monday Night Football broadcast team for three short seasons, from 1974-1976.

It was his next career move that would define his already stellar career.

After his stint with the Monday Night Football crew, Karras starred as the man-beast named Mongo in the Western movie Blazing Saddles.

Nine years later, he along with real-life wife Susan Clark, looked after child-star Emmanuel Lewis in the widely popular family sitcom Webster. 

Karras' other on-screen credits include Victor Victoria, Against All Odds, and Porky's.

Even though he was much revered in the acting world, people remember him today as one of the best defensive NFL stars to ever play the game.

He is survived by his wife Susan and his six children.