// BEGIN editorial data
var i = 0;
var spt_NFL_actors = new Array();
spt_NFL_actors.ID = "spt_NFL_actors";
spt_NFL_actors.ID_WB = 24668663;
spt_NFL_actors.sPubDate = "5/16/2008 7:12:31 PM GMT";
spt_NFL_actors.navsectionID = "3032874"
spt_NFL_actors.appFmt = 2;
spt_NFL_actors.itemsPerPage = 1;
spt_NFL_actors.appWidth = 624;
spt_NFL_actors.appHeader = "Curran: Former NFLers that turned to acting
";
spt_NFL_actors.appDeck = "T.O. is not the first NFL player to have a desire to go in front of the camera and do it";
spt_NFL_actors.appNavStyle = 3;
spt_NFL_actors.bDhtml = 0;
spt_NFL_actors.appLayout = 3;
spt_NFL_actors.copyWidth = 500;
spt_NFL_actors.copyMargin = 9;
spt_NFL_actors[i++] = new Array("","","In May, Terrell Owens showed his acting chops, appearing on MyNetworkTV's “Under One Roof” alongside that brilliant thespian Flavor Flav. Kind of a 21st century Martin and Lewis, no? We smell Emmy! This got us to considering the surprisingly long list of NFL players who’ve had their own star turns on screens big or small as either role players or central figures.
match against Andy Roddick during day eleven of the Sony Ericsson Open at the Crandon Park Tennis Center on April 3, 2008 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20actors%20and%20NFL/080515_Terrell-Owens.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Chris Mcgrath", "Getty Images", "273", "410", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_actors[i++] = new Array("","Merlin Olsen (R)","NFL Experience: Los Angeles Rams (1962-76); 14-time Pro Bowler; Hall of Famer.
The hirsute Merlin Olsen rode sidecar with Michael Landon on “Little House on the Prairie” from 1977 to 1981 then had his own show, “Father Murphy.” His last acting bit was “Aaron’s Way.” Fit the gentle giant stereotype to a tee in all his acting gigs.
","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20actors%20and%20NFL/080515_Merlin-Olsen.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "AP", "273", "438", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_actors[i++] = new Array("","Jim Brown","NFL Experience: Cleveland Browns (1957-65); nine-time Pro Bowler; three-time MVP; Hall of Famer; greatest running back of all-time.
Perhaps the most famous field-and-screen star, Jim Brown announced his premature retirement while filming “The Dirty Dozen,” which came out in 1967. Brown did a slew of movies in the late 60s and early 70s during the “Blaxploitation” era of cinema, but his name and screen presence made them more than niche films. His love scene with Raquel Welch in the movie “... tick ... tick ... tick” was one of the first interracial love scenes.
","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20actors%20and%20NFL/080515_Jim-Brown.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "273", "346", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_actors[i++] = new Array("","Carl Weathers (L)","NFL Experience: Eight career games with the Oakland Raiders in 1970 and ’71 before going to the CFL and playing 18 more games.
More of an actor than football a player (by a lot), Carl Weathers, a former San Diego State linebacker, made his image indelible in Rocky II, III and IV (Apollo Creed), but he pops up frequently still. Personal favorite? One-handed golf pro Chubbs Peterson who harnesses the promise of Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore.
","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20actors%20and%20NFL/080515_Carl-Weathers.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Frederick M. Brown", "Getty Images", "273", "365", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_actors[i++] = new Array("","Alex Karras (L)","NFL Experience: Twelve seasons with the Lions and a four-time Pro Bowler at defensive tackle. Alex Karras was suspended from the NFL in 1963 (along with the Packers Paul Hornung) after admitting to betting on NFL games out of the bar he owned in Detroit.
Karras was big in the 70s and 80s. He KO’d a horse on Mel Brooks’ “Blazing Saddles,” was a fixture in the film adaptation of George Plimpton’s “Paper Lion” and had a role in “Porky’s,” the forerunner to every American Pie movie. Most notably he was the adoptive father of Emmanuelle Lewis in the TV show “Webster” from 1983 to 1987.
","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20actors%20and%20NFL/080515_Alex-Karras.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Marty Lederhandler", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "273", "407", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_actors[i++] = new Array("","Bubba Smith (R)","NFL Experience: Defensive end for nine NFL seasons with the Colts, Raiders and Oilers; the first overall pick in the 1967 draft; a two-time Pro Bowler who won a Super Bowl with the Colts.
Bubba Smith had a recurring role as Moses Hightower in the “Police Academy” movies between 1984 and 1994. Smith appeared in six of the seven screen classics. Smith first became recognizable for his work in the Miller Lite series of commercials in which he played himself, said little and looked imposing ... ”Says here ... Bubba Smith ... ”
","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20actors%20and%20NFL/080515_Bubba-Smith.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "273", "407", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_actors[i++] = new Array("","Howie Long","NFL Experience: A 12-year career as a defensive end for the Raiders; eight-time Pro Bowler; six-time All-Pro; member of the Hall of Fame.
Known more for his work as a pitchman for Radio Shack and his studio straight man role on Fox’s NFL show, Howie Long also starred in the 1998 movie “Firestorm” and appeared in the flick “Broken Arrow.”
","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20actors%20and%20NFL/080515_Howie-Long.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Ken Levine", "Getty Images", "273", "411", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_actors[i++] = new Array("","Terry Bradshaw","NFL Experience: A quarterback for the Steelers from 1970 to 1983 when he earned four Super Bowl rings and was a four-time All-Pro.
A member of the Hall of Fame like his Fox studio pal Howie Long, Terry Bradshaw actually was given a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame in 2001. He had a big role in the 2006 movie “Failure to Launch.” Well before that, Bradshaw was a frequent contributor to Burt Reynolds movies like “Hooper,” “Cannonball Run” and “Smokey and the Bandit.” He still pops up on the occasional sitcom.
","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20actors%20and%20NFL/080515_Terry-Bradshaw.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "AP", "273", "352", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_actors[i++] = new Array("","Fred Williamson (Top L)","NFL Experience: A good corner for the AFL-edition of the Kansas City Chiefs; played eight seasons and ended his career with 36 picks. Fred Williamson's prediction that he’d knock out the Packers' wide receivers in the first Super Bowl with his patented “Hammer” move backfired. He got KO’d by a knee in the fourth quarter of that game.
He played alongside Jim Brown in a half-dozen movies between 1974 and 2002. Also a director and producer, Williamson pumped out 10 movies from 1972 to 1975 and posed nude in Playgirl back in 1973. Busy dude.
","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20actors%20and%20NFL/080515_Fred-Williamson.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Robert Klein", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "273", "327", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_actors[i++] = new Array("","O.J. Simpson","NFL Experience: A six-time Pro Bowler and, in 1973, became the first running back to gain over 2,000 yards; played from 1969 to 1979 for the Buffalo Bills and (for two seasons) the 49ers.
OJ Simpson was everywhere from 1972 to 1994. Then came that trial for double-murder, and his roles seemed to dry up. The Juice was in “Towering Inferno,” “Capricorn One,” “Roots” and innumerable TV commercials. His best turn was as Lt. Nordberg in the Naked Gun flicks.
","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20actors%20and%20NFL/080515_OJ-Simpson.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Anonymous", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_actors[i++] = new Array("","Lyle Alzado ","NFL Experience: A 14-year NFL veteran who played on the edge of fury for the Broncos, Browns and Raiders. A two-time All-Pro who blamed his death at the age of 43 on his use of steroids.
He popped up in bit roles on a pile of TV series (Mike Hammer, MacGyver) and, of course, the film “Comrades in Arms” before his death in 1993. ","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20actors%20and%20NFL/080515_Lyle-Alzado.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "AP", "273", "390", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_actors[i++] = new Array("","Lawrence Taylor","NFL Experience: Revolutionized the linebacker position and – in many ways – offensive football because of his impact during his 14-year NFL career; 10-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro; Hall of Famer.
Lawrence Taylor appeared in “Any Given Sunday,” “The Waterboy,” and on the HBO series, “The Sopranos.” He also appeared in the 2000 film version of “Shaft” and was surprisingly good on film.
","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20actors%20and%20NFL/080515_Lawrence-Taylor.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Mike Powell", "Getty Images", "273", "408", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
// END editorial data