Defensive Linemen in Film: Alex Karras

Though he had five roles before Blazing Saddles, it was the role of Mongo that made Alex Karras famous. The horse punch survives today as a GIF found on the Internet

Though not listed on IMDN, Karras played himself in Paper Lion even though the film was based on the 1963 season and Karras had been suspended by the NFL for that year.

In 1969 he was a guest on Daniel Boone

He played an assistant coach to Vince Lombardi in the 1973 TV Movie Legend in Granite 

He was in 1975's Babe and played George Zaharias, Babe Didrikson's husband.

In 1977 he was Iago 'Mad Bull' Karkus in Mad Bull a made-for-TV movie.

Karras was also in Centennial - The Massacre

In 1978 he was Doc Holliday, a DJ in the film FM.

1980 in When Time Ran out with Paul Newman

In 1981's Victor Victoria Karras played James garner's gay sidekick and bodyguard Squash' Bernstein which was, really, a breakthrough role for the time for a jack-turned actor.

 

In 1981's Nobody's Perfekt:

In 1982's Porky's he played Sheriff Wallace, Porky's corrupt brother.

Karras's real life wife Susan Clark played Cherry Forever in that film after meeting on the set of Babe

Karras played a corrupt football coach in Against All Odds in 1983 

His biggest success was in the TV show Webster which drew critical and commercial acclaim. He was George Papadapolis in that show and was joined by his real-life wife.

Karras in M*A*S*H*

Like Grier, Olsen, Jim Brown and others Karras was a working actor for many, many years and was among the most successful football players to go to Hollywood.