Defensive Linemen in Hollywood: Fred Dryer

Among the most successful NFL players-turned-actors is Fred Dryer. His beginnings were humble in Gus no lines) but he became successful in his own TV series Hunter, and quite wealthy. As part owner of the series it became syndicated ad one of the places it was popular was China. They seem to LOVE Hunter and the moneys they made him are quite sizable. Well done, Scrapper.

In Gus - Dryer was an Atoms player, but was not credited and had no lines. 

He next landed a role as a lifeguard in Lavern and Shirley (along with fellow Rams Jeff Severson who played a doctor) 

On the TV series Lou Grant  Dryer played a football player named Mike Hauser, a football player giving background to one of the reporters on violence in football. It was good work by Dryer who had a large role in the episode.

Next came a trio of TV Movies: The Kid from Nowhere, A Girl's Life  and  1981 The Star Maker.

He then landed a role  on CHiPs as Lt. John LeGarre the leader of "Force Seven" a tactical group with special skills.

After a role in another TV Movie Something So Right he got a role as a bad guy in the pilot for a TV series The Rousters in which he played Will Clayton, a modern-day outlaw.

Dryer played a Fed in  1984's The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins 

On the TV show Hart to Hart Dryer played a corrupt booster and ended up in a gunfight in a basketball gym in the episode "Slam Dunk"

From 1982-87 Dryer played a recurring role, that of former baseball player turned broadcaster Dave Richards on Cheers. Dryer had auditioned for Sam Malone but lost out to Ted Dansen 

In 1984 the big break came as he landed the lead role of Hunter, playing Detective Rick Hunter of the LAPD.

In 1987 Dryer starred in Death Before Dishonor as Gunnery Sgt. Burns, a film Dryer thinks was ahead of it's time. It was about terrorism in the Middle East and a Marine's revenge on the terrorists.

Day of Reckoning was a TV movie where Dryer played Jack O'Brien. IMDB describes the film as "Jack O'Brien is an American veteran of the Vietnam war, who has become a pillar of the community in Bangkok, where he owns and operates an exotic travel business. A husband and wife team of French scientists asks him to guide them on a hunt for a rare plant in a remote and dangerous part of northern Burma. Initially his concerns about safety cause him to decline, but then 'extenuating circumstances' cause him to change his mind, and assemble a group of former colleagues. Everyone proceeds up the Mekong river and into the jungle, where they encounter native tribes, and confront ghosts from their collective past."

In 1995 and 1996 Dryer starred in a new series as Mike Land in Land's End 

Stray Bullet saw Dryer play Forest Mason, a Senator with moral failings

Dryer's production company made two films in 2000 in which Dryer starred, Highway 395 

in which he played Rawley Wade and Wild Grizzly which saw him play Ranger Frank Bradford

In Shakedown Dryer portrayed in General Wolf in a video release about an earthquake.

Colonel Collins was the role in Fire Over Afghanistan

 That takes us through 2003.  The rest of his resume is as follows (H/T IMDB)

Defensive Linemen in Hollywood: Harvey Martin

Dallas Cowboys Defensive End Harvey Martin made his debut in film in The Steeler and the Pittsburgh Kid (TV Movie)  as Steeler, yes Steeler defensive star "Monster Man"

Technically, though Martin appeared as himself in Black Sunday, a thriller starring Robert Shaw.

In 1987's Amazing Grace and Chuck, he played "Mad Dog" one of the pro athletes who went on strike to try and get an elimination in nuclear weapons.

A couple year later he was in No Safe Haven as football player Harvey Latham, a role in which he had no lines.

His best work, in our view, was as a retired offensive lineman turned television executive who tried to teach his teammate, played by Robert Urich, the ropes in how to transition from the NFL to broadcasting. Urich's character had an affair with his college-aged son's girlfriend instead. The film was The Comeback (TV Movie) and Martin's Character was Eddie Radish.

  Martin's last role was in Steele's Law as a police chief. (Not stills as of yet)

Defensive Linemen in Movies: Doug Atkins

This one really doesn't count, but we add it in anyway for completeness. In the film Number One the NFL allowed the use of NFL logos, NFL film and players. Doug Atkins played himself. He did have a short line, talking to the trainer who was taping his ankles.

One thing to remember, Atkins didn't lift weights and it is amazing given the size of his biceps.

In 1975 Atkins had a role in Charles Bronson's Breakheart Pass as a character named Jebbo. Joe Kapp also had a role in that film. 

Defensive Linemen and Hollywood: Lyle Alzado

It was easy to see that Lyle Alzado was a big personality and that a move from football to Hollywood was a natural fit. He had a lengthy resume which can bee seen HERE:

Alzado's first film was in the kid's film The Double McGuffin where he played an assassin alongwith fellow NFL defensive linemen Ed Jones. He had several small roles through 1985 when he was still in the NFL.

In 1986 he starred in Oceans of Fire, as a team member meant to save oil rigs from underwater fires.

Oceans of Fire:

The next year he played "Iron Butt" in the TV series The Highwayman:
The Highwayman:

Alzado's biggest film is now a cult classic called Destroyer. He plays a man who survived the electic chair and took revenge on the world.

Destroyer:

He landed a role as a teacher in Learning the Ropes a syndicated television show.

Learning the Ropes:

 

Who's Harry Crumb? Was yet another role.

Earnest Goes to Camp:

Hangfire:

Comrades in Arms:

 

Neon City:

Defensive Linemen in the Movies: Ed Jones

Ed Jones played only a few films, essentially cameos. In 1979 he was in The Double Mcguffin. Also, was an opposing player in Semi-Tough and in Necessary Roughness he played a convict who was on the prison football team brought in to scrimmage the local university.
In 2015 he had a bit role in The Wedding Ringer as well.

The Double Mcguffin:

Semi-Tough:

Necessary Roughness:

Jones is the defensive end nearest to camera

The Wedding Ringer: