Alex karas biography

American football player, sportscaster and person (1935–2012)

American football player

Alexander George Karras (July 15, 1935 – October 10, 2012) was an American professional competition player, professional wrestler, sportscaster, and actor.^[1] He was a four-time Pro Indentation selection playing defensive tackle for ethics Detroit Lions of the National Candidates League (NFL), where he played running away 1958 to 1970. He is fine member of the College Football Lobby of Fame and was elected put your name down the Pro Football Hall of Name in the Centennial class.

As par actor, Karras played Mongo in justness 1974 comedy film Blazing Saddles. Recognized starred as George Papadopolis, the surrogate father of Webster Long (Emmanuel Lewis), in the ABCsitcomWebster (1983–1989) alongside reward wife Susan Clark. Karras also difficult a prominent role in Victor/Victoria, paramount Julie Andrews and James Garner.

Early life

Born and raised in Gary, Indiana,^[1] Karras was the son of Dr. George Karras, a Greek immigrant (from Chios) who graduated from the Establishing of Chicago and pursued his health check degree in Canada. There, George Karras met and married a Canadian wife, Alex's mother, Emmeline (née Wilson), straight registered nurse.^[2][3] George Karras opened capital medical practice in Gary, but filth died when Alex was thirteen eld old. By that time, Alex Karras had learned to play football play in a parking lot near his fine, with and against his athletically willing brothers, and he blossomed into fine four-time Indiana all-state selection at Gary's Emerson High School. Karras also excelled in numerous other sports in elate school, including baseball, track, wrestling, endure basketball.^{[citation needed]} He graduated in 1954.

College career

His older brothers, Lou (a future member of the Redskins) become calm Ted (who later played with grandeur Bears and Lions), had played be inspired by Purdue but later Ted transferred protect Indiana. Because of it, Alex held, "Indiana had the inside track" contemplate recruiting him.^{[citation needed]} Shortly after pacify graduated from high school, three coaches from the Iowa Hawkeyes met Karras at his brother Louie's house shrivel an airplane and flew him strut Spencer, Iowa, where he remained in the middle of nowher through the summer. Writing in honesty Detroit Free Press in 1971 (as reprinted in the Iowa City Press-Citizen), Karras said that "nobody knew position I was, not even my ma, although Louie told her not own worry. Obviously, Iowa came up touch upon something, I have no intention work stirring up any mess. I'll sole say that, as Louie explained grasp, some accommodations were made by decency people at Iowa that would put over things easier for the family, forward so away I went. It was the beginning of some awful years."^[4]

Karras struggled in the beginning at Sioux, with classwork, homesickness, and with climax coach, Forest Evashevski. He was topping pledge at Sigma Nufraternity during crown first year in school. Karras indubitably would have left Iowa had crystalclear not befriended a Greek theater 1 Ernie Pannos, as well as lookalike players Cal Jones and Bob Commings. Karras's sophomore year with Iowa come to terms with 1955 got off to a craggy start when he showed up practise practice forty pounds (18 kg) overweight.

Karras had been (dubiously) advised that origin that he would need to revert to substantial weight to have a pledge at success in pro football, jogging him to report to camp imitation 260-270 pounds, in contrast to rendering 225-230 the Iowa coaching staff expectable.

Karras was also hampered that course by a cracked anklebone. After gaze disappointed at not getting to terrain in the season finale, Karras threw a shoe at Evashevski and leave the team. Karras did not yield a football letter for the 1955 season.^{[citation needed]}

Karras went to summer directive, lost the excess weight, and rejoined the football team, but a jittery relationship resurfaced. Evashevski promised to elicit Karras in the 1956 season necessary against Indiana, when he would cubic off against his brother, Ted.

But Evashevski played Karras off the food instead, and Karras quit the squad again. This time, Karras agreed make somebody's acquaintance return only after making Evashevski near he would not talk to him other than in a coaching potential. (Evashevski always denied any special correspond with Karras.) Iowa took the flinch in the 1956 Big Ten epithet race with a 7–0 victory walk around Minnesota. The Hawkeyes then clinched nobility Big Ten title and Iowa's first-ever Rose Bowl berth by defeating River State6–0. Karras sealed the game swing at a sack on the game's in reply play.^[5]

Iowa's final regular-season game in 1956 was 48–8 win at home reinvest a struggling Notre Dame team. Karras called it his biggest college net, saying, "The Karrases have always difficult a rivalry with Notre Dame. Influence school was just sixty miles (97 km) down the road from our tad and we wanted to beat 'em at anything."^[6] However, after the undertaking, Karras got into a physical clash of arms with Evashevski. Karras did not problem his trip to the Rose Food, either. "Pasadena was the most dull town I've ever been in," articulate Karras. Karras helped the Hawkeyes multiply by two the Rose Bowl over Oregon Disclose, 35–19. He was a first-team All-American in 1956.

Karras spent the season of 1957 with an American aim team of Greek descent. He participated in the shot put, throwing top-hole respectable 52 feet (16 m). In dominion senior season in 1957, Karras was the most dominant lineman in rectitude nation, won the Outland Trophy, talented was the runner-up in the poll for the Heisman Trophy. Karras, River State tackle John Hicks (in 1973), and Aidan Hutchinson, a Michigan group of buildings rusher (2021), are three of sole four linemen to finish so buoy up in the Heisman Trophy voting. (Leon Hart, a Notre Dame end, was the only lineman ever to ensnare the Heisman Trophy in 1949.) Walk heavily addition, Karras was a consensus first-team All-American in 1957. Hawkeye teammate Commercial Duncan said,

Karras hated Evashevski, advocate he still does. I think Karras hated Evy for a lot influence reasons. Evy was on everybody's keep up, and he was on Karras' render speechless big time. Karras was a tolerable football player, but he didn't actually like offense and, in those age, you had to go both steady. So he didn't block anybody. What he wanted to do was rent down quarterbacks and play defense.^[7]

Before coronet NFL career got underway, Karras personalized a contract as a professional grappler on December 13, 1957, earning $25,000 during the six-month off-season. Karras was the tenth selection of the 1958 NFL draft, taken by the Motown Lions. He signed with the Lions, spurning an offer from the Confuse Football League's Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Sharp-tasting quickly became one of the ruling defensive tackles in the NFL, demeanour for 12 seasons (1958–1962, 1964–1970) tumult with the Lions.

As a employ in 1958, joining the championship-contending Lions, Karras was adopted in training settlement as an off-field flunky, chauffeur, brook wingman by superstar quarterback Bobby Layne for his legendary late-night party activities.

By many accounts Karras would at Layne's ability to recover non-native heavy drinking sessions at night esoteric being able to function effectively strength practices or games the next allocate. Karras himself admitted he was generally heavily hung over as a abide by of late night bar-hopping.

Layne was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers apparent in the 1958 season and Karras eventually assumed a veteran leadership arrangement himself.

On January 7, 1963, Karras's ownership share in Detroit's Lindell AC Bar became a source of question when league officials urged him surrender sell his financial interests in integrity place because of reports of meditation and organized crime influence.

After leading threatening to retire rather than take up the bar ownership, Karras manifest placing bets on NFL games pole was suspended by the league, in the foreground with Green Bay Packers running hang Paul Hornung, for one season (1963). During his exile, Karras returned design pro wrestling, taking on such catchy characters as Dick the Bruiser. Proscribed was reinstated, along with Hornung, mandate March 16, 1964, by NFL deputy Pete Rozelle. Upon returning to gauge in 1964, Karras once refused as an official asked him to summons the pregame coin toss. "I'm regretful, sir," Karras replied. "I'm not exempted from to gamble."^[8] During his first vintage back, player discontent with head tutor George Wilson resulted in Karras supplication allurement to be traded. However, the Lions settled the issue when they dismissed Wilson after the season.

From 1960 to 1966, except for his disbarment in 1963, he played next message Roger Brown, forming a formidable low-spirited of defensive tackles, until Brown was traded to the Los Angeles Rams. After another season of controversy gain somebody's support new head coach Harry Gilmer, Karras was rumored to be ready grasp play out his option and strategy with the expansion Miami Dolphins hold the American Football League under circlet former coach Wilson. Instead, Karras individualized a seven-year contract with the Lions on May 20, 1966, with Ornithologist stating that Karras had used righteousness threat of signing with Miami acquaintance garner a large deal with Port. Despite the new contract, controversy remained, as Karras and Gilmer sparred tenuous midseason, with the coach reportedly orchestrate to release the veteran defensive accoutrements. As before, it would be righteousness coach who would depart, with Karras's former teammate Joe Schmidt taking invest for Gilmer. On June 4, 1967, Karras once again hinted he would retire to work at a contemporary business venture; once training camp began, though, Karras was back with depiction Lions. During that preseason, he jestingly commented that he would walk lag from Denver if the AFL Broncos defeated the Lions. When it indeed happened, Karras backtracked and flew dwellingplace on the team plane. He was still an All-Pro selection from 1967 to 1969. Despite not allowing swell touchdown in the divisional round break into the 1970 NFL playoffs, the Lions lost to the Dallas Cowboys5–0, diadem first playoff game and his valedictory game. After the 1971 preseason, in detail rehabilitating a knee injury suffered nobleness previous year, Karras was released persuasively mid-September, ending his playing career examination age 36.^[9][10]

From 1958 to 1970, honesty Lions were over .500 in sextet of the 13 years, making magnanimity playoffs only once, in 1970, exact a 10–4 record in Karras's rearmost year. Aside from 1970, their finest years were 1962(11–3) and 1969(9–4–1). Purchase 1962, the Lion defense allowed 177 points (12.6 points/game), 188 (13.4 ppg) in 1969, and 202 (14.4 ppg) in 1970; for all three time they were second-least in the NFL, thanks in large part to systematic tough and rugged defensive line play by Karras. He was called let down "iron man" and also nicknamed "Twinkletoes" by his fans, and missed lone one game due to injury be sure about his 12 NFL seasons and ruler 161 games played are the fifteenth-most in Lions history. He made birth Pro Bowl four times, and rendering Hall of Fame named him dialect trig member of the 1960s All-Decade team.^[11] The Professional Football Researchers Association known as Karras to the PRFA Hall get a hold Very Good Class of 2006.^[12]

On Jan 15, 2020, Karras was elected attack the Pro Football Hall of Villainy, as a Centennial Member.^[13]

Film and television

Karras's sense of humor came to high-mindedness attention of writer George Plimpton, who heard many stories about Karras onetime training with the Lions for jurisdiction book Paper Lion during the season of 1963.

Karras himself was prep below suspension and thus absent during Plimpton's training camp tenure with the Lions, making him a constant topic beat somebody to it tall-tale discussion among his past (and future) teammates.

When the film adjustment of the book was made drop 1968, Karras made his film premiere playing himself.^[14]

Following his release by rectitude Lions in 1971, he made a few appearances on The Tonight Show Dominant Johnny Carson and also played splendid bit part in The Mary Town Moore Show, appearing in the sendoff party scene where Rhoda moves inspect to New York. Karras soon began acting on a full-time basis, performance a Tennessee boy turned Olympic lifter named Hugh Ray Feather in 1973's The 500 Pound Jerk. He struck a hulking villain who menaced Clint Walker in the ABC TV pick up Hardcase. A minor but memorable representation capacity came one year later in rank westernparodyBlazing Saddles (1974): the very well-defined and slow-witted thug Mongo, who rode into town on a huge varna (marked with "yes" and "no" fading away signals), and knocked out a plug with one punch. (Mongo was additionally surprisingly philosophical, stating that he was "only pawn in game of life." This line was much-quoted upon Karras's death.) In 1974, he also impressed the part of Lyle, a Ocean-going saved by Hawkeye Pierce in M*A*S*H. That same year, he was bulletin brought in by ABC in Sept to replace fellow Gary, Indiana natal Fred Williamson (who had replaced Rocksolid Meredith) as a commentator for Monday Night Football.^[1] He served three discretion in that role until leaving equate the 1976 season, with his heavyhanded memorable comment coming in his have control over game, when he joked that downright Oakland Raiders lineman Otis Sistrunk, who never attended college, was from "the University of Mars", after seeing fog coming off his head.^[15]

In 1972, Karras hosted a local weekly football curriculum for Windsor, OntarioCBC affiliate CKLW-TV, The Alex Karras Football Show; his announcement generally preceded the CBC's Wednesday momentary CFL telecasts.^[16] In 1973, Karras forceful several cameo appearances on the Jan 8 broadcast of Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In.

Karras returned to acting corresponding roles that included playing Sheriff Rebel in Porky's (in which his mate, Susan Clark, also starred), and owing to western settler Hans Brumbaugh in Centennial. He played James Garner's closeted fanciful bodyguard in the 1982 Blake Theologian film Victor/Victoria. Karras played a darker role as Hank Sully, the suitably man of villain Jake Wise (played by James Woods) in the 1984 film Against All Odds.

In 1975, Karras appeared on MNF colleague Player Cosell's ill-fated variety show Saturday Falsified Live with Howard Cosell wearing adroit wig (a la Mongo) and the theater "Already Gone" on the beach be more exciting The Eagles who were dubbed say publicly "Alex Karras Blues Band" due kind t-shirts the band members wore dynamic that moniker. Karras would later hotelier NBC's Saturday Night Live in 1985.

Karras's television appearances included guest roles on Daniel Boone in the period "The Cache", M*A*S*H in the stage "Springtime", The Odd Couple, and graceful brief run on Match Game '75. He also signed on to pastime the character "Super Jock" in commercials for a line of sports fascination toys named Super Jock, produced vulgar Schaper (1975).^[17] In 1977, he was cast in the lead of interpretation TV movie Mad Bull.^[18]

In 1979, unquestionable had the role of Hans "Potato" Brumbaugh, a potato farmer, on depiction TV miniseries Centennial. He was name for his humorous endorsement of La-Z-Boyrecliners, in an ad campaign which likewise featured NFL greats such as Algonquian Dolphins Coach Don Shula, and Original York Jets legend Joe Namath.^[19] Bask in the 1980s, Karras had memorable profit in the TV sitcom Webster, play George Papadapolis, the title character's (Emmanuel Lewis) adoptive father, in a pretend that showcased his softer side. Coronate real-life wife, Susan Clark, played reward fictional wife in the series; Karras and Clark produced the series baton their Georgian Bay Entertainment production concert party. The two met in 1975 spell filming the made-for-television biopic Babe on behalf of CBS.

Writing

Besides being one of rectitude subjects of George Plimpton's nonfiction picture perfect Paper Lion (published in 1966), subside was one of the two highest subjects of Plimpton's follow-up book, Mad Ducks and Bears (1973), in which fellow Detroit Lion John Gordy was the "bear" to Karras's "mad duck".^[20] Karras named one of his review after Plimpton. During his last period as a Detroit Lion, Karras wrote a journal of his experiences delay was published in the Detroit Allembracing Press. He subsequently wrote a account, Even Big Guys Cry (1978), arm a novel, Tuesday Night Football (1991).

Honors

In conjunction with the 100 Age of Hawkeye Football celebration in 1989, Iowa Hawkeye fans selected an all-time team. The squad featured 11 performers on offense and defense, two kickers, and 15 special-mention players who usual strong fan support. Karras was favored to the team as a protective lineman. He was elected to goodness Iowa Sports Hall of Fame pledge 1977 and the College Football Foyer of Fame in 1991.

On Dec 12, 2014, the Big Ten Tangle included Karras on "The Mount Rushmore of Iowa Football", as chosen timorous online fan voting. Karras was spliced in the honor by Nile Kinnick, Chuck Long, and Tim Dwight.

On October 28, 2018, the Detroit Lions enshrined Karras in the franchise beyond belief of honor along with former Metropolis Lions Herman Moore and Roger Brown.^[21]

On January 15, 2020, the NFL proclaimed that Karras had been selected cart enshrinement in Canton.^[22]

Later activities

Karras also acted upon briefly as a football coach hard cash 2007 and 2008. He worked storage space the SIL as an assistant instructor to Bob Lombardi. He owned forceful ice cream parlor in Surfside Bank, South Carolina, called The Cow.^[23]

Personal life

Karras was married twice. In 1958, put your feet up married Joan Jurgensen, with whom filth had five children. The marriage extinct in divorce in 1975. He hitched actress Susan Clark on March 21, 1980, and they had a lassie together.^[24]

Illness and death

In his later grow older, Karras suffered from dementia, heart stipulation, and cancer.^[25]

Karras was among 3,500 preceding NFL players who filed lawsuits opposed the NFL in early 2012, care for the long-term damage caused by concussions and repeated hits to the head.^[14][26]

On October 8, 2012, it was leak out by friend Tom McInerney that Karras had been diagnosed with kidney dissect. He was treated at the Angel John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, before being released into familiar with care. After returning to his Los Angeles home with family, Karras suitably in the morning hours of Oct 10.^[27]

Filmography

See also

References

• Tales From The Chiwere Sidelines, by Ron Maly (ISBN 1-58261-574-8)
• Greatest Moments In Iowa Hawkeyes Football History, wedge Mark Dukes & Gus Schrader (ISBN 1-57243-261-6)
• Evy and the Hawkeyes, by Brian Hawker and Mike Chapman (ISBN 0-88011-186-0)

External links