Alex Karras - wikipedia Alex Karras This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( August 2011 ) Alex Karras Susan Clark and Karras in Babe ( 1975 ). No. 71 Position : Defensive tackle Born : ( 1935 - 07 - 15 ) July 15, 1935 Gary, Indiana Died : October 10, 2012 ( 2012 - 10 - 10 ) ( aged 77 ) Los Angeles, California Height : 6 ft 2 in ( 1.88 m ) Weight : 248 lb ( 112 kg ) Career information High school : Gary ( IN ) Emerson College : Iowa NFL Draft : 1958 / Round : 1 / Pick : 10 Career history Detroit Lions ( 1958 -- 1970 ) Career highlights and awards 4 × Pro Bowl ( 1960 -- 1962, 1965 ) 4 × First - team All - Pro ( 1960 -- 1962, 1965 ) 5 × Second - team All - Pro ( 1964, 1966 -- 1969 ) NFL 1960s All - Decade team Outland Trophy ( 1957 ) 2 × First - team All - American ( 1956, 1957 ) Career NFL statistics Games played : 161 Interceptions : 4 Player stats at NFL.com College Football Hall of Fame Alexander George Karras ( July 15, 1935 -- October 10, 2012 ) was an American football player, professional wrestler, sportscaster, and actor. He was a four - time Pro Bowl player with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League ( NFL ), where he played from 1958 to 1970. As an actor, Karras is noted for his role as Mongo in the 1974 comedy film Blazing Saddles. He was also known for starring as Webster Long 's ( Emmanuel Lewis ) adoptive father, George Papadopolis, in the ABC sitcom Webster ( 1983 -- 1989 ) alongside his wife Susan Clark. He was also featured prominently in Victor / Victoria, starring Julie Andrews and James Garner. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. Contents 1 College career 2 Professional football 3 Film and television 4 Writing 5 Honors 6 Later activities 7 Personal life 8 Illness and death 9 Filmography 10 References 11 External links College career Karras from 1958 Hawkeye Born and raised in Gary, Indiana, Karras was the son of Dr. George Karras, a Greek immigrant ( from Chios ) who graduated from the University of Chicago and got his medical degree in Canada. There, George Karras met and married a Canadian woman, Alex 's mother, Emmeline ( née Wilson ), a registered nurse. George Karras opened a medical practice in Gary, but he died when Alex was thirteen years old. By that time, Alex Karras had learned to play football in a parking lot near his home, and he blossomed into a four - time Indiana all - state selection at Gary 's Emerson High School. His older brothers, Lou ( a future member of the Redskins ) and Ted ( who later played with the Bears and Lions ), had played at Purdue but later Ted transferred to Indiana. Because of this, Alex said, `` Indiana had the inside track '' on recruiting him. Shortly after he graduated from high school, three coaches from the Iowa Hawkeyes met Karras at his brother Louie 's house with an airplane and flew him to Spencer, Iowa, where he remained incommunicado through the summer. Writing in the Detroit Free Press in 1971 ( as reprinted in the Iowa City Press - Citizen ), Karras said that `` nobody knew where I was, not even my mom, although Louie told her not to worry... Obviously, Iowa came up with something, I have no intention of stirring up any mess. I 'll only say that, as Louie explained it, some accommodations were made by the people at Iowa that would make things easier for the family, and so away I went. It was the beginning of some awful years. '' Karras struggled in the beginning at Iowa, with classwork, homesickness and with his coach, Forest Evashevski. He was a pledge at Sigma Nu fraternity during his first year in school. Karras probably would have left Iowa had he not befriended a Greek theater owner, Ernie Pannos, as well as fellow players Cal Jones and Bob Commings. Karras ' sophomore year with Iowa in 1955 got off to a rocky start when he showed up for practice twenty pounds ( 9 kg ) overweight. Karras was also hampered that season by a cracked ankle bone. After being disappointed at not getting to play in the season finale, Karras threw a shoe at Evashevski and quit the team. Karras did not earn a football letter for the 1955 season. Karras went to summer classes and later rejoined the football team, but a strained relationship resurfaced. Evashevski promised to start Alex Karras in the 1956 season opener against Indiana, when Alex would square off against his brother, Ted. But Evy played Karras off the bench instead, and Karras quit the team again. This time, Karras agreed to rejoin the team only after making Evashevski promise he would not talk to him other than in a purely coaching capacity. ( Evashevski always denied any special agreement with Karras. ) Iowa took the lead in the 1956 Big Ten title race with a 7 -- 0 victory over Minnesota. The Hawkeyes then clinched the Big Ten title and Iowa 's first ever Rose Bowl berth by defeating Ohio State, 6 -- 0. Karras sealed the game with a quarterback sack on the game 's final play. Iowa 's final regular season game in 1956 was 48 -- 8 win at home over a struggling Notre Dame team. Karras called it his biggest college win, saying, `` The Karrases have always had a rivalry with Notre Dame. The school was just sixty miles ( 97 km ) down the road from our home and we wanted to beat ' em at anything. '' However, after the game, Karras got into a physical battle with Evashevski. Karras did not enjoy his trip to the Rose Bowl, either. `` Pasadena was the most boring town I 've ever been in, '' said Karras. Karras helped the Hawkeyes win the Rose Bowl over Oregon State, 35 -- 19. He was a first team All - American in 1956 Karras spent the summer of 1957 with an American track team of Greek descent. He participated in the shot put, throwing a respectable 52 feet ( 16 m ). In his senior season in 1957, Karras was the most dominant lineman in the nation, won the Outland Trophy, and was the runner - up in the voting for the Heisman Trophy. Karras and Ohio State tackle John Hicks ( in 1973 ) are two of only three linemen ever finishing so high in the Heisman Trophy voting. ( Leon Hart, a Notre Dame end, was the only lineman ever to win the Heisman Trophy in 1949. ) In addition, Karras was a consensus first team All - American in 1957. Hawkeye teammate Randy Duncan said, Karras hated Evashevski, and he still does. I think Karras hated Evy for a lot of reasons. Evy was on everybody 's back, and he was on Karras ' back big time. Karras was a great football player, but he did n't really like offense and, in those days, you had to go both ways. So he did n't block anybody. What he wanted to do was chase down quarterbacks and play defense. Professional Football Before his NFL career got under way, Karras signed a contract as a professional wrestler 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 Detroit Lions ( in December 1957 ). He signed with the Lions, spurning an offer from the Canadian Football League 's Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He quickly became one of the dominant defensive tackles in the NFL, playing for 12 seasons ( 1958 -- 1962, 1964 -- 1970 ) with the same team. On January 7, 1963, Karras 's ownership in Detroit 's Lindell AC Bar became a source of controversy when league officials urged him to sell his financial interests in the place because of reports of gambling and organized crime influence. After first threatening to retire rather than give it up, Karras admitted placing bets on NFL games and was suspended by the league, along with Green Bay Packers ' running back Paul Hornung, for one season ( 1963 ). During his exile, Karras returned to pro wrestling, taking on such memorable characters as Dick the Bruiser. He was reinstated, along with Hornung, on March 16, 1964 by NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle. Upon returning to action in 1964, Karras once refused when an official asked him to call the pregame coin toss. `` I 'm sorry, sir, '' Karras replied. `` I 'm not permitted to gamble. '' During his first year back, player discontent with head coach George Wilson resulted in Karras asking to be traded. However, the Lions settled the issue when they fired Wilson after the 1964 NFL season. From 1960 to 1966, except for the year of his suspension in 1963, he played next to Roger Brown, a formidable pair of defensive tackles, until the latter was traded to the Los Angeles Rams. After another season of controversy under new head coach Harry Gilmer, Karras was rumored to be ready to play out his option and sign with the expansion Miami Dolphins of the American Football League under his former coach Wilson. Instead, Karras signed a seven - year contract with the Lions on May 20, 1966, with Wilson stating that Karras had used the threat of signing with Miami to garner the large deal with Detroit. Despite the new contract, controversy remained, as Karras and Gilmer sparred in midseason, with the coach reportedly ready to release the veteran defensive tackle. As before, it would be the coach who would depart, with Karras 's former teammate Joe Schmidt taking over. On June 4, 1967, Karras once again hinted he would retire to work at a new business venture ; once training camp began, though, Karras was back with the Lions. During that preseason, he jokingly commented that he would walk back from Denver if the AFL Broncos defeated the Lions. When that actually happened, Karras backtracked and flew home on the team plane. He was still an All - Pro selection in 1967 to 1969. Despite not allowing a touchdown in the divisional round of the 1970 NFL playoffs, the Lions lost to the Dallas Cowboys 5 -- 0, his first playoff game and his final game. After the 1971 preseason, while rehabing a knee injury suffered the previous year, Karras was released, ending his playing career at age 35. From 1958 to 1970, the Lions were over. 500 six of the 13 years, making the playoffs only once, 1970, with a 10 -- 4 record in Karras ' final year. Aside from 1970, their best years were 1962 ( 11 -- 3 ) and 1969 ( 9 -- 4 -- 1 ). In 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 years they were second - least in the NFL, thanks in large part to a tough and rugged defensive line led by Karras. He was called an `` iron man '', and missed only one game due to injury in his 12 NFL seasons and his 161 games played are the fifteenth most in Lions history. He made the Pro Bowl four times, and the Hall of Fame named him a member of the 1960s All - Decade team. The Professional Football Researchers Association named Karras to the PRFA Hall of Very Good Class of 2006 Film and television In 1968, he made his film debut playing himself in the film adaptation of George Plimpton 's nonfiction sports book Paper Lion. As in Plimpton 's book, Karras delights his teammates with impromptu monologues about a fanciful past, including his marriage to Hitler. Following his release by the Lions in 1971, he made several appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and also played a bit part in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, appearing in the farewell party scene where Rhoda moves back to New York ( 1972 ). Karras soon began acting on a full - time basis, playing a Tennessee boy turned Olympic weightlifter named Hugh Ray Feather in 1973 's The 500 Pound Jerk. He played a hulking villain who menaced Clint Walker in the ABC TV film Hardcase. A minor but memorable role came one year later in the western parody Blazing Saddles ( 1974 ) : the very strong and slow - witted thug Mongo, who rode into town on a huge brahman ( marked with `` yes '' and `` no '' passing signals ), knocked out a horse with one punch, and famously responded to a question from Sheriff Bart with, `` Do n't know... '' ( looking straight into the camera ) ``... Mongo only pawn in game of life. '' That same year, he was quickly brought in by ABC in September to replace Fred Williamson as a commentator for the network 's Monday Night Football. He served three years in that role until leaving after the 1976 season, with his most memorable comment coming in his first game, when he joked that bald Oakland Raiders ' lineman Otis Sistrunk, who never attended college, was from `` the University of Mars ''. In 1972, Karras hosted a local weekly football program for Windsor, Ontario CBC affiliate CKLW - TV, The Alex Karras Football Show ; his program generally preceded the CBC 's Wednesday night CFL telecasts.. In 1973, Alex made several cameo appearances on the January 8th broadcast of Rowan and Martin 's Laugh - In '. Karras returned to acting with roles that included playing Sheriff Wallace in Porky 's ( in which his wife, Susan Clark, also starred ), and as western settler Hans Brumbaugh in Centennial. He played James Garner 's closeted gay bodyguard in the 1982 Blake Edwards ' film Victor Victoria. Karras played a darker role as Hank Sully, the right - hand - man of villain Jake Wise ( played by James Woods ) in the 1984 film, Against All Odds. Karras ' most memorable role was in the 1975 made - for - TV movie Babe, where he played the hulking ex-wrestler George Zaharias, loyally caring for his cancer - stricken wife, the legendary athlete Babe Didrikson Zaharias. In 1975, Karras appeared on MNF colleauge Howard Cosell 's ill - fated variety show Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell wearing a wig ( a la Mongo ) and performing `` Already Gone '' on the beach with The Eagles who were dubbed the `` Alex Karras Blues Band '' due to tee - shirts the band members wore bearing that moniker. Karras ' television appearances included guest roles on Daniel Boone in the episode `` The Cache '', M * A * S * H in the episode `` Springtime '', The Odd Couple and a brief run on Match Game ' 75. He also signed on to play the character `` Super Jock '' in commercials for a line of sports action toys named Super Jock, produced by Schaper ( 1975 ). In 1977, he was cast in the lead of the TV movie Mad Bull. In 1979, he had the role of Hans `` Potato '' Brumbaugh, a potato farmer, on the TV miniseries Centennial. He was known for his humorous endorsement of La - Z - Boy recliners, in an ad campaign which also featured NFL greats such as Miami Dolphins Coach Don Shula, and New York Jets legend Joe Namath. In the 1980s, Karras had memorable success in the TV sitcom Webster, playing George Papadapolis, the title character 's adoptive father, in a role that showcased his softer side. His real - life wife, Susan Clark, played his fictional wife in the series ; Karras and Clark produced the series through their Georgian Bay Entertainment production company. The two met in 1975 while filming the made - for - television biopic Babe for CBS. Writing Besides being one of the subjects of George Plimpton 's nonfiction book Paper Lion ( published in 1966 ), he was one of the two principal subjects of Plimpton 's follow - up book, Mad Ducks and Bears ( 1973 ) ( fellow Detroit Lion John Gordy was the `` bear '' to Karras ' `` mad duck. '' ) Karras named one of his sons after Plimpton. During his last years as a Detroit Lion, Karras wrote a journal of his experiences that was published in the Detroit Free Press. He subsequently wrote a memoir, Even Big Guys Cry ( 1978 ), and a novel, Tuesday Night Football ( 1991 ). Honors In conjunction with the 100 Years of Hawkeye Football celebration in 1989, Iowa Hawkeye fans selected an all - time team. The squad featured 11 players on offense and defense, two kickers, and 15 special - mention players who received strong fan support. Alex Karras was voted to the team as a defensive lineman. Karras was elected to the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame in 1977 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1991. On December 12, 2014 the Big Ten Network included Karras on `` The Mount Rushmore of Iowa Football '', as chosen by online fan voting. Karras was joined in the honor by Nile Kinnick, Chuck Long and Tim Dwight. Later activities Karras also worked briefly as a football coach in 2007 and 2008. He worked for the SIL as an assistant coach to Bob Lombardi. He owned an ice cream parlor in Surfside Beach, South Carolina called The Cow. Personal life Karras was married twice. He married Joan Jurgensen in 1958, with whom he had five children. The marriage ended in divorce in 1975. He married actress Susan Clark on March 21, 1980, and they had a daughter together. Illness and death In his later years, Karras suffered several serious health problems, including dementia, heart disease, and cancer. Karras was among 3,500 former NFL players to have filed lawsuits against the NFL in early 2012, over the long - term damage caused by concussions and repeated hits to the head. On October 8, 2012, it was revealed by friend Tom McInerney that Karras had been diagnosed with kidney failure. He was treated at the Saint John 's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, before being released into hospice care. After returning to his Los Angeles home with family, Karras died in the morning hours of October 10. Filmography Paper Lion ( 1968 ) -- Himself Hardcase ( 1972 ) -- Booker Llewellyn The 500 Pound Jerk ( 1973 ) -- Hughie Rae Feather Blazing Saddles ( 1974 ) -- Mongo The Great Lester Boggs ( 1974 ) -- Sheriff Billy Bob Win, Place or Steal ( 1974 ) -- Frank `` Babe '' ( 1975 ) -- George Zaharias FM ( 1978 ) -- Doc Holiday Jacob Two - Two Meets the Hooded Fang ( 1978 ) -- The Hooded Fang Centennial ( 1978 ) -- Hans Brumbaugh When Time Ran Out ( 1980 ) -- Tiny Baker Nobody 's Perfekt ( 1981 ) - Swaboda Porky 's ( 1981 ) -- Sheriff Wallace Victor Victoria ( 1982 ) -- ' Squash ' Bernstein Against All Odds ( 1984 ) -- Hank Sully Street Corner Kids ( 1994 ) -- Floyd Powell Buffalo ' 66 ( 1998 ) -- TV Sportscaster References ^ Jump up to : Maher, Charles ( November 13, 1974 ). `` Smart Alex joins Humble Howard, Faultless Frank ''. Lewiston Morning Tribune. ( Idaho ). ( Los Angeles Times ). p. 1B. Jump up ^ Weber, Bruce. `` Alex Karras, former NFL lineman, father on Webster TV show, dies at 77 ''. The Star. Toronto. Jump up ^ `` Alex Karras Biography ( 1935 - ) ''. www.filmreference.com. Jump up ^ Karras, Alex ( November 17, 1971 ). `` Alex Karras Tells How and Why He Arrived at Iowa ''. Iowa City Press - Citizen. Jump up ^ Mason City Globe - Gazette. November 19, 1956. Missing or empty title = ( help ) Jump up ^ `` Karras ' Register Hall of Fame biodata ''. Des Moines Register. October 10, 2012. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. Retrieved October 10, 2012. Jump up ^ Maly, Ron ( 2003 ). Tales from the Iowa Sidelines. p. 125. ISBN 1582615748. Jump up ^ Merron, Jeff. `` Top 10 suspensions of all - time ''. ESPN. Retrieved October 10, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Longtime Lion, actor Karras dies at 77 ''. Jump up ^ `` Hall of Very Good Class of 2006 ''. Retrieved November 23, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Weber, Bruce ( 10 October 2012 ). `` Alex Karras, N.F.L. Lineman and Actor, Dies at 77 '' -- via NYTimes.com. Jump up ^ `` Oakland Raiders - Otis Sistrunk ''. Oakland Raiders. Archived from the original on November 17, 2008. Jump up ^ Per the July 29, August 4, 1972 TV Guide ad at Vintage Toledo TV : CKLW & CBET - TV 9 Print ads Jump up ^ `` Super Jock Toys ''. Plaidstallions.blogspot.com. May 15, 2009. Retrieved October 10, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Mad Bull ( TV Movie 1977 ) ''. Jump up ^ `` Our History ''. La-z-boy.com. Archived from the original on November 18, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Blazing Saddles Tribute Mongo ''. blazingsaddlestribute.com. Retrieved 10 October 2012. Jump up ^ `` Alex Karras ' Daughter Katie Karras ''. Showbizdaily. Retrieved 10 October 2012. Jump up ^ Birkett, Dave ( October 8, 2012 ). `` Lions great Alex Karras near death ''. USA Today. Jump up ^ Birkett, Dave ( October 8, 2012 ). `` Ex-Lions great Alex Karras suffering from kidney failure ''. Detroit Free Press. Retrieved October 10, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Reports : Karras has kidney failure ''. ESPN. Associated Press. October 9, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Ex-NFL star, actor Alex Karras dies ''. CNN. October 10, 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2012. Tales From The Iowa Sidelines, by Ron Maly ( ISBN 1 - 58261 - 574 - 8 ) Greatest Moments In Iowa Hawkeyes Football History, by Mark Dukes & Gus Schrader ( ISBN 1 - 57243 - 261 - 6 ) Evy and the Hawkeyes, by Brian Chapman and Mike Chapman ( ISBN 0 - 88011 - 186 - 0 ) External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alex Karras. Biography portal Detroit portal National Football League portal Television portal Alex Karras at the College Football Hall of Fame Alex Karras on IMDb Outland Trophy winners 1946 : Connor 1947 : Steffy 1948 : Fischer 1949 : Bagdon 1950 : Gain 1951 : Weatherall 1952 : Modzelewski 1953 : J. Roberts 1954 : Brooks 1955 : C. Jones 1956 : Parker 1957 : Karras 1958 : Z. Smith 1959 : McGee 1960 : T. Brown 1961 : Olsen 1962 : Bell 1963 : Appleton 1964 : DeLong 1965 : Nobis 1966 : Phillips 1967 : Yary 1968 : Stanfill 1969 : Reid 1970 : Stillwagon 1971 : Jacobson 1972 : Glover 1973 : Hicks 1974 : White 1975 : Selmon 1976 : Browner 1977 : Shearer 1978 : G. Roberts 1979 : Ritcher 1980 : May 1981 : Rimington 1982 : Rimington 1983 : Steinkuhler 1984 : B. Smith 1985 : Ruth 1986 : Buck 1987 : Hennings 1988 : Rocker 1989 : Elewonibi 1990 : Maryland 1991 : Emtman 1992 : Shields 1993 : Waldrop 1994 : Wiegert 1995 : Ogden 1996 : Pace 1997 : Taylor 1998 : Farris 1999 : Samuels 2000 : Henderson 2001 : McKinnie 2002 : Long 2003 : Gallery 2004 : J. Brown 2005 : Eslinger 2006 : Thomas 2007 : Dorsey 2008 : A. Smith 2009 : Suh 2010 : Carimi 2011 : B. Jones 2012 : Joeckel 2013 : Donald 2014 : Scherff 2015 : Garnett 2016 : Robinson 2017 : Oliver UPI College Lineman of the Year winners 1950 : Richter 1951 : McColl 1952 : Catlin 1953 : J. Roberts 1954 : Ellena 1955 : Pellegrini 1956 : Tubbs 1957 : Karras 1958 : Harrison 1959 : R. Davis 1960 : T. Brown 1961 : Romig 1962 : Bell 1963 : Appleton 1964 : Butkus 1965 : Twilley 1966 : B. Smith 1967 : Liggins 1968 : Hendricks 1969 : McCoy 1970 : Stillwagon 1971 : Patulski 1972 : Glover 1973 : Hicks 1974 : White 1975 : Selmon 1976 : Browner 1977 : Browner 1978 : G. Roberts 1979 : Budde 1980 : H. Green 1981 : Sims 1982 : Rimington 1983 : Steinkuhler 1984 : Fralic 1985 : Casillas 1986 : J. Brown 1987 : Hennings 1988 : Mandarich 1989 : Zorich 1990 : Maryland 1991 : Emtman 1992 : Curry 1993 : Waldrop 1994 : Wiegert 1995 : Ogden 1996 : Pace 1957 College Football All - America Team consensus selections Backfield HB Bob Anderson HB John David Crow HB Walt Kowalczyk HB Clendon Thomas Line E Jim Phillips E Dick Wallen T Alex Karras T Lou Michaels G Al Ecuyer G Bill Krisher C Dan Currie 1958 NFL draft first - round selections King Hill John David Crow Dan Currie Lou Michaels Jim Phillips Walt Kowalczyk Chuck Howley Jim Pace Charlie Krueger Alex Karras Lenny Lyles Phil King Jim Shofner Detroit Lions first - round draft picks Wagner Cardwell Wojciechowicz Pingel Nave Thomason Westfall Sinkwich Graham Szymanski Dellastatious G. Davis Tittle Rauch Hart Watson Sewell Chapman Middleton Cassady Glass Karras Pietrosante Robinson Hadl D. Sanders Beathard Nowatzke Farr Landry McCullouch Owens Bell Orvis Price O'Neil Boden Hunter Gaines Bradley Dorney B. Sims Nichols J. Williams J. Jones Lewis L. Brown Long R. Rogers Blades B. Sanders Ware Moore Porcher Morton Elliss R. Brown Hartings Westbrook Fair Claiborne Gibson McDougle Backus Harrington C. Rogers R. Williams K. Jones M. Williams E. Sims Johnson Cherilus Stafford Pettigrew Suh Best Fairley Reiff Ansah Ebron Tomlinson Decker J. Davis Ragnow NFL 's 1960s All - Decade Team Sonny Jurgensen Bart Starr Johnny Unitas John David Crow Paul Hornung Leroy Kelly Gale Sayers Jim Brown Jim Taylor John Mackey Del Shofner Charley Taylor Gary Collins Boyd Dowler Bob Brown Forrest Gregg Ralph Neely Gene Hickerson Jerry Kramer Howard Mudd Jim Ringo Doug Atkins Willie Davis Deacon Jones Alex Karras Bob Lilly Merlin Olsen Dick Butkus Larry Morris Ray Nitschke Tommy Nobis Dave Robinson Herb Adderley Lem Barney Bobby Boyd Ed Meador Larry Wilson Willie Wood Jim Bakken Don Chandler BNE : XX1549490 BNF : cb138958634 ( data ) ISNI : 0000 0000 5938 8979 LCCN : n50044625 SNAC : w6h262h0 VIAF : 64192221 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alex_Karras&oldid=848172222 '' Categories : 1935 births 2012 deaths Players of American football from Indiana All - American college football players National Football League announcers American male television actors American male film actors American actor - athletes American football defensive tackles American male professional wrestlers American people of Greek descent American people of Canadian descent Deaths from renal failure Iowa Hawkeyes football players Detroit Lions players Western Conference Pro Bowl players College Football Hall of Fame inductees Sportspeople involved in betting scandals World Football League announcers Sportspeople from Gary, Indiana Writers from Gary, Indiana Sportspeople from the Chicago metropolitan area Professional wrestlers from Indiana Male actors from Indiana People from Gary, Indiana Hidden categories : Pages with citations lacking titles Articles needing additional references from August 2011 All articles needing additional references NFL player missing current team parameter Infobox NFL biography articles missing alt text All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from October 2012 Wikipedia articles with BNE identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with SNAC - ID identifiers Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Asturianu تۆرکجه Deutsch Español فارسی Français Italiano Nederlands Português Simple English Suomi 4 more Edit links This page was last edited on 30 June 2018, at 06 : 22 ( UTC ). 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Question: who played the character mongo in the movie blazing saddles
Answer: Alexander George Karras