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Actor and NFL Great Alex Karras Dies at 77

By on October 10, 2012

Alex-Karras

Alex Karras, the NFL great-turned actor who played Mongo in the 1974 film Blazing Saddles and Webster‘s dad George Papadapolis, died this morning after suffering kidney failure, states a family spokesperson.

Karras had been fighting a myriad of illnesses over the past 2 years, including kidney disease, heart disease, stomach cancer and dementia.

Karras was a defensive superstar for the Detroit Lions from 1958 to 1970 before breaking into acting.

Besides Blazing Saddles, Karras also had a starring role on the ’80s sitcom Webster.

He was 77.

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