Alex Karras

Date of Birth: July 15, 1935

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Date of Death: October 10, 2012

Biography

Alexander George Karras, known as Alex Karras, was an American football player, professional wrestler, and actor. Born in Gary, Indiana, he grew up in a sports-oriented family, which laid the foundation for his career in athletics. Karras played college football at the University of Iowa and earned All-American honors. He was drafted in the first round of the 1958 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, where he played as a defensive tackle for 12 seasons. Known for his strength and dexterity, Karras became a four-time Pro Bowl selection and earned a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s All-Decade Team of the 1960s. After his football career, Karras transitioned to acting, where he found success in both television and film. He starred in the popular sitcom “Webster” and is well-remembered for his role as Mongo in the classic comedy film “Blazing Saddles.” Karras also had a brief stint in professional wrestling and worked as a commentator for NFL broadcasts.

5 Interesting Facts about Alex Karras

1. Alex Karras was suspended for one season in 1963 due to gambling allegations, along with Green Bay Packers star Paul Hornung.

2. His portrayal of Mongo in “Blazing Saddles” included the famous line, “Mongo only pawn in game of life.”

3. Karras was hired as an analyst for “Monday Night Football” in 1974.

4. He co-wrote an autobiography titled “Even Big Guys Cry,” published in 1978.

5. Karras was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Alex Karras

1. “Mongo only pawn in game of life.” – From “Blazing Saddles”

2. “I never graduated from Iowa, but I was only there for two terms – Truman’s and Eisenhower’s.”

3. “I don’t wear no stinkin’ shoes, and I don’t own no stinkin’ socks.”

4. “It takes more than just a big body to play the game of football.”

5. “Football is violence and cold weather and sex and college rye.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the peak of his career, Alex Karras’s net worth was estimated to be around $6 million.

Children

Alex Karras had six children. He had five children from his first marriage to Joan Jurgensen: Alex Jr., Peter, Carolyn, George, and Renald. He also had one child, Katherine, with actress Susan Clark, whom he married in 1980.