***Update. Alex Karras has died. RIP.
Webster star Alex Karras is near death. The former NFL player who somehow ended up playing the role of Webster's dad and doing a pretty good job of it has only a few days to live. He is suffering from kidney failure. The 77 year old man is one of 3000 former NFL players who are suing the NFL because of concussions they suffered. Alex has suffered from dementia and other issues he says are football related. He is surrounded by his friends and family here in Los Angeles.
His most famous line, "Mongo only pawn in game of life," has turned out to be prophetic. Sad.
ReplyDeleteSaaaaaaaaaaaaad :( I LOVED Webster!!
ReplyDeleteThis sucks. I like Mr. Papadapolis.
ReplyDeleteThats a shame. J guess no chance of kidney transplant? Cross over easy, alex.
ReplyDeleteSad.
ReplyDeleteOh Alex. Sending you some love!
ReplyDeleteI adored Webster, for some reason it just tickled my fancy that they were a real life couple (I was young - mind easily blown.) They really did last, amazing.
ReplyDeleteI also love him in Victor/Victoria. Such a great movie and he was pretty brave to take that part, honestly. 1982! And there are plenty of athletes turned actors who would still balk at the role today.
Awful, I hope when he passes it is peaceful and painless, I also hope his family gets the compensation they deserve. Is it just me or do a lot of QBs and such (the ones that get hit hardest) have disabled children? This was a family discussion a couple weeks ago and it seems to be more than a coincidence.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I had a high school teacher (he also coached varsity football) who told us how coaches and management used to tell pro football players that they'd only live to be fifty, to convince them that life was short and they should just give it all on the field. Let them beat the hell out of you, without decent helmets, padding, and do it all again in a week. They just hammered it in over and over and God knows many football players aren't the sharpest tools in the shed to start with, even before the concussions start coming. That's what I think of whenever I hear about that suit, and I wish them all the best of luck with it.
ReplyDeleteHeartbreaking :(
ReplyDeleteLocal news here just sent out a tweet that he has died. :(
ReplyDeleteMy father went to University with him and said he cheated his way through school. Mr. Karas is no saint, just a cheater like that majority of University Football players.
ReplyDeleteHe just died. It's too bad - he seems like a nice guy and LOVED him in Blazing Saddles. That's one of the movies I can pretty much quote in its entirety.
ReplyDeleteI feel more and more uncomfortable watching football anymore. So many of these guys play for only a few years and then have nothing to show for it but brain damage. They keep making new rules but unless they switch to the type of football where you grab someone's towel instead of tackling them, it's not going to change. And without the violence, I think they'd lose a lot of viewers/fans. Give me baseball any day. Yeah, some guys get hurt, but not even close to the way football players get hurt.
I loved him in Victor/Victoria too! It was such a 'scandal' that an ex-NFL badass would play gay! I totally agree with the other poster---it WAS a big deal in the early 80's. Hell, maybe now even.
ReplyDeleteLoved him in all his roles. Good football player (apparently; I'm not into the sport!) and a really good actor. We'll miss you, George Papadopoulos!
ReplyDeleteRIP.
ReplyDeleteI loved that show Webster too!
ReplyDelete...but football players suing the NFL for their concussions...I don't get it. Did they seriously NOT KNOW that getting hit in the head repeatedly is not good for you? Come on.
I would never in a million years let my kids play football, and don't understand parents who do.
RIP Alex. Sadness. :(
ReplyDeleteOooo-forgot about Victor/Victoria. He was great in that!
ReplyDeleteAw. He seemed like such a good guy. :(
ReplyDeleteDon't forget that he was also very good in "Victor/Victoria," a former football great playing a gay man at a time when the AIDS crisis was just breaking. That took some guts.
ReplyDeletehe seemed like such a gentle giant. so sad that he suffered from dementia in his later years and especially tragic if it is football related. RIP.
ReplyDeleteHe was talented in both football and acting. May he rest in peace. And may the NFL and the country wake up soon to he whole "concussions aren't temporary, they are closed-head brain injuries and those cells don't grow back" soon.
ReplyDeleteSo sad....RIP
ReplyDeleteThis is pretty much why I hate the NFL and American football period. The egos are huge, they get special treatment in school that lets them get away with anything. Ok I'm getting OT but what's really awful? Try to guess how much the NFL earns yearly. The guys don't get health insurance after they retire and unless they are good looking and can score endorsement deals, their brains are so dumbed down that they can only manage low skilled/paying jobs. Who did we just read about, a Chicago Bears guy who died homeless and mentally illl in his car? What a way to die given days to live. At least he's lucky he did live a full life and maybe it's better not to suffer waiting months for death than just passing in days.
ReplyDeleteRIP. he seems like a nice guy who didnt bother anybody. I hate losing people.
ReplyDeleteRIP
ReplyDeleteRIP, Mr. Karras.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the show Webster as a kid, loved how calm and gentle and reasonable the parents were. I also loved all the secret passages in the house! Alex definitely had an interesting life. R.I.P.
ReplyDeleteRIP
ReplyDeleteI also loved him as the sheriff in Porky's.
I just listened to a great tribute to him on NPR. I totally forgot he married Susan Clark--I always thought she was a wonderful actress.
ReplyDelete:-(....RIP
ReplyDeleteAlex, off to the angels. RIP, buddy :)
ReplyDeleteAwww. George and Ma'am heart Webster. Rest well sir.
ReplyDeleteRIP, Alex.
ReplyDelete