Born in Gary, Indiana, Alex Karras excelled in sports in high school, and after graduation attended the University of Iowa, playing football for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Also a collegiate heavyweight wrestling champion in the off-season, at 6'2", and 248-pounds, he was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 1958. A knee injury at age 36 ended in playing career. In 1968 he had made his film debut, featured as himself, in the movie Paper Lion, followed in 1969 with the role of Moose Williams in an episode of Daniel Boone.
Alex Karras died of kidney failure at the age of 77.
