NFL Legend Dick Butkus Played Himself In A Surprising Number Of Movies And TV Shows

Given how many screen credits Dick Butkus logged as an actor, you might be a little surprised that only 14 of them came under his given name when the former Chicago Bears star made a legit run at an acting career once he left the gridiron behind. Of course, Butkus didn’t completely leave the sports world, working off and on as a broadcaster once he was no longer a player.

Of course, it’s worth noting that several of his acting roles found him playing a coach or a former player of some sort. That includes the steadiest gig Butkus booked as an actor, with the NFL legend playing tough but tender-hearted basketball coach Mike Katowinski in 52 episodes of NBC’s Saturday morning teen comedy «Hang Time» between 1998 and 2000. Prior to scoring that gig, Butkus made memorable appearances as fictional characters in some of the biggest hits to ever grace the airwaves. Among those hits you’ll find ’70s staples «McMillian & Wife,» «The Six Million Dollar Man,» «Wonder Woman,» «Taxi,» and «Fantasy Island,» as well as ’80s standouts like «Magnum P.I.,» «Murder She Wrote,» «Night Court,» «Matlock,» and «Growing Pains.»

Butkus closed the ’80s out with a lengthy run on the hit sitcom «My Two Dads,» portraying the endearingly salty cafe owner Ed Klawicki in the show’s first and second seasons. While the ’90s brought small roles in «MacGyver,» and «Early Edition» as well, Butkus acted less frequently once «Hang Time» came to an end, and prior of his passing hadn’t appeared in a fictional program since «I Didn’t Do It.»