
Larry Csonka
Acting
Biography
Larry Csonka established himself as one of the most punishing runners in NFL history, powering the Miami Dolphins to back-to-back Super Bowl championships and remaining the franchise's all-time leading rusher. Born on December 25, 1946, in Stow, Ohio, Csonka attended Stow High School, where he became a running back by accident when he was substituted on the kickoff return team as a defensive end. After running over two tacklers, he discovered his calling: "I got a tremendous feeling carrying the ball. I loved it." At Syracuse University (1965-1967), he rushed for a school-record 2,934 yards, breaking marks held by Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, and Floyd Little while earning unanimous All-American honors in 1967. Drafted eighth overall by Miami in 1968, Csonka overcame his early career concussions to become the cornerstone of Don Shula's ball-control offense. Over eleven NFL seasons, he accumulated 8,081 rushing yards and 64 touchdowns, earning five Pro Bowl selections (1970-1974) and three first-team All-Pro honors (1971-1973). He remains Miami's all-time leading rusher with 6,737 yards and 53 touchdowns, with his number 39 retired in 2002. Csonka's playing strengths defined battering-ram football: a massive 6-foot-3, 235-pound frame among the era's biggest backs; choosing to run through defenders rather than around them; exceptional ball security, fumbling only 21 times in 1,891 career carries; powerful legs dragging tacklers 5-10 yards after contact; legendary toughness, breaking his nose ten times while playing with blood pouring from it. His greatest moments showcased dominance and durability: his Super Bowl VIII MVP performance, rushing 33 times for a then-record 145 yards and two touchdowns against Minnesota, earning the Professional Football Writers Association Super Athlete of the Year; in Super Bowl VII, rushing for 112 yards, including a memorable 49-yard run where he turned toward Washington cornerback Pat Fischer to deliver a punishing forearm rather than avoid him; the historic 1972 perfect 17-0 season, rushing for 1,117 yards while combining with Mercury Morris to form the NFL's first 1,000-yard rushing duo. After a brief WFL stint with the Memphis Southmen in 1975, Csonka played three seasons with the New York Giants (1976-1978) before returning to Miami in 1979, rushing for a career-high 12 touchdowns and winning the NFL Comeback Player of the Year. Following his retirement, he became a motivational speaker, hosted hunting and fishing shows for NBC Sports Network, and served as an analyst for American Gladiators (1990-1993). Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989, Csonka lives in Alaska, where he hosted North to Alaska from 1998 to 2013. He published his memoir "Head On" in 2022.
Known For

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night. For its first ten years, Carson's Tonight Show was based in New York City with occasional trips to Burbank, California; in May 1972, the show moved permanently to Burbank, California. In 2002, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was ranked #12 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that originally aired only in the Cleveland area during much of its first two years on the air. It then went into syndication in 1963 and remained on television until 1982. It was distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations in Cleveland and Philadelphia.
The Mike Douglas Show

The crew of Los Angeles County Fire Department Station 51, particularly the paramedic team, and Rampart Hospital respond to emergencies in their operating area.
Emergency!

Follow the adventures of Steve Austin, cybernetically enhanced astronaut turned secret agent, employed by the OSI, under the command of Oscar Goldman and supervised by the scientist who created his cybernetics, Rudy Wells. Steve uses the superior strength and speed provided by his bionic arm and legs, and the enhanced vision provided by his artificial eye, to fight enemy agents, aliens, mad scientists, and a wide variety of other villains.
The Six Million Dollar Man

A long-running dramedy centering on the Winslow family, a middle-class African American family living in Chicago, and their pesky next-door neighbor, ultra-nerd Steve Urkel. A spin-off of Perfect Strangers.
Family Matters

Looking at the lives of former and current football players, the show follows former superstar Spencer Strasmore as he gets his life on track in retirement while mentoring other current and former players through the daily grind of the business of football.
Ballers

Dinah's show premiered 9 September 1974 and continued through to 4 September 1981. She started out the 70's with Dinah's Place which usually featured one guest and was more of a home oriented show about cooking, crafts and occasionally music. This format lasted until May of 1974. When the show came back in October of 1974 the format had changed drastically to a variety talk show which was called Dinah. and went on until 1981. This show was also known as "Dinah and Friends" during the summer of 1976.
Dinah!

America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions is an annual documentary series created by NFL Films (broadcast on the NFL Network and CBS). Each of its 55 (and counting) installments profile the National Football League's annual Super Bowl champion through highlights, interviews with players and coaches, and a celebrity narrator. A spin-off debuted on September 18, 2008, titled America's Game: The Missing Rings which chronicled five of the best teams to never win the Super Bowl.
America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions

This war drama depicts the U.S. and Japanese forces in the naval Battle of Midway, which became a turning point for Americans during World War II.
Midway

Howard Cosell hosted the first instalment of Monday Night Football.
Monday Night Football

American Gladiators is an American competition television program that aired weekly in syndication from September 1989 to May 1996. The series matched a cast of amateur athletes against each other, as well as against the show's own gladiators, in contests of strength and agility. The concept was created by Dan Carr and John C. Ferraro, who held the original competition at Erie Tech High School in Erie, Pennsylvania. They sold the show to The Samuel Goldwyn Company where the concept was enhanced and became American Gladiators. An effort in 2004 to launch a live American Gladiators show on the Las Vegas Strip became mired in a securities fraud prosecution. However, the television series was restarted in 2008. Episodes from the original series were played on ESPN Classic from 2007 to 2009. Several episodes are available for download on Apple's iTunes Service.
American Gladiators

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Billy

Forty-two, hard-hitting minutes of the NFL's outstanding defenders, past and present, who have elevated the art of punishing ball carriers into a science
Crunch Course

Forty-five years ago, the Miami Dolphins splashed into the NFL when Joe Auer returned the franchise’s opening kick-off 95 yards for a touchdown. It was the beginning of a historic journey encompassing some of the game’s legendary players, and the greatest single season in NFL history. From their start as an AFL doormat, witness their meteoric rise as Hall of Fame head coach Don Shula led Bob Griese, Larry Csonka and the “no-name defense” of the ‘70s to two world championships and the only undefeated season in pro football history. Later teams included “Killer B’s” defense of the ‘80s, record-setting quarterback Dan Marino and defensive powerhouses Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas. This film will grant you access to over four hours of extraordinary game highlights, behind-the-scenes footage, player and coach interviews, sound wires and more. Join NFL Films as they unfold a unique perspective on the living South Florida history that is the Miami Dolphins.