Les Josephson
Encyclopedia
Les Josephson is a former National Football League
running back
who played eleven seasons with the Los Angeles Rams.
His professional career had its genesis in his high school days in Minneota, Minnesota, where he played 8-man football. He had not played 11-man ball until he began college at Augustana in Sioux Falls, SD.
His early college years were outstanding, playing on a college team that showed unusual success and talent. The team during his final two years, however, had only mediocre success, and his hope to be claimed in the college draft faded. He was offered free agent status with the Dallas Cowboys, and at the conclusion of rookie training camp he was released and immediately picked up by the Los Angeles Rams. Six weeks later he joined the backfield of Roman Gabriel as blocking/running back, and was a team leader for the next decade.
He was selected for the pro bowl in 1968. This 'all-pro' award, among many he received is particularly fascinating, for in fact he never was 'all-anything' in either high school or college! (Several 'honorable mentions' excepted.)
Injuries slowed Les down (broken jaw, ruptured achilles tendon) but he survived and contributed to the team for many years after his worst injuries, retiring in 1975.
After his career, he acted
in a number of films and also served as a football consultant
.
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
who played eleven seasons with the Los Angeles Rams.
His professional career had its genesis in his high school days in Minneota, Minnesota, where he played 8-man football. He had not played 11-man ball until he began college at Augustana in Sioux Falls, SD.
His early college years were outstanding, playing on a college team that showed unusual success and talent. The team during his final two years, however, had only mediocre success, and his hope to be claimed in the college draft faded. He was offered free agent status with the Dallas Cowboys, and at the conclusion of rookie training camp he was released and immediately picked up by the Los Angeles Rams. Six weeks later he joined the backfield of Roman Gabriel as blocking/running back, and was a team leader for the next decade.
He was selected for the pro bowl in 1968. This 'all-pro' award, among many he received is particularly fascinating, for in fact he never was 'all-anything' in either high school or college! (Several 'honorable mentions' excepted.)
Injuries slowed Les down (broken jaw, ruptured achilles tendon) but he survived and contributed to the team for many years after his worst injuries, retiring in 1975.
After his career, he acted
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
in a number of films and also served as a football consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
.
Films and television
- Technical consultant for GusGus (film)Gus is a 1976 American film by Walt Disney Productions. Its center character is Gus, a football-playing mule.- Plot :Gus is a film about a football-kicking mule and his trainer "Andy" ....
(1976) - NickelodeonNickelodeon (film)Nickelodeon is a 1976 comedy film directed by Peter Bogdanovich and starring Ryan O'Neal, Burt Reynolds, and Tatum O'Neal. According to Bogdanovich, the film was based on true stories told to him by silent movie directors Alan Dwan and Raoul Walsh...
as a bouncer - Police WomanPolice Woman (TV series)Police Woman is an American television police drama starring Angie Dickinson that ran on NBC for four seasons, from September 13, 1974, to March 29, 1978.-Synopsis:...
episode "Death Game" (1977) - SuperdomeSuperdome (film)Superdome is a 1978 made for TV drama movie. It premiered on ABC as part of The ABC Monday Night Movie series and was used to promote Super Bowl XII...
(1978TV) as Caretta - Heaven Can WaitHeaven Can Wait (1978 film)Heaven Can Wait is a 1978 American comedy film directed by Warren Beatty and Buck Henry. It is the second film adaptation of Harry Segall's stageplay of the same name, preceded by Here Comes Mr. Jordan and followed by Down to Earth...
(1978) as Owens. Josephson also served as a technical consultant for the film.