‘Blazing saddles’ star Alex Karras has suffered from kidney failure and has been told by doctors that he only has days to live. The former NFL star and actor was released from a California hospital so that he could spend his final moments with his family.
Karras, who was diagnosed with cancer, had recently joined a lawsuit against the NFL stating that he suffers dementia as a result of his playing with the Detroit Lions. Craig Mitnick, Karras’ attorney, on October 9, 2012 stated that Karras may be dying of kidney failure as a result of his body catching up with his failing mind.
Karras was one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL in his peak, he was a four-time All-Pro with the Detroit Lions over a period of 12 seasons and was drafted 10th overall in 1958. Karras was introduced to the spotlight when George Plimpton roped him in for his book about what it was like to be an NFL player. The book entitled ‘Paper Lion: Confessions of a Second-string Quarterback’, opened doors for the sports star, playing himself in a movie adaptation of himself and getting the analysts job on ‘Monday Night Football’, alongside Howard Cosell and Frank Gifford.
Karras was also well known for his appearance in the 1974 movie ‘Blazing Saddles’ as well as the 1980 sitcom ‘Webster’.
