Don Meredith facts for kids
Meredith with the Dallas Cowboys
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| No. 17 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | April 10, 1938 Mount Vernon, Texas, U.S. |
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| Died: | December 5, 2010 (aged 72) Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 210 lb (95 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Mount Vernon (TX) | ||||||||
| College: | SMU | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1960 / Round: 3 / Pick: 32 | ||||||||
| AFL draft: | 1960 / Round: 1 / Pick: territorial | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Joseph "Dandy" Don Meredith (born April 10, 1938 – died December 5, 2010) was a famous American football player. He was a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL). He played for nine seasons, from 1960 to 1968. Don Meredith was chosen for the Pro Bowl in his last three years as a player. After playing football, he became a TV commentator for NFL games. He was part of the first Monday Night Football team. He was known for his funny comments, especially with Howard Cosell. Meredith also acted in many movies and TV shows. You might know him as Bert Jameson from the TV show Police Story.
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Don Meredith's Early Life
Don Meredith was born on April 10, 1938. His hometown was Mount Vernon, Texas, which is about 100 miles east of Dallas. He went to Mount Vernon High School. There, he was a star in both football and basketball. He also acted in school plays and was a very good student.
College Football Career
Don Meredith chose to play college football at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas. He was a top player and led the Southwest Conference in passing for three years. This was from 1957 to 1959. He was named an All-America player in 1958 and 1959. Students at SMU even joked that the school should be called "Southern Meredith University" because he was so popular.
SMU honored Don Meredith twice later in his life. In 1983, he received the university's Distinguished Alumni Award. In 2008, his jersey number 17 was officially retired. This means no other SMU player will wear that number. He was also added to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1982.
Playing for the Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys team was new to the NFL in 1960. Don Meredith was one of the very first players to join the team. He signed a contract even before the team had a name or a coach! Some people call him the "original Dallas Cowboy."
For his first two years, Meredith was a backup player. In 1963, his coach, Tom Landry, made him the main starting quarterback. From 1966 until he retired, Meredith led the Cowboys to the NFL playoffs every year. His team had some tough losses, especially against the Green Bay Packers. One famous game was the "Ice Bowl" in 1967.
Meredith decided to retire in 1969 when he was 31 years old. He felt tired from the demands of being a leader. Even though he never led the Cowboys to a Super Bowl win, fans loved him. They remembered him for his toughness, friendly personality, and leadership. He helped the Cowboys become a winning team for the first time. During his career, he threw for 17,199 yards and 135 touchdowns. He was named the NFL Player of the Year in 1966 and went to the Pro Bowl three times.
Don Meredith's Life After Football
After his football career, Don Meredith became a popular TV commentator for Monday Night Football starting in 1970. He was known for his fun and relaxed style. He often sang "Turn out the lights, the party's over" when a game was clearly decided. This was a line from a Willie Nelson song.
Meredith stopped being a sportscaster after the 1984 season. He then moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico. There, he lived a quiet life and enjoyed painting until he passed away.
In 1976, Don Meredith was honored by the Dallas Cowboys. He was added to the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor. This is a special award for important players. In 2007, he received the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award. This award celebrates people who have made a big impact on football through TV and radio.
Acting Career
Don Meredith also had a career as an actor. He appeared in many movies and television shows. In the 1970s and 80s, he was in commercials for Lipton Tea. He even voiced himself in an episode of King of the Hill.
One of his early movie roles was in the 1974 film Terror on the 40th Floor. He also had a regular role as Detective Bert Jameson in the TV show Police Story.
Family Life
Don Meredith was married three times. He had a daughter named Mary with his first wife, Lynne Shamburger. With his second wife, Cheryl King, he had a son named Michael and a daughter named Heather. He met his third wife, Susan Lessons Dullea, in New York City. They got married in 1972.
Don Meredith's Passing
Don Meredith passed away on December 5, 2010. He was 72 years old. He died in Santa Fe, New Mexico, after a brain hemorrhage. He was buried in his hometown of Mount Vernon, Texas.
Filmography
Don Meredith appeared in many TV shows and films. Here are some of them:
| Title | Episode | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Police Story | "Requiem for an Informer " | Officer Bert Jameson | 1973 |
| Police Story | "The Hunters" | Bert Jameson | 1974 |
| Police Story | "Glamour Boy" | Det. Sgt. Bert Jameson | 1974 |
| Police Story | "Explosion" | Bert Jameson | 1974 |
| Police Story | "The Witness" | Detective Bert Jameson | 1975 |
| Police Woman | "The Loner" | 'Turk' Allison | 1975 |
| McCloud | "Showdown at Times Square" | Linus Morton | 1975 |
| Police Story | "Face for a Shadow " | John Kowalski | 1975 |
| The Quest | "Shanklin" | Shanklin | 1976 |
| Police Story | "The Jar: Part 1" | Sgt. Ed Hagen | 1976 |
| Police Story | "The Jar: Part 2" | Ed Hagen | 1976 |
| Supertrain | "Express to Terror" | Rick Prince | 1979 |
| Midnight Caller | "Sale Away: Part 2" | Foster Castleman | 1990 |
| Evening Shade | "No Pain, No Gain" | Billy Clyde Crawford | 1992 |
| King of the Hill | "A Beer Can Named Desire" | Himself | 1999 |
| Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Terror on the 40th Floor | Kelly Freeman | 1974 |
| Sky Heist | Sergeant Doug Trumbell | 1975 |
| Banjo Hackett: Roamin’ Free | Banjo Hackett | 1976 |
| Mayday at 40,000 Feet! | Mike Fuller | 1976 |
| Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kid | Clint Allison | 1978 |
| The Courage and the Passion | Col. Jim Gardner | 1978 |
| Undercover with the KKK | Gary Thomas Rowe Jr. | 1979 |
| The Night the City Screamed | Captain Donald Wiacek | 1980 |
| Terror Among Us | Sgt. Tom Stockwell | 1981 |
| Police Story: The Freeway Killings | Detective Foley | 1987 |
| Wyatt Earp: Return to Tombstone | Clay the Bartender | 1994 |
| Three Days of Rain | John Horton | 2002 |
Images for kids
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Meredith with the Dallas Cowboys
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Meredith as Bert Jameson on Police Story, 1976
