Sam Scarber obit

Cowboys Draft Pick Turned Hollywood Actor Dies at 76

A running back who played two seasons in the NFL before turning to a prolific career as a Hollywood actor died at 76.

 He was not on the list.

Sam Scarber, whose brief career as an NFL running back was followed by a prolific acting career, died March 8. He was 76.

Scarber's death was announced in a social media post by the talent agency Dot Bristow Management.

Scarber first made a name for himself as an athlete at O'Fallon Technical High School in St. Louis. After a junior college interlude, Scarber finished college at the University of New Mexico, where he played basketball and football.

In three seasons with the Lobos' football team, Scarber carried 374 times for 1,531 yards and 16 touchdowns. He scored 13 of those as a senior in 1970, which led the Western Athletic Conference and ranked eighth in NCAA Division I.

"Sam was a great athlete — big, strong, and more than that, really dedicated to the game and worked hard at it, so I assumed there would be things beyond UNM for him," former UNM quarterback and administrator Chuck Roberts said.

In the 1971 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys selected Scarber in the third round (69th overall). He would never play a regular-season game for the Cowboys, however, after being waived just before the regular season opener.

Eventually, Scarber would land with the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos, for whom he played from 1971-73. In 1974, he signed with the Detroit Wheels of the World Football League, and led the team with 138 carries for 606 yards and three touchdowns.

Scarber returned to the NFL with the San Diego Chargers in 1975. Over the next two seasons, he logged 76 carries, 304 yards, and two touchdowns, while catching 26 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns.

Scarber latched on with the Oakland Raiders in 1977, but didn't suit up in the regular season for head coach John Madden. He was forced to retire after he was injured while hitting a tackling sled in Oakland.

Later, Scarber settled in Los Angeles to embark on a prolific acting career while working as a personal trainer on the side.

His television credits included roles in Seinfeld, Cheers, All in the Family, Hill Street Blues, All My Children, The Young and the Restless, Who's the Boss, The A-Team, Family Matters, The Shield, Amen, Desperate Housewives, My Name is Earl, Jag, and Cold Case. On the big screen, Scarber was cast in Against All Odds, the Karate Kid, Over the Top, and Barbershop.

Scarber was inducted into the University of New Mexico's athletics Hall of Honor in 2018.

 

Career history

Dallas Cowboys (1971)*

Los Angeles Rams (1971)*

Edmonton Eskimos (1972–1973)

Detroit Wheels (1974)

San Diego Chargers (1975–1976)

Oakland Raiders (1978)

* Offseason and/or practice squad member only

Awards and highlights

All-WAC (1970)

Career NFL statistics

Rushing attempts         76

Rushing yards 304

Rushing TDs   2

 

Actor

The Last Two Lovers at the End of the World (2017)

The Last Two Lovers at the End of the World

2017

 

Natasha Henstridge, Paul Sorvino, William Forsythe, Joe Mantegna, and Tom Sizemore in The Bronx Bull (2016)

The Bronx Bull

4.8

Tough Guy #1

2016

 

Mary McDonnell, G.W. Bailey, Michael Paul Chan, Raymond Cruz, Tony Denison, Robert Gossett, Jon Tenney, Phillip P. Keene, and Kearran Giovanni in Major Crimes (2012)

Major Crimes

7.8

TV Series

Bank Guard Lou

2014

1 episode

 

Bruce Davison, Erin Cahill, Ryan Carlberg, Larry Thomas, Kate Vernon, Dat Phan, and Josh Blue in 108 Stitches (2014)

108 Stitches

4.0

Coach Hack Jones

2014

 

Cut! (2014)

Cut!

4.1

Homeless Man

2014

 

The Lift (2013)

The Lift

8.0

Short

Mr. Ricks

2013

 

The Last Fall (2012)

The Last Fall

5.5

Coach Green

2012

 

Guardian of Eden (2012)

Guardian of Eden

5.6

Bill

2012

 

Ally Walker in The Protector (2011)

The Protector

6.8

TV Series

Bartender

2011

1 episode

 

Criminal Minds (2005)

Criminal Minds

8.1

TV Series

Marvin

2010

1 episode

 

Committed (2010)

Committed

Short

Dr. Jared Woodnit

2010

 

Shawn Hatosy, Regina King, Michael Cudlitz, and Ben McKenzie in Southland (2009)

Southland

8.5

TV Series

Alan Gaylord

2010

1 episode

 

Tony Shalhoub in Monk (2002)

Monk

8.1

TV Series

Custodian

2009

1 episode

 

Silent Venom (2009)

Silent Venom

3.2

Video

Captain Rogers

2009

 

Absolute Evil - Final Exit (2009)

Absolute Evil - Final Exit

2.8

Taylor Jones

2009

 

Michael Chiklis in The Shield (2002)

The Shield

8.7

TV Series

Boo Ray

2008

1 episode

 

Aki Aleong and Mariam Vardanyan in Chinaman's Chance: America's Other Slaves (2008)

Chinaman's Chance: America's Other Slaves

6.0

Sgt. Jackson

2008

 

Anthony Edwards, Julianna Margulies, Ming-Na Wen, Noah Wyle, Laura Innes, Alex Kingston, Eriq La Salle, Kellie Martin, Paul McCrane, Michael Michele, Erik Palladino, Maura Tierney, and Goran Visnjic in ER (1994)

ER

7.9

TV Series

Mr. ParnellWilly Archibald

1995–2007

2 episodes

 

All of Us (2003)

All of Us

5.9

TV Series

2006

1 episode

 

George Bush Goes to Heaven (2006)

George Bush Goes to Heaven

7.7

Sam Wainwright

2006

 

Jason Lee, Jaime Pressly, Ethan Suplee, Eddie Steeples, and Nadine Velazquez in My Name Is Earl (2005)

My Name Is Earl

7.8

TV Series

Deputy

2006

1 episode

 

Dark Heart (2006)

Dark Heart

4.2

Scrawny

2006

 

Sci-Fi Slaughter (2005)

Sci-Fi Slaughter

2.0

Video

Lt. Pritchard (uncredited)

2005

 

Desperate Housewives (2004)

Desperate Housewives

7.6

TV Series

Lamar

2005

1 episode

 

Omar Gooding in Barbershop (2005)

Barbershop

6.2

TV Series

Uly

2005

1 episode

 

Sherilyn Fenn, Casper Van Dien, and Jerry Kroll in Officer Down (2005)

Officer Down

4.5

TV Movie

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2005

 

I'd Rather Be Dancing (2005)

I'd Rather Be Dancing

Short

Brian Cummings

2005

 

Lucy Jenner in The Eavesdropper (2004)

The Eavesdropper

5.5

Detective Watkins

2004

 

Cold Case (2003)

Cold Case

7.7

TV Series

Big Ed Brown (2004)

2004

1 episode

 

Myron's Movie

6.8

Hoover

2004

 

"First Watch" David Bridges, Elle Travis-Peterson

First Watch

6.4

Video

Capt. James

2003

 

Erika Eleniak, Ron Perlman, and Fred Dryer in Shakedown (2002)

Shakedown

4.0

Video

Agent Taylor

2002

 

Anthony 'Treach' Criss in Love and a Bullet (2002)

Love and a Bullet

5.0

Buddy

2002

 

Bret Roberts in Cock & Bull Story (2002)

Cock & Bull Story

5.4

Fletcher

2002

 

Thank You, Good Night (2002)

Thank You, Good Night

4.8

Shitty Hotel Clerk

2002

 

108 Stitches

5.7

Coach Hack Jones

2001

 

Soulkeeper (2001)

Soulkeeper

4.9

Bartender

2001

 

Dan Haggerty and Miko Hughes in Escape to Grizzly Mountain (2000)

Escape to Grizzly Mountain

5.8

Desk Sergeant

2000

 

Pamela Anderson, Leah Lail, and Molly Culver in V.I.P. (1998)

V.I.P.

4.3

TV Series

General Ursus

1999

1 episode

 

The Breaks (1999)

The Breaks

6.1

Cop

1999

 

Sunset Beach (1997)

Sunset Beach

6.9

TV Series

Kendall Moon (uncredited)

1998

3 episodes

 

Stacy Keach in Mike Hammer, Private Eye (1997)

Mike Hammer, Private Eye

7.1

TV Series

Stable Owner

1998

1 episode

 

Tom Berenger and Melanie Griffith in Shadow of Doubt (1998)

Shadow of Doubt

5.3

Cop #1 at Party

1998

 

David Ramsey and Roz Ryan in The Good News (1997)

The Good News

8.2

TV Series

1998

1 episode

 

Catherine Bell, David James Elliott, and Tracey Needham in JAG (1995)

JAG

6.7

TV Series

Thomas Wilson

1997

1 episode

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Vanessa Williams in Eraser (1996)

Eraser

6.2

Dock Guard #2

1996

 

Stephen Baldwin in Dead Weekend (1995)

Dead Weekend

2.5

TV Movie

General Mills

1995

 

Luke Perry, Jason Priestley, Shannen Doherty, Jennie Garth, Tori Spelling, Brian Austin Green, Ian Ziering, and Gabrielle Carteris in Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990)

Beverly Hills, 90210

6.6

TV Series

Special Agent Cobb

1994

1 episode

 

John Savage, Billy Drago, and Nick Mancuso in The Takeover (1994)

The Takeover

3.8

Video

D.C. Moore

1994

 

The Rockford Files: I Still Love L.A. (1994)

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7.5

TV Movie

Sanders

1994

 

Corbin Bernsen and Graham Greene in Savage Land (1994)

Savage Land

4.6

Chris

1994

 

CBS Schoolbreak Special (1984)

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6.9

TV Series

Coach Sam Lubin

1994

1 episode

 

Reginald VelJohnson, Jaimee Foxworth, Telma Hopkins, Rosetta LeNoire, Bryton James, Darius McCrary, Jo Marie Payton, Jaleel White, and Kellie Shanygne Williams in Family Matters (1989)

Family Matters

6.6

TV Series

Basketball Official

1993

1 episode

 

Robot Wars (1993)

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4.0

Lt. Pritchard

1993

 

Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell in Quantum Leap (1989)

Quantum Leap

8.2

TV Series

Warden Clifton Meyers

1993

1 episode

 

Lorenzo Lamas, Kathleen Kinmont, and Branscombe Richmond in Renegade (1992)

Renegade

6.0

TV Series

Saunders

1993

1 episode

 

Richard Dean Anderson in MacGyver (1985)

MacGyver

7.6

TV Series

Eddie Jackson

1991

1 episode

 

Tom Towles in The Borrower (1991)

The Borrower

5.3

Cop

1991

 

The Trials of Rosie O'Neill (1990)

The Trials of Rosie O'Neill

7.5

TV Series

Sam Marshall

1990

1 episode

 

Ally Sheedy and Pruitt Taylor Vince in Fear (1990)

Fear

5.9

TV Movie

Radio Detective

1990

 

Midnight Caller (1988)

Midnight Caller

7.8

TV Series

Turner Mitchell

1990

1 episode

 

Mancuso, FBI (1989)

Mancuso, FBI

7.2

TV Series

Clausen

1989

1 episode

 

Mitch Pileggi in Shocker (1989)

Shocker

5.5

Cooper

1989

 

Gideon Oliver (1989)

Gideon Oliver

6.2

TV Series

Noah

1989

1 episode

 

Don Johnson in Dead Bang (1989)

Dead Bang

6.1

Detective Bilson

1989

 

Catherine Keener, Pat Morita, Kevin Conroy, Jack Wallace, and Richard Yniguez in Ohara (1987)

Ohara

6.9

TV Series

Chill

1987

1 episode

 

Tracey Ullman in The Tracey Ullman Show (1987)

The Tracey Ullman Show

7.2

TV Series

Security guardJack

1987

2 episodes

 

Marla Gibbs, Regina King, Curtis Baldwin, Kia Goodwin, Alaina Reed-Hall, Jackée Harry, Helen Martin, and Hal Williams in 227 (1985)

227

6.8

TV Series

Justin

1987

1 episode

 

Sylvester Stallone, David Mendenhall, and Rick Zumwalt in Over the Top (1987)

Over the Top

5.9

Bosco

1987

 

Robin Wright, Judith Anderson, Valorie Armstrong, Melissa Reeves, Robert Alan Browne, Paul Burke, Ismael 'East' Carlo, Margarita Cordova, Nicolas Coster, Lane Davies, Richard Eden, Gina Gallego, Linda Gibboney, Andrea Howard, Ava Lazar, A Martinez, Todd McKee, John Allen Nelson, Rupert Ravens, Julie Ronnie, Kerry Sherman, Louise Sorel, Jonna Leigh Stack, Marcy Walker, and Dane Witherspoon in Santa Barbara (1984)

Santa Barbara

5.7

TV Series

Zach

1987

9 episodes

 

The Morning After (1986)

The Morning After

5.9

Sgt. Lewis

1986

 

The Twilight Zone (1985)

The Twilight Zone

7.7

TV Series

Max

1986

1 episode

 

Sherman Hemsley in Amen (1986)

Amen

6.8

TV Series

Carl

1986

1 episode

 

Fred Grandy, Bernie Kopell, Ted Lange, Gavin MacLeod, and Lauren Tewes in The Love Boat (1977)

The Love Boat

6.3

TV Series

Bubba Powell

1986

1 episode

 

Peter Boyle and Andrew Rubin in Joe Bash (1986)

Joe Bash

6.5

TV Series

Sam

1986

1 episode

 

Brian Keith and Daniel Hugh Kelly in Hardcastle and McCormick (1983)

Hardcastle and McCormick

6.6

TV Series

FarrellComputer Man

1984–1986

2 episodes

 

Alyssa Milano, Tony Danza, Katherine Helmond, Danny Pintauro, and Judith Light in Who's the Boss? (1984)

Who's the Boss?

6.6

TV Series

Parole Officer

1985

1 episode

 

Basic Training (1985)

Basic Training

4.1

SWAT Leader

1985

 

Jay Acovone, John Matuszak, and Jack Scalia in Hollywood Beat (1985)

Hollywood Beat

7.1

TV Series

1985

1 episode

 

My Man Adam (1985)

My Man Adam

5.2

Emerson Crabbe

1985

 

1st & Ten (1984)

1st & Ten

6.6

TV Series

Carl Witherspoon

1984–1985

7 episodes

 

Mr. Mom

7.2

TV Movie

Sergeant Preston

1984

 

Ted Danson, Shelley Long, John Ratzenberger, George Wendt, Nicholas Colasanto, and Rhea Perlman in Cheers (1982)

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8.0

TV Series

Lewis

1984

2 episodes

 

W*A*L*T*E*R (1984)

W*A*L*T*E*R

4.7

TV Movie

Haskell

1984

 

Concrete Beat (1984)

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5.0

TV Movie

Bus Driver

1984

 

The Outlaws (1984)

The Outlaws

5.7

TV Movie

Bubba

1984

 

Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita in The Karate Kid (1984)

The Karate Kid

7.3

Referee #3

1984

 

Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward in Against All Odds (1984)

Against All Odds

5.9

Assistant Coach

1984

 

Thom Bray, Perry King, and Joe Penny in Riptide (1984)

Riptide

6.8

TV Series

Buzz

1984

1 episode

 

Ricardo Montalban and Hervé Villechaize in Fantasy Island (1977)

Fantasy Island

6.6

TV Series

BlakeJim

1982–1983

2 episodes

 

Helen Hayes in A Caribbean Mystery (1983)

A Caribbean Mystery

6.3

Sergeant

1983

 

George Peppard, Mr. T, Dirk Benedict, and Dwight Schultz in The A-Team (1983)

The A-Team

7.5

TV Series

Landers

1983

1 episode

 

Voyagers! (1982)

Voyagers!

8.0

TV Series

Joe Louis

1983

1 episode

 

Gerald McRaney and Jameson Parker in Simon & Simon (1981)

Simon & Simon

7.1

TV Series

Wade

1983

1 episode

 

T.J. Hooker (1982)

T.J. Hooker

6.1

TV Series

Nichols

1982

1 episode

 

Take Your Best Shot (1982)

Take Your Best Shot

5.9

TV Movie

Actor

1982

 

Danny DeVito, Marilu Henner, Jeff Conaway, Tony Danza, Andy Kaufman, and Judd Hirsch in Taxi (1978)

Taxi

7.7

TV Series

The Video Installer (credit only)

1982

1 episode

 

Michael J. Fox, Bill Duke, and Beeson Carroll in Palmerstown, U.S.A. (1980)

Palmerstown, U.S.A.

7.4

TV Series

1981

1 episode

 

Robert Clohessy, Michael Warren, and Bruce Weitz in Hill Street Blues (1981)

Hill Street Blues

8.2

TV Series

Dr. Otis Redman

1981

1 episode

 

Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox in CHiPs (1977)

CHiPs

6.5

TV Series

Franklin

1981

1 episode

 

Nirgendwo ist Poenichen (1979)

Nirgendwo ist Poenichen

TV Series

LKW-Fahrer

1980

1 episode

 

Self

Actors Entertainment (2009)

Actors Entertainment

7.7

TV Series

Self

2014–2015

2 episodes

 

Jennifer Edwards and Joe Namath in The NFL on NBC (1965)

Jocking Around

1.0

Self

2007

 

The NFL on CBS (1956)

The NFL on NBC

7.6

TV Series

Self - San Diego Chargers Running Back

1975–1976

3 episodes

 

The NFL on CBS

7.6

TV Series

Self - San Diego Chargers Running Back

1975

1 episode