Sure, some of the Denver Broncos games on TV get great ratings, but did you know some players have become actors and the Broncos have had "bit parts" in some movies and TV shows?
How many of these do you remember?
(And if we missed one, email us!)
No. 1: Robin Williams was a Denver Broncos' cheerleader
Remember "Mork and Mindy" from the 1970s?
Mork, aka Robin Williams, came on to the field as the Broncos' first male cheerleader during an actual game against the Patriots in 1979.
It was actually good for the Broncos, the Denver Post remembers the Broncos won that game 45-10.
No. 2: The team gets animated
Sure, some of the players are pretty animated in real life, but the team has also been cartoon-animated several times in the TV show, South Park.
In one episode, Cartman's mom admits she doesn't know who Cartman's dad is because, among others, she slept with the entire Broncos' team.
Cartman even dreams that John Elway is his dad.
It turns out, Elwaywasn't Cartman's dad, but another player named Jack Tenorman was.
No. 3: Marty McFly a Broncos fan?
Watch closely at the beginning of Back to the Future I and among all the clocks being shown, you may spot a Denver Broncos' helmet clock.
ADenver Post writersaid the director and none of the actors had ties to Denver. It's thought maybe the clock just came from the Universal Studios' prop department.
No. 4: Players turned actors
At least two Broncos, Bill Romanowski and Lyle Alzado, have acted in multiple movies.
Alzado is probably best known as a Raider, but he was drafted by the Broncos and played for Denver's "Orange Crush" defense in the 1970s,
Alzado was in movies, television shows and commercials. IMBD says Alzado primarily played tough guys, enforcers or similar hard cases in Ernest Goes to Camp (1987), Destroyer (1988), Shocktroop (1989) and Comrades in Arms (1991).
Bill Romanowski was a Broncos player for six years including the back-to-back Super Bowl championships in the late 1990s.
Romanowskiacted in several movies including Get Smart (2008), Benchwarmers (2006) and The Longest Yard (2005).
No. 5: Peyton Manning does comedy
You can't talk about Broncos' players on TV without mentioning Peyton Manning on Saturday Night Live. While his appearance on the 40th anniversary special last year was OK, it's his appearance back in 1997 that few will forget.
Former Indianapolis Colts offensive tackle Ryan Diem said, "Because I'm from Chicago, my nickname was Abe Froman, Sausage King of Chicago. We had an audible called 'Sausage.' That meant it was a zone play to my side."
No. 6: John Elway did a sitcom
DenverChannel.com reader Mary Farris pointed out that Peyton Manning's boss, Broncos GM and former quarterback John Elway, was also in a sitcom. He played himself on an episode of the old Tim Allen show Home Improvement.
In 1994, Elway was one of several celebrity cameos on the "Eve of Construction" episode.
No. 7: Actor John Amos was a Broncos' player
OK, it was only for two days, but it counts.
Actor John Amos, known for his roles on Good Times, the Mary Tyler Moore Show and Roots, was also a football player who graduated from Colorado State University.
In 1964, he signed a free agent contract with the Broncos. Unable to run the 40-yard dash because of a pulled hamstring, he was released on the second day of training camp, according to Wikipedia.
He went on to the play in the CFL and UFL.
But wait, there's more!
Mary Farris (mentioned in item No. 6) gave us more Broncos on TV.
Terrell Davis
According to Wikipedia, Terrell Davis appeared on Sesame Street, the Disney Channel's The Jersey and on Sister, Sister Davis was at the twins' graduation to give a speech.
The Simpsons
Farris said the Broncos have been mentioned on The Simpsons a couple times, but in one episode, Homer becomes the new owner of the Denver Broncos. He was not happy about it.
13 Hours
DenverChannel Facebook fan Luke Contreras said on Facebook, "In the new '13 Hours' movie, as the soldiers are running through the streets of Benghazi, one of them sees a local with a TV watching a soccer match and says something like, "Man do you think they can put the Denver Broncos game on?"
"Before the credits, it is disclosed that two of the soldiers that the move is based on currently live in Colorado," Luke said.
Thanks Luke!
Mark Schlereth
After football, Mark Schlereth was on the soap opera, the Guiding Light, DenverChannel fan Judy Trickel told us.
We found an ESPN feature story on Schlereth.
Mack Schlereth & Red Dawn
Chet Oleson wrote to remind us that Mark Schlereth also had a role in the remake of Red Dawn.
Schlereth told ESPN he had a small role as a High School football coach at the beginning of the movie.
Las Vegas
John Elway and Jon Bon Jovi, then real-life owners of arena football teams, played themselves in a bonus feature for the DVD release of the TV drama, "Las Vegas."
Thanks to Theresa M. Solano for this tip!
Bingo
The movie Bingo may have been about a boy and his dog, but it had a Denver Broncos storyline, too.
In the movie, a boy named Chuckie saves Bingo the dog and has to hide Bingo because his parents won't let him have a dog. When his father, a barefoot goal kicker for the Denver Broncos, is abruptly traded to the Green Bay Packers, Bingo must be left behind.
Romano Foiles gave us this tip and said, "My daughter was young when it came out and she loved that movie. It was stupidly cute."
All in the Family
Michael Nichols remembers the Broncos v Cowboys Super Bowl game being featured in an episode of All In The Family called "Super Bowl Sunday."
On the show, Archie rented a big screen TV at his bar 'Archie's Place" and sold ham sandwiches for $1.50. After the game, two crooks robbed the patrons.
Thanks Michael for the remembering this one, even though Broncos' fans don't want to remember the outcome of that game.
Hot Tub Time Machine
Valerie Lemoi pointed out that in the movie Hot Tub Time Machine, when the characters went back to the 80s, "The Drive" was on TV. One of the characters places a bet on the game remembering Elway leading the team to a win, but in the movie, something happens and the Broncos lose.
Hmmm, this is movie Broncos fans probably don't want to talk about.
That 70s Show
Let's wrap up with a fun mention.
Ken Sherry found a screen shot from That 70s Show where one of the characters was wearing a Broncos T-shirt that said Orange Crush.
The Orange Crush defense -- now that's something worth remembering from the 1970s!
Thanks Ken!
Got any more we missed? Email us!
