Frank Gifford
Biography
Frank Gifford was an American football player, actor and sports broadcaster who spent twelve seasons with the New York Giants and then became a longtime presence in the Monday Night Football booth. Born in Santa Monica, California, he played halfback, flanker and safety for the Giants, was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 1956, and appeared in eight Pro Bowls before his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977. On television he covered football, golf, basketball and Olympic events, worked 27 years on ABC's Monday Night Football, and won an Emmy for outstanding sports personality in 1977. He also acted in the 1959 submarine drama Up Periscope and narrated NFL Films projects, including the official Super Bowl XLVIII highlight film.
84years old at death
- Born Santa Monica
- Died New Haven
- Star sign: LeoThe sign runs July 23 to August 22
- Francis Newton Gifford (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 5
- Career span
- 45 years1951 to 1996
Every film, newest first
- 1996The Line King: The Al Hirschfeld StoryIMDb rating 7.3
- 1977Viva Knievel!IMDb rating 3.7
- 1973The World's Greatest AthleteIMDb rating 5.7
- 1959Up PeriscopeIMDb rating 6.4
- 1951That's My BoyIMDb rating 6.1
Genres
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A first
Gifford threw 14 touchdown passes in his NFL career, the most by any non-quarterback in league history, and his 6 interceptions are tied with Walter Payton for the most by a non-quarterback.
Big break
Gifford still owed CBS a year when ABC launched Monday Night Football in 1970, so the network's original plan to put him in its broadcast booth fell through. He suggested Don Meredith, who got the job.
Early training
Gifford could not get an athletic scholarship to USC because his high school grade point average was low, so he played a season of football at Bakersfield Junior College, where he earned Junior College All-America honors and the grades to enroll at USC.
A first
On January 20, 1985, Gifford did play-by-play for Super Bowl XIX, the first Super Bowl shown on ABC, between the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins in Stanford, California. Don Meredith and Joe Theismann joined him in the booth.
A role that slipped away
In 1998 Boomer Esiason took Gifford's place in the broadcast booth. That season Gifford moved to a nominal role on ABC's Monday night pregame show, which was canceled after one season, and the network did not offer him a new role.
Frank Gifford movies on Netflix
Worked with
Frank Gifford made one film with each of them. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Dean Martin's page
James Garner's page
Jerry Lewis's page
Dabney Coleman's page
Cameron Mitchell's page
Leslie Nielsen's page
All films by Gordon Douglas
Awards
Seven awards and honors from 1951 to 2008.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| 2008 | Disney Legends | Honored | |
| 1962 | National Football League Comeback Player of the Year Award | Won | |
| 1956 | National Football League Most Valuable Player Award | Won | |
| 1951 | College Football All-America Team | Won | |
| National Football League 1950s All-Decade Team | Won | ||
| Pro Football Hall of Fame | Won | ||
| Sports Lifetime Achievement Award | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.