Separated at birth?

Former Vikings offensive coordinator and Baltimore Ravens head coach Brian Billick provided the color commentary on the Falcons-Vikings game on FOX this afternoon. Billick is an interesting guy. He spent his his freshman year in college at the Air Force Academy as a linebacker, but transferred to Brigham Young University and played tight end. According to his Wikipedia entry, Billick says he transferred from the Air Force Academy because he learned that his height and size would prevent him from becoming a fighter pilot. He came close, but never caught on with an NFL team as a player.

Malden too is an interesting guy. He served as a noncommissioned officer in the Air Force during World War II. After the war he resumed his acting career in the Group Theater, where he met Elia Kazan. Kazan directed Malden when he co-starred with Marlon Brando in the original production of A Streetcar Named Desire (and again in the film version of the play). Kazan also directed Malden in the film “On the Waterfront.” Malden subsequently co-starred with Brando under Brando’s direction in the revenge epic “One-Eyed Jacks.”

Anyway, watching Billick this afternoon, I was struck by his resemblance to the actor Karl Malden. Brian Billick:

billick29.jpg

Karl Malden:

malden29.jpg

UPDATE: I have corrected my exaggerated report of Malden’s death. Thanks to the several readers who pointed out my error. And in the photoshopped image below, David Lunde helps me make my case, I think.

BillickMalden.jpg

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