- NEW: In April, Karras joined more than 3,000 other former players who are suing the NFL
- He was a regular on the long-running television show, "Webster"
- He also appeared in movies, including "Blazing Saddles" and "Victor Victoria."
(CNN) -- Alex Karras, the burly defensive lineman turned actor in the ABC sitcom "Webster," died Wednesday surrounded by his family in their Los Angeles home following a hard-fought battle with kidney disease, heart disease, dementia and stomach cancer, according to a family spokesman.
He was 77.
"Alex was known to family and friends as a gentle, loving, generous man who loved gardening and preparing Greek and Italian feasts," his family said in a written statement.
The Gary, Indiana, native was an All-American at the University of Iowa and was catapulted into professional football in 1958 with a first-round draft pick by the Detroit Lions.
Former NFL player and actor Alex Karras died on October 10, in Los Angeles, a family spokesman said. He was 77. 
Legendary singer Andy Williams, known for his smooth voice and classics such as "Moon River," died after a yearlong battle with bladder cancer at his Branson, Missouri, home, on September 25. He was 84. 
Actor John Ingle, who played patriarch Edward Quartermaine on ABC's "General Hospital," died at age 84 on September 15. 
Michael Clarke Duncan, nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the 1999 film "The Green Mile," "suffered a myocardial infarction on July 13 and never fully recovered," a written statement from Joy Fehily said. He passed away on September 3 at age 54. 
Hal David, the lyricist behind such standards as "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" and "What the World Needs Now is Love," died at 91 on September 1. 
Neil Armstrong, the American astronaut who made "one giant leap for mankind" when he became the first man to walk on the moon, died August 25. He was 82. 
Puppeteer Jerry Nelson, famous for lending his voice to Muppets on "Sesame Street," "The Muppet Show" and "Fraggle Rock," died August 23. He was 78. 
Comedian Phyllis Diller, known for her self-deprecating humor, died "peacefully in her sleep" on August 20. She was 95. 
Film director Tony Scott left notes in his car and office before plunging to his death from the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro, California, a Los Angeles County coroner official said. Scott died August 19, at age 68 in an apparent suicide. 
Actor Ron Palillo, who played class clown Arnold Horshack on the 1970s television comedy "Welcome Back, Kotter," died from a heart attack at age 63 on August 14. 
Marvin Hamlisch, a prolific American composer, died after a more than four-decade long career that spanned film, music, television and theater, on August 6. He was 68. 
At 69, actress Lupe Ontiveros, who co-starred in the hit films "Selena" and "As Good As It Gets," died of liver cancer on July 26. 
Sherman Hemsley, who played the brash George Jefferson on "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," died July 24, at age 74. 
Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space, died after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer on July 23. She was 61. 
Keyboard player Jon Lord, who fused classical and heavy metal to make Deep Purple one of the biggest rock bands in the world, died July 16 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 71. 
Oscar-winning actress Celeste Holm died at her home in New York on July 15 at the age of 95. Here Holm, center, appears in 1950's "All About Eve" with Garry Merrill, from left, Bette Davis, and Hugh Marlow. 
On July 8, film and television actor Ernest Borgnine, who won an Academy Award for his portrayal of a lovelorn butcher in 1955's "Marty," died at age 95. 
Actor Andy Griffith, who played folksy Sheriff Andy Taylor in the fictional town of Mayberry, died July 3, at the age of 86. 
Nora Ephron, the screenwriter and director whose sharp, edgy romantic comedies featuring strong women took her to the top ranks of a film industry mostly dominated by men, died at 71 on June 26. 
Robin Gibb, one of three brothers who made up the group the Bee Gees behind "Saturday Night Fever" and other now-iconic sounds from the 1970s, died on May 20. He was 62. Gibb "passed away today following his long battle with cancer and intestinal surgery," a statement said. 
Donna Summer, the "Queen of Disco" whose hits included "Hot Stuff," "Bad Girls," "Love to Love You Baby" and "She Works Hard for the Money," died May 17. She was 63. 
Donald "Duck" Dunn, left, the bass player who laid the musical floor beneath soul legends like Booker T. and the MGs, Sam and Dave and Otis Redding, died at age 70 on May 13. 
George Lindsey, the actor who portrayed the country-bumpkin mechanic Goober Pyle on "The Andy Griffith Show," died May 6 after a brief illness, his family said. He was 83. 
Levon Helm, the drummer, multi-instrumentalist and singer for The Band who kept the band's heart for more than three decades, died "peacefully" April 19, according to his record label, Vanguard Records. He was 71. 
Television host Dick Clark poses for a portrait circa 1968. The longtime host of the influential "American Bandstand" died in April 18 after suffering a heart attack. He was 82. 
Earl Scruggs, whose distinctive picking style and association with Lester Flatt cemented bluegrass music's place in popular culture, died March 28 of natural causes at a Nashville hospital. He was 88. 
Doobie Brothers drummer Michael Hossack died at his home in Dubois, Wyoming, on March 11 at the age of 65 after battling cancer for some time. 
Jimmy Ellis, who belted out the dance anthem "Disco Inferno" in the 1970s for the Trammps, died on March 8 at 74 years old. Here, the Trammps are seen in 1973: From left, Earl Young, seated, Harold Wade, Jimmy Ellis, Stanley Wade and Robert Upchurch. 
Davy Jones, whose charming grin and British accent won the hearts of millions of fans on the 1960s television series "The Monkees," died on February 29, at age 66. 
The news broke on the eve of Grammy Awards, the music industry's biggest night: The woman with the pitch-perfect voice who once reigned as the queen of pop at the awards show had died. Whitney Houston was found by her bodyguard, lifeless, on February 11. She was 48. 
Actor James Farentino, whose television acting career began in the early 1960s, died on January 24. He was 73. 
Etta James, whose assertive, earthy voice lit up such hits as "The Wallflower," "Something's Got a Hold on Me" and the wedding favorite "At Last," died on January 20. She was 73. 
Photos: People we've lost in 2012 It was in Detroit where he helped the team's defensive line become one of several through the years bear the nickname "Fearsome Foursome."
But, according to his family, "Karras had always dreamed of being an actor," and got a boost when Lucille Ball "took him under her wing and allowed him to train in small parts."
After various appearances on television shows, Karras landed roles in movies, including "Blazing Saddles," "Porky's" and "Victor Victoria."
He later joined the long-running television show "Webster," where he played George Papadapolis, the guardian of the newly orphaned Webster, played by actor Emmanuel Lewis.
Karras also co-wrote autobiographies called "Even Big Guys Cry" and "Alex Karras by Alex Karras."
In April, Karras -- who had been battling dementia -- joined more than 3,000 other former NFL players who are suing the league for not better protecting them from head injuries.
"His love of nature and most especially of the ocean, where he spent many happy days on his fishing boat, led him to support numerous organizations committed to protecting our environment for future generations," his family said. "In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to one of the organizations Alex Karras ardently supported: Natural Resources Defense Council, Bioneers, Greenpeace Foundation or the Pesticide Action Network."
Memorial services are being planned and will be announced soon, his family said.
People we've lost in 2012: The lives they lived
CNN's Sarah Hoye contributed to this report
