Samuel Jones, known professionally as Sam J. Jones, is an American actor and former football player. He is known for playing the title character in the 1980 film Flash Gordon and for starring in the short-lived TV series The Highwayman . He appeared in “Deadman Switch”, an episode of the television series Stargate SG-1. In 2002. He also had extended cameos (as himself, with his blond Flash Gordon hairstyle) in both the 2012 comedy film Ted and its 2015 sequel, Ted 2.