The NFL does not have a franchise in Los Angeles, and it’s been more than 30 years since Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson was on the field. But that is not preventing the league from going Hollywood.

As part of its Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program, the NFL said it would select 20 current and former NFL players to take part in the first NFL Pro Hollywood Boot Camp. The session is scheduled for April 2-5 and will take place at Universal Studios in Universal City, Calif.

The program is intended to “assist players in preparing for their post-playing careers,” according to the NFL.

The event will not be a walk through Hollywood Park. The NFL said that session leaders would be selected from among top industry executives and filmmakers. The list will include Academy Award-nominated director/producer/ screenwriter John Singleton (Boyz in the Hood, 2 Fast 2 Furious) and writer/actor/directors Robert Townsend (Hollywood Shuffle) and Keenen Ivory Wayans (In Living Color).

The program is being directed by NFL Player Engagement and Film Life, a New York-based film production company. The NFL is currently accepting applications from potential participants and will name them at a later date.

Players will be exposed not just to acting but to investment possibilities. According to the NFL, the four-day boot camp will offer a “comprehensive overview of creative disciplines in the film industry including screen writing, directing, producing and film financing.”

“The NFL Pro Hollywood Boot Camp builds upon the successes of our prior programs in educating and providing hands-on experience to players in a wide variety of disciplines,” Troy Vincent, NFL vp-player engagement, said in a statement. “Not only do players have a unique opportunity to learn from the best, but programs like the NFL Pro Hollywood Boot Camp expose them to the exciting professional possibilities that lie ahead.”

Among the former NFL players who have had various degrees of success in Hollywood are Jim Brown (pictured), Joe Namath, Fred Dryer, Howie Long, Alex Karras, Ed Marinaro, Merlin Olsen, Bubba Smith and Fred Williamson.

Among the films about or featuring numerous NFL stars are The Longest Yard, North Dallas Forty, Paper Lion, Brian’s Song and Semi-Tough.

The NFL Pro Hollywood Boot Camp is the latest NFL Player Engagement initiative offered. In February, the NFL will conduct a new Business of Music Boot Camp at New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music.

The league said that since 2005, more than 700 NFL players have participated in the NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program.

PHOTO: Jim Brown: Cliff Welch/Icon SMI