Ron Ely, best known for his starring role as Tarzan in the 1960s NBC television series Tarzan, has died, his daughter Kirsten confirmed to TMZ, telling the outlet her father passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by family on September 29. He was 86.
His daughter shared an emotional tribute to her father on Instagram.
“The world has lost one of the greatest men it has ever known – and I have lost my dad,” Kirsten wrote.
“My father was someone that people called a hero. He was an actor, writer, coach, mentor, family man and leader. He created a powerful wave of positive influence wherever he went. The impact he had on others is something that I have never witnessed in any other person – there was something truly magical about him. This is how the world knew him.
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“I knew him as my dad – and what a heaven sent honor that has been. To me, he hung the moon.
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“My father was my world – and what an incredible world he created. He was strong and protective. He was brilliant and ridiculously funny. He was stoic and sensitive. He was dynamic and powerful. He was my role model and inspiration. He was humble and inherently received respect – the respect he so deserved.
“My father’s life story was one of relentless perserverence, unending dedication to his family and friends, courage to do what was right, and willing sacrifice to facilitate the dreams of those he loved. It was also a story of joy and love – something everyone close to him had the privilege of experiencing. Once you knew my father’s love, the world grew to be a brighter and more meaningful place.
“I am doing my best to walk this path of loss with the strength and grace that I know he would want for me. I picking up the pieces of my heart that feel like pieces of him – and cementing those firmly in place before I pick up the rest of the broken bits. It makes me feel like part of him is still here – and I need that – and the world needs that.
“My greatest comfort is knowing that my dad is with my momma and my brother. It is also my greatest sadness because I miss them all so much that it’s etched into my soul. I will proudly carry all of my favorite pieces of them – lovingly cemented into my heart – until we all meet again.”
After playing supporting roles in films such as South Pacific, The Fiend Who Walked the West and The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker, Ely landed the role of Tarzan in the NBC series in 1966. He performed virtually all of his own stunts in the series, suffering two broken shoulders and various lion bites in the process.
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With his height at 6-foot-4 and a solid athletic build, Ely went on to win the title role in the film Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze. He also appeared in multiple episodes of the series Fantasy Island and starred in the Wonder Woman series’ two-part episode “The Deadly Sting.”
His other credits include The Aquanauts in 1960-61, the Western adventure film The Night of the Grizzly in 1966 and in Jürgen Goslar’s slavery movie Slavers in 1978.
In the 1980s, Ely took on hosting gigs for the musical game show Face the Music and he replaced Bert Parks as host of the Miss America Pageant in 1980 and 1981. He later starred the Sea Hunt revival series in the role of Mike Nelson, portrayed in the original series by Lloyd Bridges.
He continued working well into the ’90s with a role in the Superboy syndicated series. He also played big-game hunter Gordon Shaw in the syndicated Tarzan TV series starring Wolf Larson in the episode titled “Tarzan the Hunted.” He also appeared on TV shows such as Sheena, Renegade, Hawkeye and L.A. Law.
Ely retired from acting in 2001, but he returned for what turned out to be his final television appearance in 2014, as Elder Miller in Expecting Amish.
Also an author, Ely penned two published mystery novels featuring private eye Jake Sands: Night Shadows in 1994 and East Beach in 1995.