Television's iconic "Tarzan" from the 1960s, Ron Ely, passes away at the age of 86.
Ely's daughter, Kirsten Casale Ely, shared with The Associated Press on a Wednesday that her father passed away on September 29, at his residence in Los Alamos, California, which is an unincorporated community in Santa Barbara County.
Although Ron Ely may not have had the fame of Johnny Weismuller, the Olympic swimmer who portrayed Tarzan in movies during the 1930s and 1940s, Ely played a significant role in shaping the iconic image of the shirtless, loincloth-wearing character, subsequently popularized by Disney.
As Kirsten Ely wrote on Instagram, "He was an actor, writer, coach, mentor, family man, and leader. He left a wave of positive influence wherever he went. The influence he had on others was something I've never witnessed in any other person - there was something truly magical about him."
Tragically, Ely reappeared in headlines in 2019 as his 62-year-old wife, Valerie Lundeen Ely, was murdered at their Santa Barbara home by their 30-year-old son, Cameron Ely. Following the stabbing, police fatally shot Cameron Ely. Ely contested the prosecutor's claim that his son's shooting was justified, asserting, "If he didn't have a gun or a weapon, what was the reasoning behind shooting him?"
John Burris, Ely's lawyer, questioned the justification for the shooting in 2020, saying, "They may have believed he was involved in some other activity involving the mom. But that's not an acceptable basis for shooting and killing him. You need a lawful reason to do that."
In the 1980s, Ely served as the host of the Miss America pageant, where he met Valerie, a Miss Florida. They married in 1984 and had three children, after which Ely retired from acting to focus on his family in 2001.
"Late in life, I had a young family. I decided to stop acting and focus on being an author, so I could be with the kids during school and attend their sports events," he told London's Daily Express in 2013, expressing his interest in returning to acting. Subsequently, he made a brief comeback in the 2014 TV movie "Expecting Amish."
Unlike the monosyllabic grunts commonly associated with the Tarzan character, originally created by novelist Edgar Rice Burroughs, Ely's Tarzan was an educated bachelor who had grown tired of civilization and returned to the African jungle where he was raised. In interviews, Ely mentioned that he performed his own stunts on the show, working closely and dangerously with the tigers, chimpanzees, and other wild animals that were Tarzan's companions and servants.
When they first considered casting former American football player Mike Henry for the role, they encountered issues, as he disliked chimpanzees. A chimp attacked Henry, injuring his jaw during the show's pilot filming, and Ely was subsequently cast in the role at the last minute.
Additionally to his work on Tarzan, Ely starred in the 1975 action film "Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze" and had small roles in TV and films, such as the 1958 film musical "South Pacific."
He also authored a pair of mystery novels featuring detective Jake Sands, published in 1994 as "Night Shadows" and 1995 as "East Beach."
Born in Hereford, Texas, and raised in Amarillo, Ely married his high school sweetheart in 1959 but divorced two years later.
Alongside Kirsten Casale Ely, he is survived by his daughter Kaitland Ely Sweet.
Ely's entertaining portrayal of Tarzan, with his educated dialogue and daring stunts, became a beloved aspect of the character for many viewers. In her tribute, Kirsten Ely mentioned her father's passion for coaching and mentoring, which provided entertainment and inspiration to numerous individuals.
