Ron Ely, TV’s Tarzan in 1960’s, Dies at 86: ‘There Was Something Truly Magical About Him’

Ron Ely, an actor best known for starring in the 1960s NBC television series “Tarzan,” has died at age 86.
Ely’s daughter, Kirsten Casale Ely, confirmed that the star died on Sept. 29 at his home in Los Alamos, California. The cause of death was not revealed.
“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. I knew him as my dad—and what a heaven-sent honor that has been. To me, he hung the moon.”
“My father’s life story was one of relentless perseverance, unending dedication to his family and friends, courage to do what was right, and willing sacrifice to facilitate the dreams of those he loved,” she wrote.
She wrote that her “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.” Her words referred to the 2019 fatal stabbing incident involving Ron Ely’s son, Cameron, and his wife, Valerie Ely.
Ely played the iconic character from 1966 to 1968 across 57 episodes before portraying another pulp fiction hero in the 1975 action-comedy movie “Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze.” He took on supporting roles from the ‘70s through to the ’90s, appearing in well-known TV shows such as “Wonder Woman,” “Fantasy Island,” “Superboy,” and “L.A. Law.”
In 1980 and 1981, Ely replaced long-time host Bert Parks to host the Miss America pageants and emceed the game show “Face the Music” during the same period.
The actor took a hiatus from acting in the mid-‘90s to raise his children Kirsten, Kaitland, and Cameron. He also released two detective novels, “Night Shadows” (1994) and “East Beach” (1995), as well as a non-fiction book about his love for nature called “Take a Hike” (2022).
In 2014, Ely made his comeback with the TV movie “Expecting Amish,” about an 18-year-old who is about to join the Amish church and marry her boyfriend when a trip to Hollywood changes her life.
“Now, all the kids are through college with advanced degrees. My family asked me, ‘What are you hanging around for?’ I started looking around and this film came up. It felt so good making the movie, I wish I had never left,” he added.
Ely is survived by daughters Kirsten Casale Ely and Kaitland Ely Sweet.