Ron Ely, Iconic Tarzan Star, Passes Away at 86

CELEBRITY NEWS: Legendary ‘Tarzan’ Actor Ron Ely Dies at 86: A Hollywood Icon Remembered

Ron Ely, the actor renowned for his portrayal of Tarzan in the popular 1960s television series, has passed away at the age of 86. His daughter, Kirsten Casale Ely, announced the news via Instagram, expressing her profound loss by stating, “The world has lost one of the greatest men it has ever known—and I have lost my dad.”

Ely starred in the NBC series “Tarzan,” which ran from 1966 to 1968. His tenure in the role was marked by a commitment to performing his own stunts, resulting in numerous injuries and even encounters with wildlife. Following his retirement from acting in 2001, Ely shifted his focus to writing and authored two mystery novels. He made a brief return to the screen in 2014 for the television film “Expecting Amish,” where he took on the role of an Amish elder.

Throughout his career, Ely also appeared in several other well-known television shows, including the comedic series “The Love Boat” and the superhero drama “Wonder Woman,” alongside Lynda Carter. Ely was born in Texas in 1938 and married his high school sweetheart in 1959, but they divorced two years later. In the early 1980s, he hosted the Miss America pageant, where he met his second wife, Valerie Lundeen, with whom he had three children.

Tragically, Ely’s life was marred by a family tragedy when his wife was fatally stabbed by their son, Cameron, in 2019. Police fatally shot Cameron after he was deemed a threat. Following this incident, Ely filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the police, but a judge ruled that the officers acted in self-defense.

Ron Ely passed away at his home in Los Alamos, Santa Barbara, California, on September 29. In her heartfelt tribute, his daughter described him as a hero in many aspects of life, stating, “He was an actor, writer, coach, mentor, family man, and leader,” and shared the personal sentiment, “To me, he hung the moon.”

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