Tall veteran actor Ron Ely who played the major character in the 1960s NBC series movie “Tarzan,” has passed away at age 86.
His daughter, Kirsten Casale Ely, confirmed the news that her father died on Sept. 29 at his home in Los Alamos, California.
“He was an actor, writer, coach, mentor, family man, and leader,” Kirsten Ely said in an Instagram post.
“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.”
Although Ely was not the first actor to play Tarzan, his tall muscle-ish build helped form the image of the shirtless, loincloth-wearing character Disney adopted.
In the popular series of the 1960s, Tarzan was not just some superhero who gave monosyllabic grunts. He was instead an educated bachelor who was tired of the world’s civilization and went back to where it all started for him.
Ely said in interviews that he did his stunts on the show, working directly with the tigers, chimpanzees and other wild animals that were Tarzan’s friends and servants in the series.
“They first tried to cast a former American football player called Mike Henry, but he didn’t like chimpanzees, and from the moment he got on set, things went south in a hurry,” Ely had told the Daily Express.
Henry was attacked by a Chimp who sensed his hesitation and Ely was approached to take his place. He was scared because he knew it was a death trap.
“I met with them on a Monday, and when they offered me the role, I thought: ‘No way do I want to step into that bear trap. You do Tarzan and you are stamped for life’,” Ely told the Daily Express.
“Was I ever right! But my agent convinced me it was a quality show and was going to work. So on Friday, I was on a plane to Brazil to shoot the first episode.”
Ely was also featured in other movies like the 1975 action film “Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze,” and the movie musical, ‘South Pacific.’
He is survived by daughters Kaitland Ely Sweet, and Kirsten Casale Ely.
