Ron Elybest 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 that her father passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family on September 29. He was 86 years old.
His daughter shared a touching tribute to her father on Instagram.
“The world has lost one of the greatest men it has ever known, and I have lost my father,” Kirsten wrote.
“My father was someone 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 I have never witnessed in any other person – there was something truly magical about him. “That’s how the world knew him.”
“I knew him as my father, and it has been an honor for me. For me, it was the moon.”
“My father was my world, and he created an incredible world. He was strong and protective. It was brilliant and ridiculously funny. He was stoic and sensitive. It was dynamic and powerful. He was my role model and my inspiration. “He was humble and received respect by nature, the respect he so richly deserved.”
“The story of my father’s life was a story of tireless perseveranceunfailing dedication to his family and friends, courage to do the right thing, and willing sacrifice to make the dreams of his loved ones come true. It was also a story of joy and love, something that everyone around him had the privilege of experiencing. “Once you knew my father’s love, the world became a brighter and more meaningful place.”
“I am doing my best to walk this path of loss with the strength and grace I know he would want for me. I am picking up the pieces of my heart that I feel are his and cementing them firmly in place before I pick up the rest of the broken pieces. “It makes me feel like a part of him is still here, and I need it, and the world needs it.”
“My greatest comfort is knowing that my dad is with my mom and my brother. It is also my greatest sadness because I miss them so much that it is engraved in my soul. I will proudly carry all my favorite parts of them, lovingly etched in my heart, until we meet again.”
The extensive career of Ron Ely
After playing supporting roles in films such as South Pacific, The Fiend Who Walked the West and The Remarkable Mr. PennypackerEly landed the role of Tarzan on the NBC series in 1966. He performed virtually all of his own stunts on the series, suffering two broken shoulders and several lion bites in the process.
Standing at 1.93 meters tall and with a solid athletic build, Ely landed the lead role in the film Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze. He also appeared in several episodes of the series Fantasy Island and starred in the series’ two-part episode Wonder Woman“The Deadly Sting.”
His other credits include The Aquanauts in 1960-61, the western adventure film The Night of the Grizzly in 1966 and the film about slavery Slavers by Jürgen Goslar in 1978.
In the 1980s, Ely took jobs hosting the music competition Face the Music and replaced Bert Parks as host of the Miss America pageant in 1980 and 1981. He later starred in the revival series of Sea Hunt in the role of Mike Nelson, played in the original series by Lloyd Bridges.
He continued working well into the 1990s with a role in the series superboy. He also played big game hunter Gordon Shaw in the television series Tarzan starring Wolf Larson in the episode titled “Tarzan the Hunted.” He also appeared on television shows such as Sheena, Renegade, Hawkeye and LA Law.
Ely retired from acting in 2001, but returned for what turned out to be his last television appearance in 2014, as Elder Miller on Expecting Amish.
Ely is also an author and wrote two published mystery novels starring private detective Jake Sands: Night Shadows in 1994 and East Beach in 1995.
Source: Ambito
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