Ron Ely, the actor celebrated for his portrayal of Tarzan in the 1960s NBC television series, passed away on September 29, 2024. He was at his Los Alamos, California home and was 86 years old at the time of his death.

The announcement of his death was made by his daughter, Kirsten Casale Ely. In her tribute, she referred to Ely as an “actor, writer, coach, mentor, family man and leader,” and highlighted his ability to create a “powerful wave of positive influence” wherever he went.

From 1966 to 1968, Ely played an unconventional version of the jungle-dwelling hero, Tarzan. His character was depicted as an erudite bachelor who had become disillusioned with the civilized world and had returned to the African jungle where he had grown up. This was a departure from previous iterations where Tarzan primarily communicated with simple, monosyllabic utterances.

The Texas-born actor carried out his own stunts throughout the show’s two-season, 57-episode run, even when it involved working closely with wild animals. The physical requirements of the role eventually took a toll on Ely, leaving him “physically and mentally worn out” by the end of the series.

Following his stint as Tarzan, Ely continued to act and appeared in the 1975 movie “Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze.” He also hosted the Miss America pageant in 1980 and 1981. In 2001, he decided to retire from acting to concentrate on his family, but briefly returned to the screen in 2014 for the TV movie “Expecting Amish.”

The actor’s life was marked by a tragic incident in October 2019 when his wife, Valerie Lundeen Ely, was fatally stabbed by their 30-year-old son Cameron at their home. The police subsequently shot and killed Cameron. Ely and his daughters later filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the county and deputies, but a jury determined the officers had acted in self-defense.

Ely is survived by his daughters, Kirsten Casale Ely and Kaitland Ely Sweet. He had been recovering from a stroke around the time of the 2019 tragedy.