Veteran US actor Ron Ely, famous for playing ‘Tarzan’ in the 1960s TV series, has died at the age of 86. The news was shared by his daughter, Kirsten Casale Ely, in an Instagram post on Wednesday.
In her post, Kirsten shared several throwback pictures with her father, accompanied by a heartfelt caption that read, “The world has lost one of the greatest men it has ever known – and I have lost my dad.”
“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 seen in anyone else – there was something truly magical about him. This is how the world knew him,” she added.
“I knew him as my dad – and what a heaven-sent honor that has been. To me, he hung the moon. My father was my world – and what an incredible world he created. He was strong and protective. He was brilliant and ridiculously funny. He was stoic and sensitive. He was dynamic and powerful. He was my role model and inspiration. He was humble and inherently commanded respect – the respect he so deserved,” her post continued.
Ron Ely began his career with supporting roles in films such as ‘South Pacific,’ ‘The Fiend Who Walked the West,’ and ‘The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker.’ He gained fame in 1966 when he landed the role of Tarzan in the NBC series. Ely performed most of his own stunts during the show, which led to injuries, including two broken shoulders and several lion bites.
Ely also appeared in other productions, including ‘The Aquanauts’ (1960-61), the Western adventure film ‘The Night of the Grizzly’ (1966), and Jurgen Goslar’s slavery film ‘Slavers’ (1978).
