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Ron Ely, the actor best known for his role on the TV series “Tarzan” has died.
The star passed away at the age of 86. His daughter, Kirsten Ely, announced the news on Instagram. She confirmed her father’s death to Fox News Digital.
“The world has lost one of the greatest men it has ever known – and I have lost my dad,” Kirsten shared in a statement posted on Instagram Wednesday. “My father was someone that 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 that I have never witnessed in any other person – there was something truly magical about him. This is how the world knew him. I knew him as my dad – and what a heaven sent honor that has been. To me, he hung the moon.”
“My father’s life story was one of relentless perseverance, unending dedication to his family and friends, courage to do what was right, and willing sacrifice to facilitate the dreams of those he loved,” Kirsten added. “It was also a story of joy and love – something everyone close to him had the privilege of experiencing. Once you knew my father’s love, the world grew to be a brighter and more meaningful place.”
“I am doing my best to walk this path of loss with the strength and grace that I know he would want for me,” she continued. “I am picking up the pieces of my heart that feel like pieces of him – and cementing those firmly in place before I pick up the rest of the broken bits. It makes me feel like part of him is still here – and I need that – and the world needs that.”
“My greatest comfort is knowing that my dad is with my momma and my brother. It is also my greatest sadness because I miss them all so much that it’s etched into my soul. I will proudly carry all of my favorite pieces of them – lovingly cemented into my heart – until we all meet again.”
Ely passed away on Sept. 29 at the home of one of his daughters in the vicinity of Santa Barbara, Calif., according to The New York Times.
The actor starred on “Tarzan” for the entirety of its 57 episode run on NBC from 1966 to 1968.
Ely first made a name for himself in the 1950s, working in supporting roles on popular TV shows such as “Father Knows Best,” “How to Marry a Millionaire” and “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis” before breaking out on “Tarzan.”
The series modernized the famed jungle hero, shedding the image of a primitive creature capable only of monosyllabic grunts for a modern man born who returns to his home in the jungle after spending time amidst the civilized world.
NBC’s “Tarzan” did keep the titular protagonist’s chimpanzee sidekick, Cheetah, but omitted the character of Jane, who frequently appeared as his love interest in Tarzan comics.
Ely kept acting after the series wrapped in 1968. He starred in the 1975 action adventure movie “Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze,” and guest starred on TV shows all the way up to the 90s, appearing on hits such as “Wonder Woman,” “The Love Boat,” “Fantasy Island,”“Marcus Welby, M.D.” and “LA Law.”
He paused his work as an actor during the 90s to help raise his three children Kirsten, Kaitland and Cameron. The star returned to the small screen in 2014 with the TV movie, “Expecting Amish,” about a young woman on the verge of joining the Amish church when a trip to Hollywood gives her a glimpse of the world beyond.
“I stepped out of acting to raise a family and be able to spend more time with them here in Santa Barbara,” Ely said in interview with The Fresno Bee at the time of the movie’s release.
“Now, all the kids are through college with advance degrees. My family asked me, ‘What are you hanging around for?’ I started looking around and this film came up. It felt so good making the movie, I wish I had never left.”
Ely’s life was also marked by tragedy. His wife, Valerie Lundeen Ely, was stabbed to death in 2019 at their home in Santa Barbara. When police responded to calls of a “family disturbance” at the home, they shot and killed Ely’s son Cameron. Law enforcement claimed Cameron killed his mother.
In 2020, Ely sued the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department and four deputies, accusing them of negligent and excessive deadly force. In Ely’s lawsuit, he claimed Cameron had his hands up when sheriffs shot him. He also alleged deputies failed to provide timely medical care to Cameron and Valerie.
A federal jury ruled against Ely in 2022, deciding that sheriffs’ “use of deadly force against Cameron Ely was justified and lawful under the circumstances.”