FilmMagic
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.
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