- Born
- Birth nameRonald Pierce Ely
- Height6′ 3″ (1.91 m)
- The 15th screen Tarzan (if you don't count Gordon Griffith) was to have played a Tarzan impersonator in a projected Mike Henry television show, which never materialized. He had been tested fourteen months earlier when Henry got the part. Prior to Tarzan, Ron had numerous parts in movies and television, including the copilot in South Pacific (1958) and had co-starred in TV's brief series "Malibu Run" (The Aquanauts (1960)). He played the title role in the TV series Tarzan (1966), and in two movies made from that series in 1970. He refused to use a stunt double in his vine-swinging or animal fights and was often injured. It has been noted that Ron's physical appearance and dialogue were much more like those of Edgar Rice Burroughs' character than could be said for any other Tarzan. In addition to occasional parts in TV series and movies, several made in Germany, Ron hosted the "Miss America" pageant on television 1979-81, replacing Bert Parks.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu>
- SpousesValerie Lundeen(March 10, 1984 - October 15, 2019) (her death, 3 children)Cathy Ely(1959 - 1961) (divorced)
- Children
- Towering height
- On October 15, 2019 son, 30 year old Cameron Ely, stabbed his 62 year old mother, Valerie Ely, to death. Ron and Valerie Ely had been married approximately 35 years. Cameron Ely was shot to death by sheriff's deputies later that evening. He was unarmed and his father unsuccessfully filed charges over the shooting. No charges were filed against the deputies.
- Writer of mystery novels, featuring the character Jake Sands Night Shadows 1994 East Beach 1995
- The former "Tarzan" appeared in a rare guest spot on the jungle adventure Sheena (2000) in the 2001-2002 season.
- Dated former Bond girls Ursula Andress and Britt Ekland.
- Attended Amarillo High School. There is a letter sweater from him in the trophy cases (saved from 1970 fire in the older school). He later attended the University of Texas at Austin in the mid-1950s and was in ROTC.
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