Editing Ron Ely

{{Short description|American actor and novelist (1938–2024)}}
{{redirect|Ronald Pierce|the sound engineer|Ronald Pierce (sound engineer)}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Ron Ely
| image              = DocSavageRonEly.jpg
| image_size         = 232
| caption            = Ely as [[Doc Savage]] in 1975
| birth_name         = Ronald Pierce Ely
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|1938|6|21}}
| birth_place        = [[Hereford, Texas]], US
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|2024|9|29|1938|6|21}}
| death_place        = [[Los Alamos, California]], US
| years_active       = 1957–2001, 2014
| spouse             = {{plainlist|
* {{Marriage|Helen Janet Triplet|1959|1961|end=div}}
* {{Marriage|Valerie Lundeen|1984|2019|end=died}}
}}
| children           = 3
| occupation         = {{hlist|Actor|novelist}}
}}

'''Ronald Pierce Ely''' (June 21, 1938 – September 29, 2024) was an American actor and novelist, best known for portraying [[Tarzan]] in the 1966–1968 [[NBC]] series ''[[Tarzan (1966 TV series)|Tarzan]]'' and playing the lead role in the film ''[[Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze]]'' (1975).<ref name="BBC" /> He hosted the ''[[Miss America]]'' pageant telecast in 1980 and 1981.

==Career==
[[File:Barbara Bouchet Ron Ely Fernando Lamas Tarzan 1968.jpg|thumb|216px|right|Ely as [[Tarzan]]]]
Ely won the role of Tarzan in 1966 after playing supporting roles in films such as ''[[South Pacific (1958 film)|South Pacific]]'' (1958), as an airplane navigator, ''[[The Fiend Who Walked the West]]'' (1958) and ''[[The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker]]'' (1959).{{cn|date=October 2024}}

During the filming of ''Tarzan'', Ely did almost all of his own stunts,<ref name="AP">{{Cite news |url=https://apnews.com/article/75388564292e401abeeb63e708f65099 |title='Tarzan' actor Ron Ely's wife killed; son shot by deputies |date=October 16, 2019 |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> and received over two dozen injuries, including two broken shoulders and several lion bites.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Gay Fireside Companion|last=Rutledge|first=Leigh W.|year=1989|publisher=[[Alyson Books|Alyson Publications, Inc.]]|page=[https://archive.org/details/gayfiresidecompa00rutl/page/146 146]|isbn=978-1-55583-164-6|url=https://archive.org/details/gayfiresidecompa00rutl/page/146}}</ref>

Ely's height (6'4"){{cn|date=October 2024}} and athletic build also won him the title role in the film ''[[Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze]]'' (1975), as well as various guest shots. He was in five episodes of the series ''[[Fantasy Island]]''; in one, in 1978, he portrayed [[Mark Antony]] in a [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] military short tunic and breastplate and starred in the ''[[Wonder Woman (television series)|Wonder Woman]]'' two-part episode, "The Deadly Sting".{{cn|date=October 2024}}

Ely starred on the series ''[[The Aquanauts]]'' in 1960–1961, in the western adventure film ''[[The Night of the Grizzly]]'' (1966) opposite [[Clint Walker]], and later appeared in [[Jürgen Goslar]]'s slavery movie ''Slavers'' (1978). In the 1980s, he hosted the musical [[game show]] ''[[Face the Music (U.S. game show)|Face the Music]]'', as well as the 1980 and 1981 [[Miss America|Miss America Pageants]], replacing longtime host [[Bert Parks]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.missamerica.org/organization/history/#1980s |title=Our History {{!}} Miss America 2.0 |website=[[Miss America]] |access-date=October 16, 2019}}</ref> He starred in a 1987–1988 revival of the 1960s adventure series ''[[Sea Hunt]]'' as Mike Nelson, the role played by [[Lloyd Bridges]] in the original series.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

In the 1990s, Ely's roles included a retired alternate universe variant of [[Superman]] in the ''[[Superboy (TV series)|Superboy]]'' episode "The Road to Hell", and hunter Gordon Shaw in the ''[[Tarzán]]'' episode "Tarzan the Hunted".{{cn|date=October 2024}} Until about 2001, he appeared on such shows as ''[[Sheena (TV series)|Sheena]]'' and ''[[Renegade (TV series)|Renegade]]''.{{cn|date=October 2024}} He wrote two [[mystery novel]]s featuring [[private investigator]] Jake Sands: ''Night Shadows'' (1994) and ''East Beach'' (1995).<ref name="BBC" />

Ely retired from acting in 2001, returning with an appearance in the television film ''[[Expecting Amish]]'' (2014).<ref name="BBC">{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50074653 |title=Ron Ely: Woman found dead at Tarzan star's California home |website=[[BBC News]] |date=October 16, 2019 }}</ref>

==Personal life and death==
Ely was born in [[Hereford, Texas]] on June 21, 1938 and raised in [[Amarillo, Texas|Amarillo]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb13945609x/PUBLIC|title=BnF catalog entry for Ron Ely|publisher=Bibliothèque nationale de France|access-date=January 4, 2015}}</ref> He married his high school sweetheart, Helen Janet Triplet,<ref>{{cite news |title=Aquanauts Diver Reaches Stardom in Short Time |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/simpsons-leader-times-aquanauts/138671677/ |work=Simpson's Leader-Times |date=February 11, 1961 |location=Kittanning, Pennsylvania |page=11}}</ref> in 1959. Both natives of Hereford, Texas, they divorced in July 1961.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://heavy.com/news/2019/10/ron-ely-wife-valerie-lundeen/|title=Valerie Lundeen, Ron Ely's Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know|last=Farrell|first=Paul|date=October 16, 2019|website=[[Heavy.com]]|language=en|access-date=October 16, 2019}}</ref>

In 1984, Ely married Valerie Lundeen, who won the [[Miss Florida USA]] title in 1981,<ref name=":0" /> and they had three children.<ref name="BBC" /> 

===Murder of wife and death of son===
On October 15, 2019, Ely's son Cameron, then 30 years old, stabbed Valerie Ely to death at the family's home in [[Hope Ranch, California]], a coastal residential community in [[Santa Barbara, California|Santa Barbara]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2019/10/16/tarzan-actor-ron-elys-wife-stabbed-to-death-reports/|title='Tarzan' actor Ron Ely's wife stabbed to death: reports|last=O'Neill|first=Natalie|date=October 16, 2019|website=[[New York Post]]|language=en|access-date=October 16, 2019}}</ref> Police officers were called to the scene for a "family disturbance"<ref name="BBC" /><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Parker|first1=Ryan|title=Homicide Suspect Killed by Deputies in Home of 'Tarzan' Actor Ron Ely |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/homicide-suspect-killed-by-deputies-home-tarzan-actor-ron-ely-1248119 |access-date=October 16, 2019 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=October 16, 2019 |language=en}}</ref> and killed Cameron Ely, claiming he posed a threat to officers.<ref name="AP" /> 

The Santa Barbara district attorney ruled the police shooting a [[justifiable homicide]]. No charges were filed, and an attorney representing Ely disputed the police account of Cameron's death.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Roberto|first=Melissa|date=2020-10-16|title=Ron Ely challenges Santa Barbara district attorney after fatal shooting of his son deemed 'justifiable'|url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/ron-ely-challenges-santa-barbara-district-attorney-fatal-shooting-son-cameron|access-date=2020-10-16|website=Fox News|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=October 7, 2020|title=No charges against sheriff's deputies who shot, killed son of 'Tarzan' actor Ron Ely in Santa Barbara County|work=ABC7 KABC|url=https://abc7.com/no-charges-against-deputies-who-shot-killed-son-of-tarzan-actor/6841046/|access-date=October 15, 2020}}</ref> An autopsy found Cameron was in the early stages of [[chronic traumatic encephalopathy]] before he died.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hayden |first1=Tyler |title=Don't Believe Your Ears in Ely Case, Authorities Say ― Believe the Deputies |url=https://www.independent.com/2020/10/06/dont-believe-your-ears-authorities-say-%e2%80%95-believe-the-deputies/ |work=The Santa Barbara Independent |date=7 October 2020}}</ref>

===Death===

Ely died at the home of one of his daughters in [[Los Alamos, California]], on September 29, 2024, at age 86.<ref>{{cite web |last=Dalton |first=Andrew |date=October 23, 2024 |title=Ron Ely, TV's 'Tarzan' in the 1960s, dies at 86 |url=https://apnews.com/article/ron-ely-dies-tarzan-c178710bd441325a8d242b5349454df3 |access-date=October 23, 2024 |website=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Risen |first1=Clay |date=October 23, 2024 |title=Ron Ely, Who Played an Updated Tarzan in the 1960s, Dies at 86 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/23/arts/television/ron-ely-dead.html |access-date=October 23, 2024 |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Overhultz |first1=Lauryn |title='Tarzan' star Ron Ely dead at 86 |url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/tarzan-star-ron-ely-dead-86 |access-date=23 October 2024 |publisher=Fox News |date=23 October 2024}}</ref> His death was not announced until October 23, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barnes |first=Mike |date=2024-10-23 |title=Ron Ely, Star of the First Tarzan Series for Television, Dies at 86 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/ron-ely-dead-star-first-tarzan-series-television-1236042834/ |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://people.com/ron-ely-dead-tarzan-tv-series-star-was-86-8733260|title=Ron Ely, Star of Tarzan Series, Dies at 86, 5 Years After the Shocking Death of His Wife and Son|first=Taria|last=Sheffield|magazine=People|date=October 23, 2024}}</ref>

==Filmography==
{{More citations needed section|date=October 2024}}
Source:<ref>{{cite web |title=Ron Ely |url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/ron-ely/credits/3000480543/ |website=TVGuide.com |access-date=October 26, 2024}}</ref>
=== Film ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes
|-
| 1958
| ''[[South Pacific (1958 film)|South Pacific]]''
| Navigator
| 
|-
| 1958
| ''[[The Fiend Who Walked the West]]''
| Deputy Jim Dyer
| 
|-
| 1959 
| ''[[The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker]]'' 
| Wilbur Fielding
| 
|-
| 1966
| ''[[The Night of the Grizzly]]''
| Tad Curry
| 
|-
| 1966
| ''[[Once Before I Die]]''
| Soldier
| 
|-
| 1972
| ''[[Der Schrei der schwarzen Wölfe]]''
| Bill Robinson
| 
|-
| 1972
| ''[[100 Fäuste und ein Vaterunser]]''
| Hallelujah
| 
|-
| 1975 
| ''[[Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze]]''
| Clark Savage Jr. aka Doc
| 
|-
| 1976
| ''MitGift''
| Dr. Kurt Jahn
| 
|-
| 1978 
| ''Slavers'' 
| Steven Hamilton
| 
|-
| 1981 
| ''The Seal'' 
| 
| 
|-
| 2014
| ''[[Expecting Amish]]''
| Elder Miller
| 
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes
|-
| 1959
| ''[[Father Knows Best]]''
| Jerry Preston
| Episode: "Crisis Over a Kiss"
|-
| 1959
| ''[[Steve Canyon]]''
| Pete Randall
| Episode: "The Sergeant"
|-
| 1959
| ''[[Playhouse 90]]''
| Buddy
| Episode: "The Second Happiest Day"
|-
| 1959
| ''[[How to Marry a Millionaire (TV series)|How to Marry a Millionaire]]''
| Philip Jackson
| Episode: "The Method"
|-
| 1959 
| ''[[The Millionaire (TV series)|The Millionaire]]''
| Jim Phillips
| Episode: "Millionaire Sergeant Matthew Brogan"
|-
| 1959
| ''[[The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis]]''
| Dobie's Older Brother
| Episode: "Pilot"
|-
| 1960
| ''[[The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp]]''
| Arleigh Smith
| Episode: "The Posse"
|-
| 1961
| ''[[The Aquanauts]]''
| Mike Madison
| 18 episodes
|-
| 1962
| ''[[Thriller (American TV series)|Thriller]]''
| Lt. Mike Hudson
| Episode: "Waxworks"
|-
| 1966–1968
| ''[[Tarzan (1966 TV series)|Tarzan]]''
| Tarzan
| 57 episodes
|-
| 1969 
| ''[[The Courtship of Eddie's Father (TV series)|The Courtship of Eddie's Father]]''
| Ronald
| Episode: "Pain"
|-
| 1971
| ''[[Ironside (1967 TV series)|Ironside]]''
| Scott Bradley
| Episode: "A Killing at the Track"
|-
| 1974
| ''[[Marcus Welby, M.D.]]''
| Ben Brecht
| Episode: "To Father a Child"
|-
| 1978
| ''[[Wonder Woman (TV series)|Wonder Woman]]''
| Bill Michaels
| Episode: "The Deadly Sting"
|-
| 1979–1984
| ''[[Fantasy Island]]''
| Fred Spenser / Burt Hunter / Kevin Lansing Eric Williams / Marc Anthony / Baron Manfred von Richthofen
| 5 episodes
|- 
| 1980–1981
| ''[[Face the Music (American game show)|Face The Music]]''
| Host<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0283729/ | title=Face the Music | website=[[IMDb]] }}</ref>
| Main role
|-
| 1980–1981
| ''[[The Love Boat]]''
| Ted Cole / Jim / Steve Swaggart / Darryl Brewster 
| 3 episodes
|-
| 1983 
| ''[[Matt Houston]]''
| Winston Fowler
| Episode: "A Deadly Parlay"
|-
| 1983
| ''[[Hotel (American TV series)|Hotel]]''
| Evan Paige
| Episode: "Charades"
|-
| 1987
| ''[[Sea Hunt#1987 revival series|Sea Hunt]]''
| Mike Nelson
| 22 episodes
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Superboy (TV series)|Superboy]]''
| [[Superman]]
| Episode: "The Road to Hell"
|-
| 1992
| ''[[Tarzán]]''
| Gordon Shaw
| Episode: "Tarzan, the Hunted"
|-
| 1992
| ''[[The Hat Squad]]''
| Carl Strong
| Episode: "Family Business"
|-
| 1993
| ''[[L.A. Law]]''
| 
| Episode: "Book of Renovation"
|-
| 1993–1994
| ''[[Renegade (TV series)|Renegade]]''
| Gen. Howard Bird / Reverend McClain
| 2 episodes
|-
| 1994
| ''[[Hawkeye (1994 TV series)|Hawkeye]]''
| Harry March
| Episode: "Out of the Past"
|-
| 2001
| ''[[Sheena (TV series)|Sheena]]''
| Bixby
| Episode: "The Feral King"
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|id=0255935|name=Ron Ely}}
* [http://www.briansdriveintheater.com/ronely.html Ron Ely at Brian's Drive-In Theater]
* {{cite news | url = http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/tv-radio/389956/Ron-Ely-looks-back-at-Tarzan | title = Ron Ely looks back at Tarzan | work = [[Daily Express]] | date = April 7, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191220120327/https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/389956/Ron-Ely-looks-back-at-Tarzan | archive-date = 2019-12-20 | url-status = live }}
* {{discogs artist|Ron Ely}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ely, Ron}}
[[Category:1938 births]]
[[Category:2024 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century American male writers]]
[[Category:20th-century American novelists]]
[[Category:21st-century American male actors]]
[[Category:Amarillo High School alumni]]
[[Category:American game show hosts]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male novelists]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:Male actors from Texas]]
[[Category:People from Amarillo, Texas]]