| Ron Ely | |
|---|---|
 Ron Ely as Tarzan |
|
| Birth name | Ronald Pierce Ely |
| Born | June 21 1938  Hereford, Texas, U.S. |
Ron Ely (born June 2, 1938) is the stage name of the American actor and novelist born Ronald Pierce Ely in Hereford, Texas. He is best known for starring as Tarzan in the 1966 NBC series Tarzan. He got the role after playing various bit-parts (including an airplane co-pilot in the 1958 movie South Pacific). His height (6' 4") and athletic build also won him the title role in the 1975 Doc Savage film, as well as various guest shots: In a 1978 Fantasy Island episode, for example, he played Mark Antony in a Roman military short tunic and breastplate that displayed almost as much of his physique as his Tarzan costume had. In the 1980s, he starred in the series The Aquanauts and hosted the musical game show Face the Music. Additionally, he hosted the 1980 and 1981 Miss America Pageants - replacing longtime host Bert Parks. In the 1990s, Ely’s roles included a retired Superman in a two-part episode of Superboy, and a character named Gordon Shaw in the syndicated Tarzán (starring Wolf Larson). In recent years Ely has embarked on a successful writing career and has penned two mystery novels featuring private eye Jake Sands: Night Shadows (1994) and East Beach (1995). Ely holds the unique honor of being the only actor to have portrayed three of the most iconic characters in American popular culture: Doc Savage, Superman, and Tarzan.
See also
External links
- Ron Ely at the Internet Movie Database
- Ron Ely at Brian's Drive-In Theater
- Ron Ely at Yahoo Groups
- Ron Ely Shirtless!
| Preceded by Mike Henry |
Actors to portray Tarzan 1966-1970 |
Succeeded by Miles O'Keeffe |
| Preceded by Bert Parks |
Miss America Pageant host 1980-1981 |
Succeeded by Gary Collins |
