Skip to content
Join free
Ron Ely
Actor

Ron Ely

21 Jun 1938Born
29 Sep 2024Died
86Age at death
38Credits

Biography

Ronald Pierce "Ron" Ely (born June 21, 1938) was an American actor and novelist born in Hereford, Texas. Ely is best known for having portrayed Tarzan in the 1966 NBC series Tarzan and for playing the lead role in the 1975 film Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze.

Ely obtained the role after playing various bit-parts, including an airplane navigator in the 1958 film South Pacific and a guest-starring role on Barbara Eden's first television series, the romantic comedy How to Marry a Millionaire. Ely's height (6' 4") and athletic build also won him the title role in the 1975 film Doc Savage, as well as various guest shots.

Read the full biography

In a 1978 Fantasy Island episode, for example, Ely portrayed Mark Antony in a Roman military short tunic and breastplate that displayed almost as much of his physique as his Tarzan costume had.

From 1960-61, Ely starred in the series The Aquanauts. In the 1980s, Ely hosted the musical game show Face the Music. Additionally, Ely hosted the 1980 and 1981 Miss America Pageants, replacing longtime host Bert Parks.

In the 1990s, Ely’s roles included a retired Superman in the 1991 two-part episode "The Road to Hell" of the Superboy syndicated television series, and a big game hunter named Gordon Shaw in the 1992 episode "Tarzan the Hunted" of the syndicated Tarzán TV series (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). Until about 2001, Ely made appearances on popular TV shows, his most recent being Sheena and Renegade. He is now retired from acting.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Ron Ely, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known for

Filmography

  1. 2017Tarzan: Lord of the MoviesFilm: Tarzan (Archive Footage)
  2. 2014Expecting AmishFilm: Elder Miller
  3. 2011Underground Entertainment: The MovieFilm: Ron (archive footage)
  4. 2000SheenaSeries: Bixby (1 episode)
  5. 1996Tarzan at the Movies, Part 2: The Many Faces of TarzanFilm: Tarzan (archive footage)
  6. 1995MarkerSeries (1 episode)
  7. 1992RenegadeSeries: Reverend McClain (1 episode)
  8. 1992The Hat SquadSeries: Carl Strong (1 episode)
  9. 1987Sea HuntSeries: Mike Nelson (22 episodes)
  10. 1986L.A. LawSeries: Mr. McIntyre (1 episode)
  11. 1986Blacke's MagicSeries (1 episode)
  12. 1982Matt HoustonSeries (1 episode)
  13. 1982HotelSeries: Evan Paige (1 episode)
  14. 1978SlaversFilm: Steven Hamilton
  15. 1977The Love BoatSeries: Jim, Ted Cole, Steve Swaggart / Darryl Brewster (1 episode)
  16. 1976MitGiftFilm: Kurt
  17. 1975Wonder WomanSeries: Bill Michaels (1 episode)
  18. 1975Doc Savage: The Man of BronzeFilm: Clark 'Doc' Savage Jr.
  19. 1972Alleluja & Sartana Are Sons... Sons of GodFilm: Hallelujah
  20. 1972Cry of the Black WolvesFilm: Bill Robinson
  21. 1971Tarzan and the Perils of Charity JonesFilm: Tarzan
  22. 1970Tarzan's Deadly SilenceFilm: Tarzan
  23. 1969The Courtship of Eddie's FatherSeries: Ronald (1 episode)
  24. 1968Tarzan and the Four O'Clock ArmyFilm: Tarzan
  25. 1967The Mountains of the MoonFilm: Tarzan
  26. 1967Tarzan's Jungle RebellionFilm: Tarzan
  27. 1967IronsideSeries: Scott Bradley (1 episode)
  28. 1966Once Before I DieFilm: Soldier
  29. 1966TarzanSeries: Tarzan, Director (57 episodes)
  30. 1966The Night of the GrizzlyFilm: Ted Curry
  31. 1960The AquanautsSeries: Mike Madison (32 episodes)
  32. 1960ThrillerSeries: Lt. Mike Hudson (1 episode)
  33. 1959The Remarkable Mr. PennypackerFilm: Wilbur Fielding
  34. 1958Steve CanyonSeries: Pete Randall (1 episode)
  35. 1958The Fiend Who Walked the WestFilm: Deputy Jim Dyer
  36. 1958South PacificFilm: Navigator
  37. 1955The Life and Legend of Wyatt EarpSeries (1 episode)
  38. 1955The MillionaireSeries: Jim Phillips (1 episode)

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.