RE
Ron Ely
Actor, Director
Born June 21, 1938Died September 29, 2024 (86 years)
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. 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.
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. 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.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Filmography
| 2014 | Expecting Amish · as Elder Miller |
| 2011 | Underground Entertainment: The Movie · as Ron |
| 2000 | Sheena, Queen of the Jungle (2000) (TV Series) · as Bixby |
| 1995 | Marker (TV Series) |
| 1994 | |
| 1992 | |
| 1992 | The Hat Squad (TV Series) |
| 1991 | Tarzan (1991) (TV Series) · as Gordon Shaw |
| 1988 | The Adventures of Superboy (1988) (TV Series) · as Superman |
| 1987 | Sea Hunt (1987) (TV Series) · as Mike Nelson |
| 1986 | L.A. Law (TV Series) · as Mr. Mcintyre |
| 1986 | Blacke's Magic (TV Series) |
| 1983 | Hotel (TV Series) · as Evan Paige |
| 1982 | Matt Houston (TV Series) |
| 1977 | Slavers · as Steven Hamilton |
| 1977 | The Love Boat (TV Series) · as Steve Swaggart / Darryl Brewster |
| 1977 | Fantasy Island (TV Series) · as Baron Manfred Von Richthofen |
| 1976 | MitGift · as Kurt |
| 1975 | Wonder Woman (TV Series) · as Bill Michaels |
| 1975 | Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze · as Clark 'doc' Savage Jr. |
| 1972 | Alleluja & Sartana Are Sons... Sons of God · as Hallelujah |
| 1972 | Cry of the Black Wolves · as Bill Robinson |
| 1971 | Tarzan and the Perils of Charity Jones · as Tarzan |
| 1970 | Tarzan's Deadly Silence · as Tarzan |
| 1969 | The Courtship of Eddie's Father (TV Series) · as Ronald |
| 1969 | Marcus Welby, M.D. (TV Series) · as Ben Brecht |
| 1968 | Tarzan and the Four O'Clock Army · as Tarzan |
| 1967 | Ironside (TV Series) · as Scott Bradley |
| 1966 | Once Before I Die · as Soldier |
| 1966 | Tarzan (1966) (TV Series) · as Tarzan |
| 1966 | The Night of the Grizzly · as Ted Curry |
| 1965 | Die Rudi Carrell Show (TV Series) |
| 1960 | The Aquanauts (TV Series) · as Mike Madison |
| 1960 | Thriller (TV Series) · as Lt. Mike Hudson |
| 1959 | The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (TV Series) · as Dobie's Older Brother |
| 1959 | The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker · as Wilbur Fielding |
| 1958 | Steve Canyon (TV Series) · as Pete Randall |
| 1958 | The Fiend Who Walked the West · as Deputy Jim Dyer |
| 1958 | South Pacific · as Navigator |
| 1957 | How To Marry A Millionaire (TV Series) · as Philip Jackson |
| 1956 | Playhouse 90 (TV Series) · as Buddy |
| 1955 | The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (TV Series) |
| 1955 | The Millionaire (TV Series) · as Jim Phillips |
| 1954 | Father Knows Best (TV Series) · as Jerry Preston |