'Tarzan' actor Ron Ely dies at 86 confirms daughter

Ron Ely, famous for portraying the tall, muscular 'Tarzan' in the 1960s, has sadly passed away at the age of 86. His daughter, Kirsten Casale Ely, confirmed the news, marking the end of an iconic era in entertainment. She informed The Associated Press that he had died on September 29 at his residence in LA. Ron's daughter, Kristen Ely, also shared a touching tribute to her father on Instagram.

She wrote, "The world has lost one of the greatest men it has ever known - and I have lost my dad. He was an actor, writer, coach, mentor, family man and leader. He created a powerful wave of positive influence wherever he went."

She added,"The impact he had on others is something that I have never witnessed in any other person - there was something truly magical about him. I knew him as my dad - and what a heaven sent honour that has been. To me, he hung the moon"

Ely hosted the Miss America pageant in both 1980 and 1981, taking over for the longtime emcee Bert Parks. During that period, he also presided over a syndicated game show called Face the Music.

While she did not disclose the specific cause of Ron Ely's death, reports indicate that his health had declined over the past few years, especially following the tragic event in which his wife was murdered by their son. Kristen did not specify the exact reasons for his passing, but it is known that Ron faced significant challenges during this time.

For those unfamiliar, in 2019, Ron's 62-year-old wife, Valerie Lundeen Ely, was tragically stabbed to death by their son, Cameron Ely, who was subsequently shot and killed by police. Since that incident, Ron's health had begun to deteriorate.