The cause of death for “Tarzan” star Ron Ely has been disclosed. The actor, who passed away on September 29, succumbed to “end-stage heart disease,” as per his death certificate obtained by TMZ. The document also noted that Ely breathed his last at 7:04 PM, and his remains were subsequently cremated. Ely was 86 years old at the time of his demise. His daughter, Kirsten, announced the news of her father’s passing on October 23 through an Instagram post, expressing, “The world has lost one of the greatest men it has ever known – and I have lost my dad.” She further described her father as a hero, an actor, writer, coach, mentor, family man, and leader, who left a lasting positive impact wherever he went.
According to The New York Times, Ely passed away at his daughter’s home near Santa Barbara, California. The actor’s career in show business began in the 1950s, with notable roles in popular TV shows like “Father Knows Best,” “How to Marry a Millionaire,” and “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.” His career reached new heights in 1966 when he was cast as the titular character in NBC’s TV series “Tarzan,” a modern adaptation of the jungle story by Edgar Rice Burroughs originally published in 1912. Ely continued to act in various roles after the series concluded in 1968, including the 1975 action-adventure film “Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze” and guest appearances on TV shows up until the 1990s.
Ely took a break from acting in the 1990s to focus on his family but returned to television in 2014 with the movie “Expecting Amish,” which tells the story of a young woman on the brink of joining the Amish church but is exposed to the world beyond after a trip to Hollywood. Tragedy struck Ely in his later years when his wife, Valerie Lundeen Ely, was tragically stabbed to death in 2019 at their Santa Barbara home. Following a “family disturbance” call, police officers shot and killed Ely’s only son, Cameron, who was alleged to have murdered his mother. Ely later filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, claiming that Cameron had his hands up when he was shot. However, in 2022, a jury ruled that the use of deadly force against Cameron Ely was justified and lawful under the circumstances.
Source link: https://nypost.com
