Ron Ely, the beloved star of the 1960s television series “Tarzan,” has passed away at the age of 86. His daughter, Kirsten, confirmed to the Associated Press that he died at his home in Los Alamos, California, on September 29.

While Ron Ely may not have reached the iconic status of Olympic swimmer Johnny Weismuller, who portrayed Tarzan in the 1930s and 1940s, he still left a lasting impact with his portrayals of the character, famously depicted with a bare torso and wearing tattered cloth. Disney immortalized his version of Tarzan as a classic figure in pop culture.

Kirsten Ely took to social media to share her thoughts, describing her father as “an actor, writer, coach, spiritual mentor, family man, and leader.” She highlighted his incredible positive influence, stating, “He had a strength that I had never seen in anyone else. There was an undeniable charm about him.”

In 2019, Ron Ely was thrust back into the media spotlight due to a personal tragedy. His wife, Valerie Lundeen Ely, was tragically killed in their Santa Barbara home by their 30-year-old son, Cameron, who was subsequently shot and killed by police.

During the 1980s, Ely hosted a trivia game show and served as the emcee for the Miss America pageant on two occasions. He married former beauty queen Valerie, Miss Florida, in 1984, and together they had three children, including Cameron. Ron Ely stepped away from acting in 2001 to focus on his family.

Beyond his famous role as Tarzan, Ely also starred in the 1975 action film “Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze” and primarily took on smaller roles in other television shows and movies.

Additionally, he authored two mystery novels featuring detective Jake Sands: “Night Shadows” in 1994 and “East Beach” in 1995.

In a heartfelt tribute, one fan reflected on Twitter, “Godspeed, Ron Ely. Another important piece of my childhood bids adieu.”