Biography

The 15th screen Tarzan (if you don't count Gordon Griffith) was to have played a Tarzan impersonator in a projected Mike Henry television show, which never materialized. He had been tested fourteen months earlier when Henry got the part. Prior to Tarzan, Ron had numerous parts in movies and television, including the copilot in South Pacific (1958) and had co-starred in TV's brief series "Malibu Run" (The Aquanauts (1960)). He played the title role in the TV series Tarzan (1966), and in two movies made from that series in 1970. He refused to use a stunt double in his vine-swinging or animal fights and was often injured. It has been noted that Ron's physical appearance and dialogue were much more like those of Edgar Rice Burroughs' character than could be said for any other Tarzan. In addition to occasional parts in TV series and movies, several made in Germany, Ron hosted the "Miss America" pageant on television 1979-81, replacing Bert Parks.
- IMDb mini biography by: Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu>

Ron Ely is known for playing Tarzan in the television series of the mid to late 60's and he continually caused headaches for the producers because he insisted on performing all the dangerous stunts himself from wrestling the real but trained lions, leopards and crocodiles.He was hospitalised several times delaying filming and pushing up production costs.. He needed seven stitches in his head after being bitten by a lion, his right bicep was torn in another lion fight, his nose broken, jaw dislocated in two fights, neck wrenched and both shoulders and three ribs broken in vine swinging accidents, He was clawed and bitten by leopards, pumas and other jungle animals, wrists sprained in action scenes, left hamstring and right thigh muscles were pulled, both ankles sprained by hard landings, left heel cracked and bottom of his right foot torn in a rocky hillside..
- IMDb mini biography by: Tonyman 5

Ron, who was 28 when he made the Tarzan series shunned stuntmen and insisted on doing all the stunts himself, wrestling real but trained lions crocodiles and leopards and suffering many injuries as a result being hospitalised several times which delayed filming and pushed up production costs. He had 7 stiches in his head after being bitten by a lion, right bicep torn fighting another lion, nose broken and jaw dislocated in 2 fights, neck wrenched, both shoulders and 3 ribs broken in vine swinging accidents. He was clawed and bitten by leopards, pumas and other animals, both ankles sprained by hard landings, left heel cracked right foot torn on a rocky hillside.
- IMDb mini biography by: Tonyman 5

Towering height

[on the ending of the Tarzan TV series] Quite frankly, I don't know that I could have even done anymore. I was mentally and physically worn out. At the very least I would have needed a few months to recover. My body was a wreck. I had so many muscle pulls and tears and busted shoulders, wrists and bones. Every part of me had been hurt.