Trivia

On October 15, 2019 son, 30 year old Cameron Ely, stabbed his 62 year old mother, Valerie Ely, to death. Ron and Valerie Ely had been married approximately 35 years. Cameron Ely was shot to death by sheriff's deputies later that evening. He was unarmed and his father unsuccessfully filed charges over the shooting. No charges were filed against the deputies.

Writer of mystery novels, featuring the character Jake Sands Night Shadows 1994 East Beach 1995

Dated former Bond girls Ursula Andress and Britt Ekland.

At 6'5, he is the tallest actor to play the role of Superman, standing an inch taller than Christopher Reeve.

The former "Tarzan" appeared in a rare guest spot on the jungle adventure Sheena (2000) in the 2001-2002 season.

He is the second blonde actor to have portrayed Tarzan. Lex Barker was also blonde. Barker's depiction of the benevolent heroic character always featured Jane in those cinematic productions, but Ely's version never featured her because Sy Weintraub omitted that female benevolent main character for that television series.

He played three iconic fictional adventure characters: Tarzan (1966 TV series), Doc Savage (1975 movie), and Superman (guest role on 1988 Superboy series).

Attended Amarillo High School. There is a letter sweater from him in the trophy cases (saved from 1970 fire in the older school). He later attended the University of Texas at Austin in the mid-1950s and was in ROTC.

Hosted a game show in the early 1980s called Face the Music (1980). A delightful trademark of his performance was his tendency to preface a statement to the contestants with the introductory identifier, "Contestants!"

The Tarzan series of 66-68 might have run more than it's 57 episodes had it not been for problems of the cast & crew. The biggest was Ron Ely's insistence on doing all the dangerous stunts himself , shunning the stuntmen & wrestling the real but trained lions, leopards & crocodiles suffering many injuries as a result. He was hospitalised several times delaying filming & increasing production costs. He needed stitches to his head after being bitten by a lion, his right bicep was torn, his nose broken, jaw dislocated, neck wrenched & both shoulders & 3 ribs were broken in vine swinging incidents. He was bitten by the big cats & wrists sprained & muscles pulled, left heel cracked & right foot torn. The climate was hostile which didn't help.

Has two grandchildren.

Son of Vernon Howard Ely, and Sybil Iantha Stephen.

He has a street named after him in Binghamton, New York.