Farewell with so much admiration and gratitude to Ron Ely. As Ely was the only actor to play both Doc and Tarzan, I offer this small tribute of him in yet a third role…that of Doc Talos, in his thirties, circa 1933.
I confess I’ve been surprised a little at how deeply the passing of Ely has affected me. I never knew or met him in person (though from all accounts — including the wonderfully heartfelt farewell posted by his daughter — he was a great guy). He starred in a film that, though I have warmed to it over the years, was a massive disappointment in so many ways, with its disastrous descent into camp.
But somehow, even as the centerpiece of that film, he carried a dignity and charm — even a kind of nobility — that was warm and accessible, almost miraculously channeling the best humanistic qualities of the pulp Doc Savage.
For long decades fans of Doc have hoped for a new movie that would supersede the camp trainwreck of 1975, but I find my thoughts straying to the hope that doesn’t happen in my lifetime. Ron is my living embodiment of Doc, and there’s a strangely remarkable comfort in that.
For the days since his death was announced I’ve been obsessively doing Doc Talos portraits that incorporate some of Ron’s features into a depiction of Doc pastiche James Talos…not slavishly trying to “cast him” in the role by a perfect reproduction of his face, but trying to catch a little of that warmth he brought to Doc, which allows me to picture him offering a small but genuine smile for all of us (his family of fans) on his otherwise perpetual poker-face.
Thank you, Ron. You will always be remembered.
Doc Talos 