Doc Savage: RIP

 

 It may not have been a cinematic masterpiece but Doc made it to the screen with Ron Ely, who had already played another iconic hero on the small screen, Tarzan.  Ron was a terrific choice to play The Man of Bronze and I think his portrayal could have launched a pretty good series of films if not for some poor decisions regarding the tone of the film.  

  I always thought highly of Ron Ely and enjoyed seeing his various roles over the course of his career.  But after not hearing of him for many years tragedy brought him back to our attention in 2019 with the death of his wife at the hands of their son.  This ended with the death of his son, as well.  The strength he must have needed to survive those events only makes him seem more like the heroes he portrayed.

  It appears that Mr. Ely passed September 29th at the age of 86.

 

I just put myself through "Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze" movie... again

 So I'm in a bit of a Doc Savage frame of mind and I started thinking about a new film.  I think Ely was a great choice and would have done terrific if the movie weren't played for laughs.  For today's audience I think Cavill would be a solid decision, although I think he is a bit on the short side (funny when talking about a man who is listed at 6'1")  The Rock would have been a decent choice but I think he is too muscular these days.  Anyone think Joe Manganiello would be a great Doc?  6'5" and super fit.  

I did this mockup some time ago but Dolph would have had the perfect look.  Acting?  Not so sure.  Real life Doc?  Maybe.  At 6'5" and with an IQ of 160, Dolph Savage may have been the real deal.

Sad update to Ron Ely tragedy

It turns out that the woman stabbed to death in "Doc Savage" actor Ron Ely's home was his wife, Valerie,  and the killer was none other than their son Cameron.  He was later found on the property and shot to death by deputies.  Here is a link to the story.

Okay, not quite done with Doc...

It looks as though something unfortunate has touched Doc Savage actor Ron Ely.  Here is a link to the story.  Appears to be a breaking story with little actual information.  I'll update as I run across more.

Update:

The incident took place after 10 p.m. in the 4100 block of Mariposa Drive in Hope Ranch.

Deputies with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office shot and killed a homicide suspect in the home of Tarzan actor Ron Ely on Tuesday night.
Authorities received a call for help after 10 p.m. in the 4100 block of Mariposa Drive in Hope Ranch, according to Lt. Erik Raney, spokesman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.
When they arrived, deputies located an elderly woman who had been stabbed to death, Raney said.
Neighbors were told to stay in their homes and lock doors while authorities searched for the suspect.
Shortly thereafter, the suspect was found hiding in the same home as the victim. And when deputies approached the unidentified man, he allegedly threatened them with a weapon and was fatally shot, Raney said.
Ely, who played the lead character in the 1960s television series Tarzan, was not injured, Raney noted.
The homicide victim was not identified. The investigation is ongoing.