Entertainment

Tarzan star Ron Ely dies aged 86

Published

9 months ago

October 24, 2024

editor

US actor Ron Ely, best known for playing the role of Tarzan in the 1960s television show of the same name, has died aged 86.

“The world has lost one of the greatest men it has ever known – and I have lost my dad,” the actor’s daughter, Kirsten Casale Ely, said in an Instagram post.

Tarzan originally aired on NBC television network from 1966 to 1968, during which time the actor broke a number of bones and was reported to have been attacked by animals while performing his own stunts.

After retiring from acting in 2001, Ely became an author and published two mystery novels.

Ely made a brief return to acting for one television film, Expecting Amish, in 2014, where he played an Amish elder.

In the 1980s, he appeared in other hit television programmes including cruise ship-based comedy The Love Boat, as well as Wonder Woman with star Lynda Carter.

Born in Texas in 1938, Ely went on to marry his high school sweetheart in 1959, before divorcing two years later.

He was also known for hosting the Miss America pageant in the early 1980s, where he met his second wife Valerie Lundeen. The couple went on to have three children.

Lundeen was stabbed to death aged 62 by their son, Cameron, at their California home in 2019. He was then shot dead by police after being deemed a threat by attending officers.

Ron Ely filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the force, though the judge ruled the officers had acted in self-defence.

The Tarzan star died at his home in Los Alamos in Santa Barbara, California on 29 September.

Announcing the death in an Instagram post on Wednesday, the actor’s daughter said: “My father was someone that people called a hero. He was an actor, writer, coach, mentor, family man and leader.”

She added: “I knew him as my dad – and what a heaven sent honour that has been. To me, he hung the moon.”

(BBC News)

Entertainment

Star Wars actor Kenneth Colley dies aged 87

Published

3 days ago

July 4, 2025

editor

Star Wars actor Kenneth Colley has died after contracting Covid and developing pneumonia, his agent has announced

Star Wars actor Kenneth Colley has died at the age of 87, his agent has announced.

The film and television performer is best known for starring in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi as Admiral Piett, an imperial officer in command of Darth Vader’s flagship.

He died peacefully at his home in Ashford, Kent, on Monday after contracting Covid and developing pneumonia, his agent Julian Owen said in a statement.

“Ken Colley was one of our finest character actors with a career spanning 60 years,” Mr Owens said.

“Ken continually worked on stage, film and television playing a vast array of characters, from Jesus in Monty Python’s Life of Brian to evil and eccentric characters in Ken Russell films, and the Duke of Vienna in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure for the BBC.”

The statement said Colley had been admitted to hospital with an injured arm after a fall, but he quickly contracted Covid which developed into pneumonia.

He died with friends at his bedside, it added.

In later years, Colley reprised his role of Admiral Piett when he voiced the character in the 2012 animated Lego production, Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out.

He also had parts in international productions including Clint Eastwood’s Firefox and the Second World War series War and Remembrance.

Mr Owen said Colley’s paticipation in Star Wars led him to being invited to conventions and fan events all over the world.

“Ken also loved his garden, art collecting and had a passion for fast cars,” he added.

Colley is also known for playing Jesus in Monty Python’s Life of Brian alongside John Cleese, Graham Chapman and Michael Palin.

(BBC News)

Entertainment

‘Diddy’ denied bail after being cleared of most serious charges

Published

4 days ago

July 3, 2025

editor

A judge has denied bail to Sean “Diddy” Combs after a jury convicted the hip-hop mogul of transportation to engage in prostitution, but acquitted him of the most serious charges: racketeering and sex-trafficking.

Lawyers for the recording artist had argued he posed no flight risk, pointing out his jet is being chartered in Hawaii.

But Judge Arun Subramanian cited Combs’ history of violence as he ruled the rapper must remain behind bars until sentencing later this year when he faces up to 20 years in prison.

In the nearly two-month federal trial in New York City, prosecutors accused Combs of using his celebrity status and business empire to run a criminal enterprise to sex traffic women.

A panel of 12 jurors deliberated for 13 hours before acquitting Combs of three of the most serious five charges.

He will continue to be held at the same federal jail in Brooklyn where he has been detained since last September.

The sentencing was tentatively scheduled for 3 October.

(BBC News)

Entertainment

SRK confirmed as special guest at “City of Dreams” launch

Published

5 days ago

July 2, 2025

editor

It has been officially announced that Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan will indeed be joining the grand opening of the “City of Dreams Sri Lanka” on Aug. 02 as a special guest.

The “City of Dreams Sri Lanka” has confirmed this in a statement on Facebook.