One of the best of my childhood favorite series. Despite his overly well-groomed hair, Ron Ely really looked the part of the title role. He was lean and exuded strength in body, spirit and mentality. He insisted on performing his own stunts, subjecting himself to injuries in the rigorous adventures, including scenes involving falls, fire and live animals.
The story lines varied considerably, some being rather intense and others light-hearted. He had a few regular friends, most notably a boy named Jai played by Manuel Padilla Jr. and Cheeta, his long-time chimpanzee buddy.
Besides interesting stories the series was very well served by attracting excellent guest stars, with the likes of Helen Hayes, George Kennedy and James Earl Jones making co-star appearances.
Possibly my favorite episode involved Tarzan surviving explosions in the water where he had been hiding, leaving him temporarily deaf.