Popular actor Ron Harper, best known for his roles in “Land of the Lost” and “Planet of the Apes,” passed away on March 21, 2024, at the age of 91.
Harper’s daughter confirmed the news that her father had passed away at his home in California due to natural causes last Thursday.
“It’s with a heavy heart that I must share the news of my father’s passing… He laid his head down to rest and never woke up again,”
“Although it was not public knowledge, Alzheimer’s Dementia started to take his mind from him years ago, it’s hard to believe he is physically gone now too.”
People
Ron was born in Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, in 1933. Harper was not only a great actor but also a brilliant mind who graduated from Princeton University. After attending Princeton on a scholarship and graduating, Harper was offered a fellowship at Harvard Law School, which he ended up turning down to pursue an acting career.
Ron began his acting career with a series of appearances on Broadway. He eventually made his television debut in 1961 as Detective Bert Kling on NBC’s “87th Precinct,” where Harper continued to work until 1962.
Harper quickly transitioned to his next role as Jeff Conway, the husband of Connie Stephens on the sitcom “Wendy and Me.” After his brief stint on “Wendy and Me,” he appeared in “The Jean Arthur Show” in 1966 and “Garrison’s Gorillas” in 1967.
In 1974, Harper received his biggest break yet when he was cast as Alan Virdon on “Planet of the Apes,” the television series released shortly after the hit 1968 film of the same title. The series would last 14 episodes but would act as a springboard for Ron, propelling him to his next significant role in “Land of the Lost.”
Ron was selected to play Uncle Jack in the popular NBC show “Land of the Lost” in 1976 for the series’ third and final season.
Rest in peace!
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