Ron Harper, who starred in iconic science-fiction series like Planet of the Apes and Land of the Lost, has died at 91. His daughter, Nicole Longeuay, says her father died of natural causes at his home in West Hills on Thursday.
Ron Harper, with his golden hair, piercing eyes, and suave demeanor, was an understudy for Paul Newman on Broadway before playing notable roles like Alan Virdon in the Planet of the Apes series, Uncle Jack in Land of the Lost, and Peter Whitmore in the TV series Generations. Before striking it rich with roles that would increase his star power, Harper appeared in four series that never got a second season, including 87th Precinct, Wendy and Me, The Jean Arthur Show, and Garrison’s Gorillas.
Thankfully, Planet of the Apes helped put Harper on executive’s watch lists. While Planet of the Apes didn’t last long on the air, Harper made enough of an impact that he began landing other gigs, such as the 1976 science-fiction series Land of the Lost. Harper played Uncle Jack for 13 episodes. However, Land of the Lost became a television staple, with Harper’s episodes airing multiple times, adding to his visibility.
“The stories were very good,” Harper said during an interview in 2005. “Each generation of children as they come up and are exposed to it like those stories and remember them, pass them right on. I have about three tapes, and I’ve been showing them to my daughter since she was 5. And she still, of all my series, loves Land of the Lost best.”
As a man of many talents, Ron Harper dabbled in stage and screen throughout his career. On television, he appeared on shows like Tales of Wells Fargo, The Blue Knight, Love of Life, Loving, Capitol, and the teen-centric dramas Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place.
While contributing to the silver screen, Harper appeared in films like Michael Bay’s Pearl Harbor, John Erick Dowdle’s The Poughkeepsie Tapes, Fred Olsen Ray’s Venomous, David S. Cass Sr.’s romantic drama Uncorked, Emily Moss Wilson’s sci-fi short Drink, and his final role, a TV movie titled Kidnapped: The Hannah Anderson Story.
We here at JoBlo would like to extend our sincere condolences to Mr. Harper’s family, friends, and fans. May he have safe passage to the Great Hereafter and rest knowing he entertained millions and more.
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