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Ron Harper, star of “Land of the Lost” and the 1974 “Planet of the Apes” series, has died, according to media reports. He was 91.

His daughter, Nicole Longeuay, told the Hollywood Reporter on Monday that he died of natural causes on Thursday at his West Hills home in Los Angeles.

The late actor, who was born Robert Ronald Harper, grew up in Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, outside of Pittsburgh. He attended Princeton University and, instead of taking up a fellowship to study law at Harvard, decided to learn acting under theater director and actor Lee Strasberg. He later became Paul Newman’s understudy in the Broadway play “Sweet Bird of Youth” in 1959.

Harper opened up about his decision to pursue acting over the law in 1966.

“I kept saying to myself, ‘Should you waste your good education being an actor?’ And that little voice within me kept saying things like, ‘What do you...

Ron Harper, whose career in TV spanned several decades with roles in Generations, Planet of the Apes, Land of the Lost and Another World, died March 21 of natural causes in West Hills, CA. He was 91.

His death was confirmed by his daughter, Nicole Longeuay, to The Hollywood Reporter.

The Pennsylvania-born actor studies at Princeton and served in the U.S. Navy before returning to New York City to serve as Paul Newman’s understudy in Sweet Bird of Youth on Broadway. He later moved to Los Angeles to kick off a career in television, starting with a 1960 role in NBC’s Tales of Wells Fargo before booking spots in shows like Wagon Train, Shotgun Slade and 87th Precinct, in which he played Det. Bert Kling for multiple episodes.

Other regular gigs on the small screen included a run on Garrison’s Gorillas, as well as Where the Heart Is and Planet of the Apes.

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...

Ron Harper, who starred on Planet of the Apes and four other short-lived primetime series and on the final season of the beloved kids TV show Land of the Lost during a very busy 15 years on television, has died. He was 91.

Harper died Thursday of natural causes at his home in West Hills, his daughter, Nicole Longeuay, told The Hollywood Reporter.

After understudying for Paul Newman on Broadway, Harper portrayed Det. Bert Kling alongside Norman Fell, Robert Lansing, Gregory Walcott and Gena Rowlands on the 1961-62 NBC cop show 87th Precinct, based on the novels of Ed McBain.

He played Jeff Conway, the husband of Connie Stevens’ character, on the 1964-65 ABC sitcom Wendy and Me, also starring George Burns, who produced the show and appeared as the owner of the apartment building in which the young couple lives.

Next up for Harper were turns as the son of Jean Arthur...

Fans are drumming up support for a  "Garrison's Gorillas" TV movie based on the 1967 ABC TV series, featuring a "Dirty Dozen" scenario of training Allied prisoners for World War II military missions.

The original TV stories focused on a sordid group of 'wronged-guys', recruited from stateside prisons to use specialized criminal skills against the Third Reich during World War II.

The men were promised a parole at the end of the war if they made the grade. And if they lived. The alternative was an immediate return to prison. If they ran, they could expect execution for desertion.

The four main characters were con-man 'Actor' (Cesare Danova),  safecracker 'Casino' (Rudy Solari), cat burglar 'Goniff' (Christopher Cary) and native American 'Chief ' (Brendan Boone).

Led by West Pointer 'First Lt. Craig Garrison' (Ron Harper) from a secluded English mansion serving as a headquarters, the group ranged all over Europe in exploits...

"Garrison's Gorillas" was an ABC TV series broadcast 1967-1968, with a total of 26 hour-long episodes produced. The series was 'inspired' by the 1967 war action feature "The Dirty Dozen", which featured a similar scenario of training Allied prisoners for World War II military missions.

"Garrison's Gorillas" focused on a motley group of commandos recruited from stateside prisons to use their special skills against the Germans in World War II.

The men were promised a parole at the end of the war if they worked out. And if they lived. The alternative was an immediate return to prison. If they ran, they could expect execution for desertion.

The four main characters were the con-man 'Actor' (Cesare Danova), a safecracker 'Casino' (Rudy Solari), a cat burglar 'Goniff' (Christopher Cary) and a native American with a switchblade 'Chief (Brendan Boone').

Led by West Pointer 'First Lt. Craig Garrison' (Ron Harper) and headquartered in a secluded mansion in England,...