Miles O'Keeffe

Miles O'Keeffe (born June 20, 1954) is a television and movie actor. O'Keeffe got his first big break playing the title role in the 1981 version of Tarzan, the Ape Man.

Youth

O'Keeffe was born in Ripley, Tennessee. A star football athlete, he attended the United States Air Force Academy and played halfback on the freshman football team in 1972. However, in 1973 he transferred to Mississippi State University under a football scholarship, playing as an offensive lineman. During this time, he bulked up to 240 lb (110 kg). Subsequently, he transferred to University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee and became a small college All-American playing both tight end and linebacker.

After studying political science and psychology, O'Keeffe became a prison counselor in the Tennessee penal system for a year or two where he became manager of playground activities and inmate weightlifting programs. He left for California to play in a semi-professional rugby team, before becoming involved with Hollywood.