MONKEY BUSINESS ON THE "PLANET OF THE APES"

Three fugitives: Virdon (Ron Harper), Galen (Roddy McDowell) and Burke (James Naughton) in the short lived but warmly regarded PLANET OF THE APES series. Images: FOX.

Respected French author Pierre Boulle may have considered his simian sci-fi conceptual novel MONKEY PLANET as a mere flight of fancy, and one of his lesser works, but I doubt even he could have predicted just how massive a success his ideas would soon be by the time that shrewd and aspiring ex-movie publicist Arthur P. Jacobs brought the rights to the book and went on to unleash an entire franchise juggernaut from its pages onto the world with the premiere of the first, and best, PLANET OF THE APES movie in 1968. Here was a game-changing, intriguing and very well produced film that grabbed the audiences imaginations in a big way-a world (a future Earth, no less!) where devolved Man was no longer the dominant species, and now enslaved by more superior evolved primates- which would go on to spawn four further sequels of a consistently enjoyable high standard, two memorable, if short-lived, weekly TV series (one animated, one live-action), and two further big screen re-imaginings twenty five plus years later (the latest, RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, due in cinemas later this month. Trailer: ‪Rise of the Planet of the Apes Official Trailer 2011 HD‬‏ - YouTube). Beyond these fine projects, there's also the notable phenomenon it would spawn in the area of worldwide merchandise sales, pulling in a lot of revenue for its studio backers TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX in a difficult time and era of movie making in the early to mid-seventies that was pre-STAR WARS euphoria and the cash-cow blockbusters it would later go on to inspire, like today's TRANSFORMERS and HARRY POTTERs...

The ultimate Ape: Roddy McDowell returns to the Simian universe as the Human friendly Galen.

Future-tense. Burke and Virdon pose for a series publicity image.

The first signs of APES continued durability beyond the movies would be proven in 1974, when, with the early three films being shown for the first time on the US CBS TV network to smash audience viewing figures, the channel, working in association with FOX, decided that a weekly series of brand new small-screen adventures involving the strange world and its inhabitants might be the key to further fresh ratings success. Arthur P. Jacobs Productions would soon assemble a notable writing team for the quickly initiated mid-season series (to debut September 1974), including the likes of acclaimed TWILIGHT ZONE author Rod Serling (who penned the original film adaptation, with Michael Wilson, of APES in 1968, but whose original pilot episodes for the series would sadly be abandoned (presumably for cost reasons)), Art Wallace (who wrote several adventures plus what would become the filmed opening episode), Edward J. Lasko, and Anthony Wilson (who created the series overall format, which was very similar to what was seen in the first APES movie, where crash-landed humans from the future would be captured by the Apes and then, escaping with the help of a friendly chimpanzee, Galen, travel their new world in order to find a possible long buried technology that might help them get back to the Earth of their time period), whilst producers Stan Hough and Herbert Hirshman assembled strong directorial talent which, in the past, had been used to working in the not always easy avenues to embrace of science fiction film-making, including Don Weiss, Ralph Senensky and STAR TREK's ex-Producer John Meredyth Lucas. Knowing that one of the reasons why the original APES films had been so successful was down to its inspired casting of well known character actors within the monkey make-ups, it was immediately recognised that the series had to acquire the talents once more of the excellent British character actor Roddy McDowall, who had previously played friendly scientist Cornelius and then revolutionary leader Caesar in four of the film series. Initially reluctant to return to the world of APES, and its lengthy behind the scenes make-up periods every day, McDowall, a well-liked professional, caved in when he saw the series possible potential and how strong the paychecks were going to be.  Playing the heroic human fugitives alongside him would be two solid actors who gelled well with McDowell: Ron Harper as the sturdy and practical Colonel Alan Virdon, and, as his humorously laconic, wise cracking but no less determined astronaut partner, Burke, popular rising star James Naughton. Pursuing them almost every week, within a series history time-frame set after the BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES but before the first PLANET OF THE APES movies, where Humans hadn't yet become mute savages, would be the ambitious and blood thirsty Gorilla warrior, Urko (brilliantly played by Mark Lenard, most well known to audiences for his roles in hit series like MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, as well as iconically playing Mister Spock's Vulcan father, Sarek, in the original STAR TREK series and three of its later movies), with his cadre of (mostly dumb) troopers, and aided by clever Orangutang Apes scientist, Dr. Zaius (here played by British actor Booth Colman rather than he had been in the movies by Maurice Evans).

Mark Lenard gives one of his best performances as the trio's brutish relentless pursuer, Urko.

Keeper of the sacred scrolls of Ape knowledge, Dr. Zaius (Booth Colman)

Despite a promising start, fine guest star support (including the likes of John Ireland, a very young pre-V Marc Singer and HUMAN TARGET's Jackie Earle Haley, Sondra Locke, and Morgan Woodward), eerie and exciting music by MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE's Lalo Schifrin, and some very good production values (the Apes make-ups, originally created by Make-up legend John Chambers, look as impressive as ever, even now after all these years) and picturesque exterior filming (by legendary STAR TREK cinematographer Jerry Finnerman) out on the lovely FOX estate parks (where the original APES movies had all been made to varying degrees), the series, which had three or four exceptional episodes, was never really allowed to stretch its wannabe ambitious legs too much within its format, and soon died a death in the ratings as viewers realised that it seemed to be staying on course as yet another version of THE FUGITIVE, but with Ape pursuers. Cancelled after fourteen episodes (one of which, The Liberator, was controversially not aired in its first run in the States due to its story centering on a poison gas then being talked about for real in the American Congress), PLANET OF THE APES, despite the wounds of cancellation by December 1974, would be a huge success worldwide with TV audiences (especially in the UK, where it was a prime time ratings winner for the ITV channel in its Sunday evening time slot in 1975, and then in repeats on CHANNEL FOUR in the early nineties) and, as well as being re-packaged into compilation feature films for US TV screenings in the early eighties (which had specially filmed intros and closings by Roddy McDowall in costume as Galen ( Planet of the Apes Old Galen 1981 TV Wraps 5A - YouTube and Planet of the Apes Old Galen 1981 TV Wraps 5B - YouTube ) , would continue to help FOX's merchandising profits for years to come with the series and film action figures, accessories, bubble gum cards, novels, long running and distinctive MARVEL comics and British annuals which it quickly spawned (in the UK there was also a very dedicated fan club that lasted for several years). The APES grasp on the TV viewing audiences would continue on a short time later in 1975 with an acclaimed for its time continuing story-arc dramatic cartoon series from PINK PANTHER animators DePATIE-FRELENG, RETURN TO THE PLANET OF THE APES. That too would ultimately prove short-lived, but the legacy of the franchise would persevere, of which, for years after, rumours would emerge of a new film to come from FOX, eventually a reality as a boldly controversial "re-imagining" of the original 1968 film from producer/keeper of the APES legacy, Richard D. Zanuck, alongside quirky modern film stylist/director Tim Burton.

With the upcoming movie about to unleash a fresh new look and attitude to the movie series that will hopefully be successful for modern audiences, it seems like we'll all be "Going Ape" for a long time to come!


Here's a look at KOOL TV 's favourite episodes from the series:

The quest begins for our heroes...

ESCAPE FROM TOMORROW. Stranded on an Earth where men are enslaved by Apes, astronauts Burke and Virdon emerge from their crash-landed ship and are soon captured by the Simian leaders for interrogation, but are helped to escape their city by a friendly chimpanzee, Galen. This episode is a fine, fast paced start to the series.

Burke and Urko must join forces to survive in The Trap.

Human and Ape opponents converge in a dead city, in The Trap.

THE TRAP. Pursued by the Apes into a dead city, Burke, fighting Urko, fall into the remains of a San Francisco Subway station where, having almost been buried alive, they must form an unlikely alliance to escape. An episode well remembered by fans, THE TRAP has a strong script by Edward Lasko and a terrific performance from Mark Lenard that makes it a must-see.

Virdon, once more a captive of Urko and Zaius,

Urko and Zaius discover dangerous Human technology in The Legacy.

THE LEGACY. Exploring the ruins of another dead city, Virdon and Burke discover a hologram message from long dead Human scientists that may help them discover knowledge on their current predicament and how to return to their own time.

An Ape new world for Zaius, Galen and Urko in this posed promotional image.

THE DECEPTION. As our heroic trio attempt to trap a band of violent, marauding Ape Dragoons, the blind daughter of a friendly ape, Fauna, falls in love with Burke, unaware that he is human. As well as the solid action B plot, this episode features a touching performance from Jane Actman as Fauna.

The pursuit continues by Urko and his ape soldiers.

THE HORSE RACE. A fun episode combining humour and drama, as Virdon takes part in a horse race for an Ape Prefect against Urko's challenger steed. But, as we all know by now, Urko never plays fair or by the rules...

A promotional image of James Naughton as Burke.

THE INTERROGATION: Burke is captured and, watched by an enthusiastic Urko, undergoes a brutal form of Ape brainwashing by a Doctor keen to experiment further with the process...

Where Man once stood supreme, now rule the Apes!  A memorable image from the series nightmare-ish title sequence.

For more info on the series, check out this great website: Planet of the Apes: The Sacred Scrolls


The entire series of PLANET OF THE APES is now available on DVD from TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX.