5 Fascinating Facts About ‘Planet Of The Apes’

The Wildest Behind The Scenes Secrets Of Planet Of The Apes

Take a fun look behind the scenes of Planet of the Apes and know about the surprising moments that shaped the classic film. These wild secrets show just how quirky and creative the movie’s production really was!

Lunchtime Led to Some Unintended Segregation

Something strange happened on set during lunch breaks. The actors started eating in groups based on the kind of ape they played. Humans sat with humans, chimps with chimps, gorillas with gorillas, and orangutans with orangutans. No one planned it, it just happened. Charlton Heston said, “I have no explanation for it whatsoever.”

A Makeup Test Helped Convince 20th Century Fox to Produce the Movie

Producer Arthur P. Jacobs had a tough time convincing the studio to make Planet of the Apes. Fox executive Richard Zanuck liked the idea but worried that the ape makeup would look silly. To prove it could work, Jacobs filmed a short test with Charlton Heston as Taylor and Edward G. Robinson as Dr. Zaius.

A Trip to a Deli Inspired the Ending

The movie’s shocking ending was born during lunch at a deli. Producer Arthur P. Jacobs and director Blake Edwards were stuck on how to end the story. In the book, the story happens on another planet, but Jacobs wanted something new. While eating, he suggested that Taylor might have been on Earth the whole time. As they left, they noticed a painting of the Statue of Liberty near the counter. That painting gave them the idea for the movie’s famous twist.

Rod Serling Wrote an Initial Draft That Featured a Contemporary City

Before the final version of the movie, The Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling wrote the first draft of the script. He imagined a modern ape world with cars, helicopters, and tall buildings, a lot like our own cities. Serling wrote about 30 versions in one year! But there was one big problem: the cost. His version was too expensive for the studio’s $5 million budget.

A Chimp Handed Makeup Artist John Chambers His Honorary Oscar

In 1969, there was no Oscar for makeup artists. But John Chambers’s work on Planet of the Apes was so amazing that he got a special award. His makeup made actors look just like real apes. During the Oscars, Walter Matthau introduced him on stage. Then a chimpanzee in a tuxedo came up and handed him the award.