Roddy McDowall

The man whose name is the most synonymous with the original Planet Of The Apes series is Roderick Andrew Anthony Jude McDowall (born 17th September 1928, died 3rd October 1998). Roddy appeared as Cornelius in Planet Of The Apes (1968), Beneath The Planet Of The Apes (1970) - in a cameo appearance in the pre-title sequence only - and Escape From The Planet Of The Apes (1971); as Caesar in Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes (1972) and Battle For The Planet Of The Apes (1973); and as Galen in the Planet Of The Apes TV series (1974). He was a prolific child actor, first appearing at the age of 10 in the British comedy drama Yellow Sands. At the age of 12 he played Huw Morgan in How Green Was My Valley (1941). Among his best-known adult appearances were in the movies Cleopatra (1963), The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), The Poseidon Adventure (1972), The Legend Of Hell House (1973), Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (1974) and Fright Night (1985). Also a familiar face in over eighty television dramas from the 1950s to the 1990s, including Columbo, Batman, Mission: Impossible, Barnaby Jones, Hart To Hart, Mork And Mindy, Fantasy Island, Matlock and Quantum Leap. He continued to appear on film, stage and television until his death, age 70, from lung cancer in 1998.

Batman (1966)

Fright Night (1985)