Film producer Arthur P. Jacobs secured the rights to La Planète des singes after reading Pierre Boulle's novel. He immediately set about turning the idea into a viable and stunning movie adaptation. He commissioned artists to produce a series of drawings and sketches inspired by the novel, to be used as a visual basis for the movie: "I had sketches made, and went through six sets of artists to get the concept, but none of them were right. Finally, I hit on a seventh one, and said that's how it should look."
The aging Edward G. Robinson found it difficult to breathe in the make-up, and according to the film's make-up designer, John Chambers, the star refused to shave off his beard, making his ape transformation impossible. Jacobs had already been scheming to dump Robinson and replace him with someone cheaper and the row was just the excuse he needed. Robinson was paid off, the Welsh Shakespearean actor Maurice Evans was hired and Jacobs saved money. It was in no one's interest that the truth came out and it remained a secret for over thirty years.
The rest of the cast included Kim Hunter, Roddy McDowall, James Whitmore, James Daly and Linda Harrison. The formerly blacklisted Michael Wilson was credited as co-writer with Serling. New ape makeup was devised by John Chambers, who had developed his talents from his time creating prosthetic limbs for amputees during World War II and found success after the war in Hollywood designing the make up on TV shows. The set was designed by William Creber. To cut down costs the concept was altered so that the Ape society was not advanced and futuristic but rather primitive, with the apes living in mud huts. But a total of 200 actors were needed to play the Apes.
The rest of the cast included Kim Hunter, Roddy McDowall, James Whitmore, James Daly and Linda Harrison. The formerly blacklisted Michael Wilson was credited as co-writer with Serling. New ape makeup was devised by John Chambers, who had developed his talents from his time creating prosthetic limbs for amputees during World War II and found success after the war in Hollywood designing the make up on TV shows. The set was designed by William Creber. To cut down costs the concept was altered so that the Ape society was not advanced and futuristic but rather primitive, with the apes living in mud huts. But a total of 200 actors were needed to play the Apes.
