<P> Boulle's literary agent Allain Bernheim brought the novel to the attention of American film producer Arthur P. Jacobs, who had come to Paris looking for new properties to adapt with his new company, APJAC Productions . To explain his interests, Jacobs had mentioned to agents, "I wish King Kong hadn't been made so I could make it ." Bernheim initially approached Jacobs about a Françoise Sagan novel, which Jacobs turned down . Remembering Jacobs' earlier comment about King Kong, Bernheim mentioned La Planète des Singes, not expecting Jacobs would be interested . However, the story intrigued Jacobs, who bought the film rights immediately . </P> <P> After optioning the novel's film rights, Arthur P. Jacobs spent over three years trying to convince filmmakers to take on the project . He hired a succession of artists to create test sketches, and hired veteran television writer Rod Serling, creator of The Twilight Zone, to pen the script . Serling's script changed elements of Boulle's novel, introducing Cold War themes; notably he wrote a new twist ending that revealed the planet to be a future Earth where humans had destroyed themselves through nuclear warfare . As production costs were estimated at over $10 million, no studio in either Hollywood or Europe would assume the risk . Jacobs and associate producer Mort Abrahams persevered, and eventually persuaded Charlton Heston to star; Heston in turn recommended director Franklin J. Schaffner . The team recorded a brief screen test featuring Heston, which ultimately convinced 20th Century Fox the film could succeed . </P> <P> Fox insisted on changes to reduce the budget to a more manageable $5.8 million . The producers hired veteran writer Michael Wilson, who had previously adapted Boulle's novel The Bridge over the River Kwai, to rewrite Serling's script . To save on special effects costs, Wilson's script described an ape society more primitive than that which appeared in the novel . The new script changed much of the plot and dialogue, but retained the Cold War themes and Serling's ending . John Chambers created the innovative makeup effects . </P> <P> Heston played 20th - century American astronaut George Taylor, who travels to a strange planet where intelligent apes dominate mute, primitive humans . Kim Hunter and Roddy McDowall played the sympathetic chimpanzees Zira and Cornelius, and Linda Harrison portrayed Taylor's love interest Nova . Maurice Evans played the villain, orangutan science minister Dr. Zaius . The finale, in which Taylor comes upon a ruined Statue of Liberty and realizes he has been on Earth all along, became the series' defining scene and one of the most iconic images in 1960s film . The film was released on February 8, 1968, and was a smash success with both critics and audiences, breaking contemporary box office records and earning rave reviews . John Chambers received an honorary Oscar at the 41st Academy Awards for his make - up effects, the first ever given to a make - up artist . Jerry Goldsmith's score and Morton Haack's costume design also earned Oscar nominations . Fox approached Jacobs and Abrahams about filming a sequel . Though they had not made the film with sequels in mind, its success led them to consider the prospect . </P>

Who did the make up for planet of the apes