The Only Major Actors Still Alive From The Original Planet Of The Apes Movie
1968's "Planet of the Apes" is one of the most legendary sci-fi movies in cinematic history. Co-written by Rod Serling of "The Twilight Zone" fame and directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, it spawned a franchise that is still going strong to this day.
It all started, however, with the story of astronauts landing on a mysterious planet filled with intelligent apes, only to discover that they were actually on Earth in the distant future. Led by Charlton Heston, the film boasted an incredible cast — not to mention some legendary practical makeup effects that helped bring the apes to life. Unfortunately, when a film is more than 50 years old, not many people from the cast are going to be around any longer. Luckily, a couple of key cast members are indeed still here to help keep the legacy alive.
Linda Harrison (Nova)
Linda Harrison, who played Nova in the original "Planet of the Apes" as well as the sequel "Beneath the Planet of the Apes," is still alive and well at 78 years old. Harrison maintained a career in Hollywood throughout the '80s, while appearing sporadically in movies and TV shows in the '90s and beyond. She also kept up her connections to the franchise by appearing in a cameo role in Tim Burton's 2001 "Planet of the Apes" remake.
Some of Harrison's other noteworthy roles include her stint on the TV show "Bracken's World," "Airport 1975," and Ron Howard's sci-fi classic "Cocoon." Harrison also reprised her role as Susan in 1988's "Cocoon: The Return." She is set to return with her first new role in decades in "Midnight Massacre," which is currently in post-production. For a time during her career, she went under the moniker Augusta Summerland, appearing in shows like "Switch" and "Barnaby Jones" under that name.
In 2008, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of "Planet of the Apes," Harrison was awarded the Maria Honorifica at the Festival Internacional de Cinema Fantàstic de Catalunya to honor her career. Outside of her work in Hollywood, Harrison operated a consignment shop in Berlin called Harrison's Peach Tree.
Lou Wagner (Lucius)
Lou Wagner, who played the ape Lucius in "Planet of the Apes," is also still alive and, as of this writing, is 75 years old. Wagner was a key part of the film and, though he never reprised the role, he did have a brief cameo as a busboy in 1972's "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes," maintaining his connection to the series.
Wagner has maintained a career in movies and television, spanning more than five decades dating back to his roles on series like "The Jean Arthur Show" and "Lost in Space." Aside from "Apes," Wagner is best known for his recurring role on the TV show "CHiPs" as Harlan Arliss. It ran from 1978 to 1983, with his character appearing in more than 80 episodes. Wagner also appeared on several episodes of "Dragnet 1967," taking on different roles during his run.
The actor has also appeared in several other hit movies, most notably 1970's "Airport." But Wagner has found a lot of luck on the small screen, having also appeared in episodes of "Star Trek" on both "The Next Generation" and "Deep Space Nine." He has stayed busy in his later years, with recurring roles on shows like "The Millers" and "Raising Hope." His most recent feature was 2022's "Doula," which also stars Chris Pine and Amanda Walsh.