Roddy McDowall, best remembered for his role as Caesar in the original Planet of the Apes film series, died of lung cancer on October 3, 1998, at his home. The actor, who reportedly died peacefully, was honored with a rose garden named after him at the Motion Picture Retirement Home. Born on September 17, 1928, in Hearn Hill, London, McDowall was the son of Winifred Lucinda and Thomas Andrew McDowall. He had an older sister named Virginia, and he studied at Saint Joseph’s College in Upper Norwood before beginning his career as a child model.
McDowall appeared in several British films at a young age, including Scruffy in 1938 and Just William in 1940. When World War II prompted his family to move to the United States in 1940, he quickly became an American citizen and continued his acting career there. He became a famous teen actor after starring in How Green Was My Valley alongside Maureen O’Hara. Other notable childhood films included On the Sunny Side in 1942, Lassie Come Home in 1943, and The Keys of the Kingdom in 1944.
That same year, he was named the “Star of Tomorrow” after a string of blockbuster appearances. McDowall shifted to theater in 1946, appearing in productions such as Young Woodley and Macbeth. He signed a contract with Monogram Pictures to star in two films each year during the 1950s, while also branching out into television with roles on Celanese Theater, Robert Montgomery Presents, General Electric Theater, Playhouse 90, and The Twilight Zone. He achieved significant success on Broadway as well, with notable productions including Miss Alliance in 1953, Diary of a Scoundrel in 1956, and Good as Gold in 1957.
In 1960, he starred in The Fighting, which earned him a Tony Award. The 1960s saw McDowall continue stage work while making a Hollywood comeback. His popular appearances included the musical Camelot from 1960 to 1963, along with films like The Tempest in 1960 and Lord Love a Duck in 1966. On television, he appeared in The Alfred Hitchcock Hour and Run for Your Life.
In 1968, he took on the role of an ape in Planet of the Apes. By 1970, he had debuted as a director with The Ballad of Tam Lin. Throughout the 1970s, he appeared in several movies, including Escape from the Planet of the Apes in 1971, The Elevator in 1974, and Mean Johnny Barrows in 1976. He landed a recurring role in the sci-fi series The Fantastic Journey in 1977 and worked on other TV series such as Wonder Woman, Hart to Hart, and Mork & Mindy.
In the 1980s, he chose more television roles and appeared in successful shows like The Martian Chronicles in 1980, Mae West in 1982, and Alice in Wonderland in 1985. By the late 1980s, McDowall began focusing on voiceover work, a path he continued until his death. During the 1990s, he starred in more than 20 movies and voiced for 10 series. His most popular works from that period include Deadly Game in 1991 and Loss of Faith in 1998.
His final projects were voice roles in the movie A Bug’s Life and the Godzilla TV series, both released in 1998. Beyond acting and directing, McDowall was also a respected photographer. He published five books of photographs featuring his co-stars and friends, including Judy Garland, Lauren Bacall, Elizabeth Taylor, Maureen O’Hara, and Katharine Hepburn. McDowall never married and said his commitment was to his career, his friends, and his extensive collection of movie memorabilia.
He did not publicly speak about ever being in a relationship. Several authors and friends have stated that he was possibly homosexual but refrained from discussing it publicly.