Roddy McDowall

Roderick Andrew Anthony Jude McDowall (17 September 1928 – 3 October 1998) was a British and American actor, whose career spanned over 270 screen and stage roles across over 60 years. Born in London, he began his acting career as a child in his native England, before moving to the United States at the outbreak of World War II. He achieved prominence for his starring roles in How Green Was My Valley (1941), My Friend Flicka (1943), and Lassie Come Home (1943). Unlike many of his contemporaries, McDowall managed to evolve from child star into an adult performer and appeared on Broadway as well as in films, winning a Tony Award for his performance in Jean Anouilh's The Fighting Cock. For portraying Octavian in the historical epic Cleopatra (1963), he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

McDowall played Cornelius and Caesar in the original Planet of the Apes film series, as well as Galen in the short-lived spin-off television series. His other notable films included Orson Welles' Macbeth (1948), The Longest Day (1962),Cleopatra (1963),The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), That Darn Cat! (1965), Inside Daisy Clover (1965), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971), The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Funny Lady (1975), The Black Hole (1979), Fright Night (1985) and its sequel Fright Night Part 2 (1988), Overboard (1987), Shakma (1990) and A Bug's Life (1998). He was a frequent guest star on many television series, and won an Emmy Award for a 1961 episode of NBC Sunday Showcase.

McDowall served in various positions on the Board of Governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Selection Committee for the Kennedy Center Honors, contributing to various charities related to the film industry and film preservation. He was a founding Member of the National Film Preservation Board in 1989, and represented the Screen Actors Guild on that Board until his death. Aside from his acting career, McDowall was active as a photographer and journalist, particularly of celebrities. For his contributions to the film and television industry, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.