Dr. Maximus
Maximus, also known as Dr. Maximus, was a character in the original Planet of the Apes film played by Woodrow Parfrey. He is an orangutan, the highest caste of apes portrayed in the movie.
Maximus is introduced in the film by Dr. Zaius as the Commissioner for Animal Affairs ("Animal" meaning "Human" in the apes' lexicon), and he appears as part of the National Academy tribunal that presides over the hearing that accuses Cornelius and Zira of surgically enabling Taylor to speak, an accusation of "scientific heresy" as defined by Zaius.
In one of the movie's most noted scenes, Maximus covers his eyes as the three tribunal judges mime the "See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil" adage in one of the film's many satirical flourishes. According to the film's star, Charlton Heston, director Franklin Schaffner conceived the idea but was reluctant to film it, fearing it would be perceived as lowbrow and incongruous with the seriousness of the scene. [1]
I addition to playing Maximus, Parfrey appeared as the chimpazee Veska, the official who discovers the humans in the first episode of the TV series based on the film. Appearing in the first installments of both the film and TV series is a distinction he shares with Roddy McDowall. He and Norman Burton are the only actors who played two different types of apes in the franchise: both played chimps in the TV series; in the original film, Parfrey played an orangutan and Burton played the gorilla hunt leader.
Notes
- ^ Russo, Joe (2001). Planet of the Apes Revisited: The Behind-the-Scenes Story of the Classic Science Fiction Saga. St. Martin's Griffin. pp. pp71-72. ISBN 0312252390.
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