Planet of the Apes (1968 film) was written by an American named Rod Serling.
Planet of the Apes (1968 film) . The screenplay by Michael Wilson and Rod Serling was loosely based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des Singes by Pierre Boulle . The script was originally written by Rod Serling , but underwent many rewrites before filming eventually began . Rodman Edward `` Rod '' Serling ( December 25 , 1924 -- June 28 , 1975 ) was an American screenwriter , playwright , television producer , and narrator known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science-fiction anthology TV series , The Twilight Zone .