Planet of the Apes (1968 film) was written by someone from America.
Michael Wilson ( July 1 , 1914 -- April 9 , 1978 ) was an American screenwriter who was blacklisted by the Hollywood film studios during the era of McCarthyism for being a communist . Wilson was born and raised Roman Catholic in McAlester , Oklahoma . Planet of the Apes (1968 film) . 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 .