Dr. Zaius

Dr. Zaius
Planet of the Apes character
Maurice Evans as Dr. Zaius
First appearance	Planet of the Apes (1963)
Last appearance	Return to the Planet of the Apes (1975)
Created by	Pierre Boulle
Portrayed by	Original series Maurice Evans Television series Booth Colman
Voiced by	Richard Blackburn
In-universe information
Species	Evolved orangutan
Occupation	Politician

Dr. Zaius is a fictional character from the Planet of the Apes franchise, first appearing in Pierre Boulle's 1963 novel Planet of the Apes. He appears in the first two films of the franchise, where he is portrayed by Maurice Evans, in the television series, where he is played by Booth Colman, and in the animated series, where he is voiced by Richard Blackburn.

Dr. Zaius serves as the primary antagonist of the original film. Dr. Zaius is an orangutan politician and member of the Ape National Assembly, as well as Minister of Science and Chief Defender of the Faith. He is aware of the true origins of the ape society, and the reason why humanity fell as the dominant species, but does not wish the other apes to learn of this fact.

Development

Dr. Zaius first appeared in Pierre Boulle's 1963 novel La Planete des singes, published in English as Planet of the Apes. During a makeup test for the 1968 film of the same name, Edward G. Robinson portrayed Dr. Zaius. For the film itself, Maurice Evans was cast to play the character. Evans reprised his role in the first sequel, Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970).

Character biography

In Planet of the Apes, Zaius is the Minister of Science and Chief Defender of the Faith, which grants him access to ancient scrolls not privy to the ape masses. Zaius knows the true origins of the ape society, how humanity fell as the dominant species, and the reasons why the "Forbidden Zone" is so named, and he blames human nature for it all. Zaius prefers an ignorant ape culture to the scientifically open one posed by Cornelius and Zira. Intelligent humans like Taylor (and human technology) cause Zaius to fear another downfall, along with the possibility of a human resurgence. Zaius destroys the archaeological findings of human artifacts predating the ape society. Zaius' actions are to protect the world from humanity, but he has respect for Taylor, advising him not to pursue the mystery as to how the apes evolved from humans because it will not help him and he may not like what he discovers.

In Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Zaius leaves on a military expedition with General Ursus to invade the "Forbidden Zone" and meets Taylor once more, in a showdown between the gorillas and a mutant human race living underground in the Zone. Taylor tries to keep the mutants from activating a Doomsday bomb, being shot in the process by gorillas. Mortally wounded, Taylor begs Zaius to help him stop the bomb; Zaius refuses, declaring "Man is evil, capable only of destruction!" In Taylor's last dying moments, his hand accidentally falls on the bomb's triggering mechanism, causing it to activate and destroy Earth.

In the television series, Councillor Zaius serves as a government official, with authority over all the humans in his district. The young chimpanzee Galen becomes his new assistant, but becomes a fugitive with two human astronauts Virdon and Burke, fleeing from Zaius and his gorilla enforcer, General Urko.

In popular culture

In the 1996 The Simpsons episode "A Fish Called Selma", an animated version of Dr. Zaius appears, voiced by Hank Azaria, during a stage production of a musical entitled Stop the Planet of the Apes, I Want to Get Off!, starring recurring character Troy McClure in the Charlton Heston role from the original film.