Don Kaye May 23, 2019
How the insane Beneath the Planet of the Apes almost buried the series after two movies.
"In one of the countless billions of galaxies in the universe, lies a medium-sized star, and one of its satellites, a green and insignificant planet, is now dead."
With the original 1968 Planet of the Apes a huge smash at the box office -- it arguably saved 20th Century Fox from going bankrupt -- a meeting took place that included studio head Richard D. Zanuck, producer Arthur P. Jacobs, associate producer Mort Abrahams and Fox production exec Stan Hough. At some point the idea came up: why not make a sequel? As we’ve stated elsewhere, sequels at the time were not the big business they are today. But Planet of the Apes had clearly struck a nerve with audiences, and the open-ended nature of the movie’s ending offered the possibility of more material to explore.
How the insane Beneath the Planet of the Apes almost buried the series after two movies.
"In one of the countless billions of galaxies in the universe, lies a medium-sized star, and one of its satellites, a green and insignificant planet, is now dead."
With the original 1968 Planet of the Apes a huge smash at the box office -- it arguably saved 20th Century Fox from going bankrupt -- a meeting took place that included studio head Richard D. Zanuck, producer Arthur P. Jacobs, associate producer Mort Abrahams and Fox production exec Stan Hough. At some point the idea came up: why not make a sequel? As we’ve stated elsewhere, sequels at the time were not the big business they are today. But Planet of the Apes had clearly struck a nerve with audiences, and the open-ended nature of the movie’s ending offered the possibility of more material to explore.
- 5/28/2016
- Den of Geek
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. was one of the high profile TV series and feature films that Mort Abrahams was associated with.
Producer and film executive Mort Abrahams has died at age 93. Abrahams' impressive resume includes producing the hit TV series Route 66 as well as numerous episodes of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. His big screen credits include Planet of the Apes, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, The Chairman, Doctor Doolittle and The American Film Theatre feature films. Cinema Retro reader Rory Monteith has provided the following exclusive statement which he obtained from Mr. Abrahams' daughter-in-law:
"Mort Abrahams, the retired TV and movie producer, who produced the
original "Planet of the Apes," (and, I think, two of the others) passed
away in his Studio City home on May 28, 2009. I know this because I am
his daughter-in-law, and his widow just telephoned me. He died early
this morning, with his...
Producer and film executive Mort Abrahams has died at age 93. Abrahams' impressive resume includes producing the hit TV series Route 66 as well as numerous episodes of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. His big screen credits include Planet of the Apes, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, The Chairman, Doctor Doolittle and The American Film Theatre feature films. Cinema Retro reader Rory Monteith has provided the following exclusive statement which he obtained from Mr. Abrahams' daughter-in-law:
"Mort Abrahams, the retired TV and movie producer, who produced the
original "Planet of the Apes," (and, I think, two of the others) passed
away in his Studio City home on May 28, 2009. I know this because I am
his daughter-in-law, and his widow just telephoned me. He died early
this morning, with his...
- 5/30/2009
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Mort Abrahams, a producer and production executive on TV and film projects ranging from "Route 66" and "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." to "The Iceman Cometh" and "A Delicate Balance," died May 28 in Sherman Oaks of natural causes. He was 93.
As a producer at Music Corporation of America in the 1950s, Abrahams was an exec producer on early TV shows including "Suspicion," "Kraft Suspense Theatre" and "G.E. Theatre," hosted by Ronald Reagan.
For Herbert B. Leonard Prods. and ABC, he produced the on-the-road adventure "Route 66" in 1962-63 and the spy-themed "U.N.C.L.E." in 1964-65.
Abrahams left for Arthur Jacobs' Apjac Prods. in 1966 for a job as executive vp to handle production and/or writing chores on films such as "Doctor Dolittle" (1967), "Planet of the Apes" (1968), "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" (1969), "The Chairman" (1969) starring Gregory Peck and "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" (1970).
From 1969-71, he was vp in...
As a producer at Music Corporation of America in the 1950s, Abrahams was an exec producer on early TV shows including "Suspicion," "Kraft Suspense Theatre" and "G.E. Theatre," hosted by Ronald Reagan.
For Herbert B. Leonard Prods. and ABC, he produced the on-the-road adventure "Route 66" in 1962-63 and the spy-themed "U.N.C.L.E." in 1964-65.
Abrahams left for Arthur Jacobs' Apjac Prods. in 1966 for a job as executive vp to handle production and/or writing chores on films such as "Doctor Dolittle" (1967), "Planet of the Apes" (1968), "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" (1969), "The Chairman" (1969) starring Gregory Peck and "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" (1970).
From 1969-71, he was vp in...
- 5/29/2009
- by By Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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