Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes

Arthur P. Jacobs is a former press agent (Gregory Peck, Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly were among his clients) who started in the film business as a studio messenger, determined that some day he would be a producer. He achieved this dream with "What A Way To Go!" and followed this hilarious comedy with the costliest musical ever filmed, "Doctor Dolittle," with Rex Harrison in the title role. He will film "The Chairman," a suspense espionage story starring Frank Sinatra, for 20th Century-Fox later this year and is also at work on a musical version of "Goodbye, Mr. Chips," to star Peter O'Toole and Petula Clark.

J. Lee Thompson directed Jacobs' first picture, "What A Way To Go," and "The Chairman," as well as such other hits as "Guns of Navarone." A Britisher, he started his career as an actor in "Young Mr. Woodley" in 1931. Two years later he became a successful author, and starred in his own play, "Double Error," in London's West End. He learned film editing under David Lean, and became a director with a string of Jack Buchanan comedies lensed in London.

Paul Dehn, who is one of Britain's busiest writers, created the screenplays for "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" and "Escape From The Planet Of The Apes" prior to scripting the current film.