Taylor: Taylor is the main charater of Planet of the Apes. He also happens to be one of my favorite characters in the movie. Taylor was played by Charlton Heston who is an actor I admire quite a bit. Anyway, Taylor is an astronaut who has become frustrated with humanity and seeks to get away from it, by accepting the mission to go to another planet. He is very cynical and sarcastic throughout most of the movie, but he is also a man that is easy to relate to. He is thrown into a completely alien and maddening situation, yet somehow manages to defy all that is thrown at him and survive.Played by Charlton Heston
Dr. Zauis: Doctor Zauis is the closest thing there is to a bad guy in this movie. I really didn't like his character. But the actor who playe him did a good job at portraying him. Dr. Zauis is the Minister of Science in Ape City. When he finds out about the existence of Taylor is he horrified. The existence of Taylor challenges everything he believes in. He does whatever he can to deny Corenlius's findings and Taylor's intelligence. Dr. Zauis is one of the few apes who knows the truth that the Apes founded their civilization on the ashes of humanity. If all the apes found out about this they would begin to question their religion and consequently the good doctor himself. Doctor Zauis is self-serving and arrogant, he is one of those characters that you love to hate.Played by Maurice Evans
Cornelius:
Cornelius is a pretty cool ape, a chimp to be exact. He is an archeaologist and works for the Ministry of Science which is run by Doctor Zauis. He is married to Zira who is vet which specializes in humans. Cornelius and Zira are happily married. Being chimps they are also by nature fairly liberal. That is why they decide to take in Taylor. Cornelius is very intrigued by Taylor. Taylor's story helps support some of Cornelius's theories. Cornelius had been excavating a human dwelling that suggested that humans were once intelligent. Cornelius is a very open minded and and unselfish.Played by Roddy McDowell
Dr. Zira:Doctor is the kindest and most understanding characters in the movie. She decides to take a chance on a strange human and helps take care of him even though she is risking her own career by doing so. That was pretty courageous on her part. But she also must have been very curious, or she never would have had the courage to do such a thing. Played by Kim Hunter.
General Ursus: There isn't a great deal to say General Ursus. He is the classic military stereo type character. He is a gorilla and so therefore had to be in the army. He is rather oafish, right-wing, and not very bright. He is the kind of guy who likes to shot first and ask questions later.
Nova: Every male POTA fan's favorite character, the ever silent Nova. Nova said only one word total in both the movies she played in, which was "Taylor".Nova was just a primitive human Zira brought to Taylor as a companion. Taylor seemed to like her and took her with him when he busted out of jail. In Beneath I think Nova was supposed to be a symbol that humans still weren't complete animals and that they could learn things.