Ron Harper

Actor Ron Harper was by far not currently serving his television apprenticeship as a member of CBS's ‘Planet of the Apes' series. In fact, ‘Planet' happened to be Ron Harper's sixth time around. Ron was born in Turtle Creek, Pa., and attended Princeton University with the intention of pursuing a career in law. Acting slowly took over as his main ambition, and he eventually turned down a law fellowship at Harvard to study with New York's Lee Strasberg. Several successful runs on Broadway shows followed a series of appearances on such television dramas as ‘Studio One,' ‘Kraft Playhouse' and ‘Armstrong Circle Theatre.' In 1961, he was cast with Robert Lansing and Norman Fell in his first television series ‘87th Precinct.' During the next few seasons, Harper played Paul Marshall in the short-lived "Jean Arthur Show," and Connie Stevens' husband in the equally brief "Wendy and Me." Still another one-season run followed in the role of Lt. Craig Garrison of ‘Garrison's Gorillas' (1967.) In 1974, Harper appeared as Steve Prescott on the cancelled daytime serial Where the Heart Is. The 6'1" actor undoubtedly hoped Planet of The Apes would enjoy a long run, but it too was cancelled.