17/09/2026
Roddy McDowall spent more than sixty years on screen—yet generations remember entirely different versions of him.
He was the sensitive boy from How Green Was My Valley, the loyal friend in Lassie Come Home and the unforgettable soul beneath the makeup in Planet of the Apes.
Unlike many child stars, Roddy never disappeared when adulthood arrived. He became Octavian in Cleopatra, Peter Vincent in Fright Night and a familiar presence across film, television and Broadway. Behind the camera, he was also a gifted photographer whose portraits preserved the private faces of many Hollywood friends.
Whether audiences saw his face or only his eyes beneath layers of prosthetics, Roddy brought intelligence, gentleness and humanity to every character.
Remembering Roddy McDowall on his heavenly 98th birthday.
Which role introduced you to him: Huw Morgan, Cornelius, Caesar or Peter Vincent?