Talking Monkey Movies

Caesar and his primate pals aren’t the only ones with something to say.  Here are 10 of our favorite silver-tongued simians to grace the big screen.

Some of the animals in the 2011 hit 'Zookeeper' break their code of silence to help their friend Griffin (Kevin James) find love.  Bernie the Gorilla (voiced by Nick Nolte) breaks his to order some appetizers at TGI Friday's.

The Dreamworks classic 'Madagascar' features not one but two talking primates — the loveable chimps Mason and Phil.  While only one of the pair uses words (Phil speaks only in sign language), both of these loveable chimps use their gift of gab with hilarious results.

When the cute critters of 'Ice Age: Continental Drift' are separated from their friends by a continental cataclysm, Manny vows to return them safely. The evil pirate Captain Gutt, however, has something to say (literally) about that!

Long before Eddie Murphy was talking to the animals, Sir Rex Harrison donned the stethoscope to chat up the animal kingdom in the original 'Dr. Dolittle'. Chee Chee the Monkey was one of his favorite cohorts in conversation.

Talking gorillas are funny. Gorillas that speak with a British accent are comedy gold, especially when that accent comes from the voice of John Cleese. His name might not have been in the title but the scene-stealing simian “Ape” was the breakout star of the laugher 'George of the Jungle'.

In the thriller 'Congo', a special backpack and glove translate Amy the Gorilla’s sign language into a digitized voice. While she may not actually be “speaking,” her handler Dr. Peter Elliott (Dylan Walsh) hears her wish to return to her jungle home loud and clear.

Animated movies are ripe (a banana reference, get it) with talking primates...but only a few of them can belt out a tune. That's why the booming baritone of 'The Jungle Book's King Louie makes him one of our favorite chortling chimps.

Voiced by Robert Guillaume, Rafiki from Disney’s 'The Lion King' is such a skilled speaker, he's not only Pride Rock's resident shaman, he's also the movie's narrator. With an uncanny ability to offer sage advise in times of need, when Rafiki talks, animals (and audiences) listen!

This one's more of a talking gorilla suit than an actual talking gorilla. That said, when Jim Belushi starts hollering pick-up lines from behind his monkey mask, we hang on every hilarious word.

Long before Andy Serkis and motion capture, there was Roddy McDowall and six hours in the makeup chair. With its groundbreaking makeup and effects, it's easy to see why audiences went ape for the original 1968 classic.