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Joseph Rouletabille

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Joseph Rouletabille is a fictional character created by Gaston Leroux, a French writer and journalist.

This illustration by Simont appeared on October 19, 1907 on the cover of the French newspaper L'Illustration.

Overview

In the first novel, The Mystery of the Yellow Room, Rouletabille solves an attempted murder in a locked room mystery. The book reveals that Rouletabille is the nickname of 18-year-old journalist Joseph Josephin, who was raised in a religious orphanage in Eu, a small town near Fécamp.

It the novel Rouletabille's meets Ballmeyer, an international criminal of great repute and many identities (a character possibly inspired by fictional Arsène Lupin). As Jean Roussel, Ballmeyer married a rich American heiress, Mathilde Stangerson, the Lady in Black of the second novel.

(The second novel has a dating problem: the first is stated as taking place in 1892, yet the sequel is stated as taking place in 1905 and three years later. Perhaps 1902 is a more acceptable date for the first novel.)

Ballmeyer returns in The Perfume of the Lady in Black at the end of the story, which takes place in a castle on the French Riviera. Soon afterwards, Rouletabille is summoned to Russia by the Czar, where he solves a murder at the Imperial Court.

Then there is a break. The next novel takes place contemporaneously, circa 1914. The fearless journalist marries the beautiful Ivana Vilitchkov and defeats the mad Turkish warlord Gaulow.

In Rouletabille chez Krupp, Rouletabille became a French secret agent and infiltrates the Krupp factories. This is one of the earliest espionage thrillers. Rouletabille saves Paris from being annihilated by a German missile.

In Le Crime de Rouletabille, the detective is almost framed for Ivana's murder. Then, in Rouletabille chez les Bohémiens, he helps recover a sacred book stolen from the Gypsies.

Books

  1. Le Mystère de la Chambre Jaune (The Mystery of the Yellow Room) (serial. in L'Illustration, 1907; rep. Lafitte, 1908)
  2. Le Parfum de la Dame en Noir (The Perfume of the Lady in Black) (serial. in L'Illustration, 1908; rep. Lafitte, 1909)
  3. Rouletabille chez le Tsar (Rouletabille and the Czar) (serial. in L'Illustration, rep. Lafitte, 1913). Reprinted as The Secret of the Night in the U.S.
  4. Rouletabille à la Guerre (Rouletabille at War) (serial. in Le Matin, 1914; rep. as 2 vols.: Le Château Noir (The Black Castle) and Les Étranges Noces de Rouletabille (The Strange Wedding of Rouletabille), Lafitte, 1916)
  5. Rouletabille chez Krupp (Rouletabille at Krupp's) (serial. in Je Sais Tout, 1917; rep. Lafitte, 1920)
  6. Le Crime de Rouletabille (The Crime of Rouletabille) (serial. in Je Sais Tout, 1921; rep. Lafitte, 1923)
  7. Rouletabille chez les Bohémiens (Rouletabille and the Gypsies) (serial. in Le Matin, 1922; rev. Lafitte, 1923)

Authorized Sequels by Noré Brunel:

  1. Rouletabille contre la Dame de Pique (Rouletabille vs. The Queen of Spades) (serial. in Le Soir, 1947)
  2. Rouletabille Joue et Gagne (Rouletabille Plays and Wins) (serial. in Le Soir, 1947)

Films

  • Le Mystère de la Chambre Jaune (Fr.; B&W., 905 meters, 1913) with Marcel Simon (Rouletabille).
  • Le Parfum de la Dame en Noir (Fr.; B&W., 1220 meters, 1914) with Maurice Le Féraudy (Rouletabille).
  • The Mystery of the Yellow Room (US; B&W., 1900 meters, 1919).
  • Rouletabille chez les Bohémiens (Fr.; B&W., 8000 meters, 1922) with Gabriel de Gravone (Rouletabille).
  • Le Mystère de la Chambre Jaune (Fr.; B&W., 108 min., 1931) with Roland Toutain (Rouletabille).
  • Le Parfum de la Dame en Noir (Fr.; B&W., 109 min., 1931) with Roland Toutain (Rouletabille).
  • Rouletabille Aviateur (Fr.; B&W., 100 min., 1932) with Roland Toutain (Rouletabille).
  • Repülö arany (Hu.; B&W., 1932): alternative Hungarian language version of Rouletabille Aviateur.
  • 'Rouletabille Joue et Gagne (Fr.; B&W., 95 min., 1947) with Jean Piat (Rouletabille).
  • El Misterio del Cuarto Amarillo (Argentina; B&W., 82 min., 1947).
  • Rouletabille contre la Dame de Pique (Fr.; B&W., 88 min., 1948) with Jean Piat (Rouletabille).
  • Le Mystère de la Chambre Jaune (Fr.; col., 90 min., 1949) with Serge Reggiani (Rouletabille).
  • Le Parfum de la Dame en Noir (Fr.; col., 109 min., 1931) with Serge Reggiani (Rouletabille).
  • Le Mystère de la Chambre Jaune (Fr.; col., 118 min., 2003) with Denis Podalydes (Rouletabille).
  • Le Parfum de la Dame en Noir (Fr.; col., 115 min., 2005) Denis Podalydes (Rouletabille).

Television

  • Le Mystère de la Chambre Jaune (ORTF 1, B&W., 90 min., November 27, 1965) with Claude Brasseur (Rouletabille).
  • Le Parfum de la Dame en Noir (ORTF 1, B&W., ten 15-min. eps., March 3-14, 1966) with Philippe Ogouz (Rouletabille).
  • Rouletabille chez le Tsar (ORTF 1, B&W., ten 15-min. eps., March 17-30, 1966) with Philippe Ogouz (Rouletabille).
  • Rouletabille chez les Bohémiens (ORTF 1, B&W., ten 15-min. eps., March 31-April 13, 1966) with Philippe Ogouz (Rouletabille).

Comics

  • Rouletabille (32 issues, Éditions Aventures & Voyages/Mon Journal, 1965-67) After a fairly faithful adaptation of the original novels in the early issues, Rouletabille was suddenly transplanted to the 1960s, where he fought enemy spies, etc. With No. 12, Rouletabille merged with its sister magazine Rocambole and became Rocambole et Rouletabille. However, the two characters never met.
  • Rouletabille, written by Claude Moliterni and drawn by Eugenio Sicomoro, the first three published by Dargaud:
    1. Le Crâne de Cristal (1985)
    2. La Momie Écarlate (1987)
    3. Le Singe d'Or (1989)
    4. Sida Connection (Bagheera, 1993)
  • Rouletabille written by André-Paul Duchateau, drawn by Bernard C. Swysen, published by Claude Lefrancq:
    1. Le Fantôme de l'Opéra (Rouletabille meets The Phantom of the Opera) (1989)
    2. Le Mystère de la Chambre Jaune (1990)
    3. Le Parfum de la Dame en Noir (1991)
    4. La Poupée Sanglante (1992)
    5. La Machine à Assassiner (1993)
    6. L'Épouse du Soleil (1994)
    7. Le Trésor du Fantôme de l'Opéra (1996)

Radio

The Secret of the Yellow Room was adapted, fairly faithfully, for BBC Radio Four around 1999, with a far looser adaptation of The Perfume of the Woman in Black following around a year later.

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