Gaston Leroux facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gaston Leroux
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Leroux in 1907
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| Born | Gaston Louis Alfred Leroux 6 May 1868 Paris, France |
| Died | 15 April 1927 (aged 58) Nice, France |
| Occupation | Journalist, author |
| Nationality | French |
| Notable works | The Phantom of the Opera |
Gaston Louis Alfred Leroux (born May 6, 1868 – died April 15, 1927) was a French journalist and author. He is famous for writing exciting detective fiction and mystery novels.
In countries where English is spoken, Leroux is best known for his spooky novel The Phantom of the Opera. This book was first published in 1910. It has been turned into many popular movies and stage shows. Some famous versions include the 1925 film starring Lon Chaney and Andrew Lloyd Webber's amazing 1986 musical. Another one of his well-known books is The Mystery of the Yellow Room (1907). It's a classic example of a "locked-room mystery" where a crime happens in a seemingly impossible way.
Contents
Life and career
Gaston Leroux was born in Paris, France, in 1868. He later passed away in Nice in 1927. After finishing school in Normandy, he moved back to Paris. There, he studied law and became a lawyer in 1889.
In 1890, Leroux started working as a court reporter for a newspaper called L'Écho de Paris. This meant he reported on court cases. He also wrote reviews about plays and shows. Later, he became an international correspondent for the newspaper Le Matin. This job took him to many different countries. He even reported on the 1905 Russian Revolution.
Leroux stopped being a journalist in 1907. He then started writing fiction books. In 1919, he even started his own film company with Arthur Bernède. They published novels and turned them into movies.
His first mystery novel was Le mystère de la chambre jaune (1908). This book introduced his clever amateur detective, Joseph Rouletabille. Many people compare Leroux's detective stories to those written by Arthur Conan Doyle (who created Sherlock Holmes) in the United Kingdom and Edgar Allan Poe in the United States.
Leroux's most famous book, The Phantom of the Opera, first appeared in parts in a newspaper from 1909 to 1910. It was then published as a full book in 1910. An English version came out in 1911. For his achievements, Leroux was given a special award called the Chevalier de la Legion d'honneur in 1909.
Famous Novels
Gaston Leroux wrote many exciting novels. Here are some of his most famous works and series.
The Adventures of Rouletabille
This series features the young and brilliant detective, Joseph Rouletabille. He solves mysteries that seem impossible.
- The Mystery of the Yellow Room (1907): This is the first book in the series. It's a famous "locked-room mystery."
- The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1908): Another exciting adventure for Rouletabille.
- The Secret of the Night (1913): Rouletabille travels to Russia to solve a new mystery.
Chéri Bibi
This series follows the adventures of Chéri Bibi, a character who often finds himself in thrilling and dangerous situations.
- The Floating Prison (1913): The first book about Chéri Bibi.
- Missing Men: The Return of Cheri-Bibi (1916): More adventures of Chéri Bibi.
Other notable novels
Leroux also wrote many other standalone novels that became very popular.
- The Phantom of the Opera (1910): His most famous work, a gothic horror story set in the Paris Opera House.
- Balaoo (1911): A unique story about a clever baboon.
Film adaptations
Many of Gaston Leroux's novels have been turned into movies and TV shows. His stories were perfect for the early days of cinema.
- Films based on The Phantom of the Opera: Many movies have been made from this classic story.
- Films based on the Rouletabille novels: The adventures of Joseph Rouletabille also made their way to the big screen.
- Balaoo (1913): This short film was based on his novel about the baboon.
- Alsace (1916): Based on a play Leroux co-wrote.
- The Wizard (1927): Another film based on the novel Balaoo.
- The Phantom of Paris (1931): This movie was based on one of his Chéri-Bibi novels.
Images for kids
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Still of Lon Chaney in The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
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Poster of the film adaptation of Balaoo in 1913
See also
In Spanish: Gaston Leroux para niños
