OSS 117
Encyclopedia
OSS 117 is the codename for Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath, a fictional secret agent
initially from the pen of the prolific Jean Bruce
. Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath is described as being an American Colonel
from Louisiana
of French descent. After service in the Office of Strategic Services
(OSS), de La Bath worked for the Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA), then the National Security Council
(NSC).
's James Bond 007 by four years.
The first OSS 117 film, OSS 117 N'est Pas Mort (OSS 117 Is Not Dead), was made in 1957 with Ivan Desny
as OSS 117.
Following Jean Bruce's death in a Jaguar car crash in 1963, the character continued in a successful Eurospy film series which was mostly directed by Andre Hunebelle
. The role was played initially by Kerwin Matthews, and then by Frederick Stafford
, with John Gavin
playing the role when Stafford was filming Alfred Hitchcock
's Topaz
.
Bruce's widow Josette Bruce continued the character in 1966 with 143 titles until her own death, whereupon the series was continued by her daughter (Martine Bruce) and Martine's half-brother François Bruce (Jean Bruce's son) with 24 titles. François and Martine are Jean Bruce's only children. The last published novel was O.S.S. 117 prend le large in 1992.
Recent films OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies
and OSS 117: Lost in Rio both recreated and parodied OSS 117.
In the real-life OSS, code number 117 was allocated to William L. Langer
, who was chief of the Research and Analysis Branch of the OSS.
Secret Agent
Secret Agent is a British film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, loosely based on two stories in Ashenden: Or the British Agent by W. Somerset Maugham. The film starred John Gielgud, Peter Lorre, Madeleine Carroll, and Robert Young...
initially from the pen of the prolific Jean Bruce
Jean Bruce
Jean Bruce born Jean Brochet on 22 March 1921 was a prolific French popular writer who died in 26 March 1963 in a car accident. He also wrote under the pseudonyms of Jean Alexandre, Jean Alexandre Brochet, Jean-Martin Rouan, and Joyce Lindsay....
. Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath is described as being an American Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
from Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
of French descent. After service in the Office of Strategic Services
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
(OSS), de La Bath worked for the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
(CIA), then the National Security Council
United States National Security Council
The White House National Security Council in the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials and is part of the Executive Office of the...
(NSC).
Novels
Bruce wrote 91 OSS 117 novels for the French publishing house Fleuve Noir Espionnage series beginning with Tu parles d'une ingénue (Ici OSS 117) in 1949, predating Ian FlemingIan Fleming
Ian Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer.Fleming is best known for creating the fictional British spy James Bond and for a series of twelve novels and nine short stories about the character, one of the biggest-selling series of fictional books of...
's James Bond 007 by four years.
The first OSS 117 film, OSS 117 N'est Pas Mort (OSS 117 Is Not Dead), was made in 1957 with Ivan Desny
Ivan Desny
Ivan Nikolai Desnitskij was a Russian actor born in China who worked for most of his life in Germany.-Career:Desny was a film/movie actor. He acted in more than 150 films, most of them German...
as OSS 117.
Following Jean Bruce's death in a Jaguar car crash in 1963, the character continued in a successful Eurospy film series which was mostly directed by Andre Hunebelle
André Hunebelle
André Hunebelle was a French director born September 1, 1896 in Meudon , died 27 November 1985 in Nice .Hunebelle was a former publisher of a French newspaper called La Fleché...
. The role was played initially by Kerwin Matthews, and then by Frederick Stafford
Frederick Stafford
Frederick Stafford was an Austrian-born actor.The Czech actor Frederick Stafford , who spoke fluent Czech, German, English, French and Italian, was a leading man in European spy-movies....
, with John Gavin
John Gavin
John Gavin is an American film actor and a former United States Ambassador to Mexico. Gavin is half Mexican and fluent in Spanish....
playing the role when Stafford was filming Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
's Topaz
Topaz (1969 film)
Topaz is a 1969 suspense film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It is a Cold War and spy story, adapted from the book of the same name by Leon Uris and closely based on the 1962 Sapphire Affair involving French SDECE spy Philippe Thyraud de Vosjoli who "ha[d] played a considerable part in helping...
.
Bruce's widow Josette Bruce continued the character in 1966 with 143 titles until her own death, whereupon the series was continued by her daughter (Martine Bruce) and Martine's half-brother François Bruce (Jean Bruce's son) with 24 titles. François and Martine are Jean Bruce's only children. The last published novel was O.S.S. 117 prend le large in 1992.
Recent films OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies
OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies
OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies is a French film directed by Michel Hazanavicius. It is a parody of the spy film genre. The film follows the exploits of a French secret agent, OSS 117, in Cairo in 1955.-Plot:...
and OSS 117: Lost in Rio both recreated and parodied OSS 117.
In the real-life OSS, code number 117 was allocated to William L. Langer
William L. Langer
William Leonard Langer was the chair of the history department at Harvard University and the World War II volunteer head of the Research and Analysis branch of the Office of Strategic Services...
, who was chief of the Research and Analysis Branch of the OSS.
Original movies
- OSS 117 n'est pas mort (OSS 117 is not dead), 1956, directed by Jean Sacha
- OSS 117 se déchaîne (OSS 117), 1963, directed by André HunebelleAndré HunebelleAndré Hunebelle was a French director born September 1, 1896 in Meudon , died 27 November 1985 in Nice .Hunebelle was a former publisher of a French newspaper called La Fleché...
- Banco à Bangkok pour OSS 117Banco à Bangkok pour OSS 117Banco à Bangkok pour OSS 117 released in the USA as Shadow of Evil is a 1964 French Eurospy spy-fi film. It was based on Jean Bruce's 1960 novel Lila de Calcutta, the 74th OSS 117 novel. It was the second OSS 117 film directed by André Hunebelle and produced by Paul Cadéac, the first in the series...
(Shadow of Evil or Panic in Bangkok), 1964, directed by André HunebelleAndré HunebelleAndré Hunebelle was a French director born September 1, 1896 in Meudon , died 27 November 1985 in Nice .Hunebelle was a former publisher of a French newspaper called La Fleché... - Furia à Bahia pour OSS 117Furia à Bahia pour OSS 117Furia à Bahia pour OSS 117 is a 1965 French Eurospy spy-fi film. It was the third OSS 117 film directed by André Hunebelle and produced by Paul Cadéac...
(OSS 117: Mission for a Killer), 1965, directed by André HunebelleAndré HunebelleAndré Hunebelle was a French director born September 1, 1896 in Meudon , died 27 November 1985 in Nice .Hunebelle was a former publisher of a French newspaper called La Fleché...
& Jacques Besnard - Atout coeur à Tokyo pour OSS 117Atout coeur à Tokyo pour OSS 117Atout coeur à Tokyo pour OSS 117 is a 1966 French Eurospy spy-fi film. It was the fourth OSS 117 film of the 1960s, directed by Michel Boisrond, presented by the director of the three previous 1960's OSS films, André Hunebelle and produced by Paul Cadéac...
(Terror in Tokyo), 1966, directed by Michel BoisrondMichel BoisrondMichel Jacques Boisrond was a French film director and writer... - Pas de roses pour OSS 117 (OSS 117 Double agent), 1968, directed by André HunebelleAndré HunebelleAndré Hunebelle was a French director born September 1, 1896 in Meudon , died 27 November 1985 in Nice .Hunebelle was a former publisher of a French newspaper called La Fleché...
, Renzo Cerrato & Jean-Pierre Desagnat - OSS 117 prend des vacances (OSS 117 takes a vacation), 1970, directed by Pierre KalfonPierre Kalfon-Selcted filmography:Director* OSS 117 prend des vacances * The Whip Producer* A Taste for Women * Cinq gars pour Singapour * Adelaide * The Palace of Angels -External links:...
- OSS 117 tue le taon [TV], 1971, directed by André Leroux
Parody movies
- OSS 117: Le Caire nid d'espions (OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of SpiesOSS 117: Cairo, Nest of SpiesOSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies is a French film directed by Michel Hazanavicius. It is a parody of the spy film genre. The film follows the exploits of a French secret agent, OSS 117, in Cairo in 1955.-Plot:...
), 2006, directed by Michel Hazanavicius - OSS 117: Rio ne répond plus (OSS 117: Lost in Rio), 2009, directed by Michel Hazanavicius