Jules Maigret
| Jules Maigret | |
|---|---|
 Bruno Cremer as Jules Maigret | |
| First appearance | The Strange Case of Peter the Lett |
| Last appearance | Maigret and Monsieur Charles |
| Created by | Georges Simenon |
| Portrayed by |
Charles Laughton Bruno Cremer Jean Gabin Jean Richard Gino Cervi Michael Gambon Rupert Davies Basil Sydney Maurice Denham Rowan Atkinson |
| Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Spouse(s) | Louise Léonard (m. 1912) |
| Nationality |
 French |
Jules Amedée François Maigret [ʒyl mɛɡʁɛ], simply Jules Maigret or Maigret to most people, including his wife, is a fictional French police detective, actually a commissaire or commissioner of the Paris "Brigade Criminelle" (Direction Régionale de Police Judiciaire de Paris), created by writer Georges Simenon.
Seventy-five novels and twenty-eight short stories about Maigret were published between 1931 and 1972, starting with Pietr-le-Letton (Pietr the Lett) and concluding with Maigret et Monsieur Charles (Maigret and Monsieur Charles). The Maigret stories were also adapted for television and radio.
Description
The character of Maigret was invented, but after the first few novels was influenced by Chief Inspector Marcel Guillaume, said to be the greatest French detective of his day, who became a long-time friend of Simenon.[1] Other recurring characters in the series include Maigret's wife Louise (usually referred to simply as "Madame Maigret") and in particular "The Faithful Four", a group consisting of his four loyal police colleagues (Sgt./Inspector Lucas, Janvier, Lapointe and Torrence).
Film and Television adaptations
The cinematic potential of Maigret was realized quickly: the first screen Maigret was Pierre Renoir in 1932's Night at the Crossroads, directed by his brother Jean Renoir; the same year brought The Yellow Dog with Abel Tarride, and Harry Baur played him in 1933's La Tête d'un homme, directed by Julien Duvivier.
Charles Laughton played the first English-language Maigret in the 1950 film, The Man on the Eiffel Tower (adapted from the 1931 novel La Tête d'un homme (A Man's Head)). The film co-starred Franchot Tone, Burgess Meredith and Wilfrid Hyde-White.
There have been numerous incarnations of Maigret on the small screen all around the world. He has been portrayed by French, British, Irish, Austrian, German, Italian, Dutch, Japanese and Russian actors.
In France, Jean Gabin played the part in three films. Another French version stars Bruno Cremer, who played him in 54 adaptations during 1991–2005. Jean Richard had an earlier long-running series playing the character on French television — however, Simenon himself is said to have disliked Richard's Maigret because he would not take his hat off when entering a room.
The Italian actor Gino Cervi played the character on Italian television, starting from 1964 up to 1972; Simenon himself considered Cervi's interpretation of the character to be possibly the best. This series resulted in 14 novels and 2 short stories being adapted: Maigret and the Spinster, To Any Lengths, Maigret's Christmas, A Battle of Nerves, Death of a Nobody, Death of a Harbour Master, The Old Lady of Bayeux, "Madame Maigret's Admirer", Maigret's Pipe, The Headless Corpse, "Maigret and the Surly Inspector", The Lock at Charenton, Maigret on the Defensive, Madman of Bergerac, Maigret and the Loner, and Maigret in Retirement.
In the Soviet Union Russian theater actor Boris Tenin portrayed Maigret in a number of TV films in the 1970s. In Soviet cinema, apart from Boris Tenin, Maigret was portrayed by cinema actors Vladimir Samoylov and Armen Dzigarkhanyan.
In Japan, Kinya Aikawa played Megure, a Japanese-born equivalent to the French Maigret, reinvented in a modern Japanese setting, in Tōkyō Megure Keishi,[2] a 25-episode TV Series aired from 14 April to 29 May 1978 on Asahi TV. Megure's wife was played by Etsuko Ichihara, who earned the praises of Simenon himself: "The best 'Madame Maigret' in my opinion, even including the French ones, was the 'Madame Maigret' on Japanese television. She was exactly right".[3]
The title role in the British Maigret TV series was played by the actor Rupert Davies who made his debut on 31 October 1960. Davies took over the part after Basil Sydney, who appeared as Maigret in the original transmitted pilot, proved unavailable due to ill-health. Davies went on to star in 52 adaptations for BBC TV in the 1960s. His portrayal won two of the highest accolades: his versions were dubbed into French and played across the Channel; and Simenon himself presented Davies with a novel inscribed to his "perfect Maigret". The theme tune to the TV series was composed by Ron Grainer. Granada Television produced an adaptation of Maigret for ITV in 1992 and 1993, in which Michael Gambon starred as Maigret. An earlier version (1988) on ITV cast Richard Harris in the lead role, with a somewhat idiosyncratic reading of the character.
Rowan Atkinson plays Maigret in Maigret for two TV-films made by ITV, co-starring Fiona Shaw. The first episode is based on Maigret Sets a Trap in which Maigret is in pursuit of a sadistic serial killer who targets brunette women who are walking through Montmartre after dark. The second is forthcoming later in 2016.
Radio adaptations
Maurice Denham played Chief Inspector Maigret in a series of half-hour dramatizations of the novels on BBC Radio 4 from 1992 to 2002, with Michael Gough playing Georges Simenon.
The format of each play would begin with Maigret and Simenon sitting together discussing some fact or event which would then lead into Maigret's recounting a particular case, with Simenon asking questions or commenting from time to time.
After Denham's death, the series was continued in 2003 with Nicholas Le Prevost playing a gruffer, more earthy Maigret and Julian Barnes playing Simenon.
Other appearances
Inspector Juzo Megure from Detective Conan is loosely based on Maigret, in both appearance and name. Both are police inspectors, and are known for wearing hats and overcoats. The rendering in the Japanese syllabary for Megure and Maigret is the same (me-gu-re; in other words, the names are pronounced the same in Japanese).
Maigret himself was also highlighted in volume 5 of the Detective Conan manga's edition of "Gosho Aoyama's Mystery Library", a section of the graphic novels where the author introduces a different detective (or occasionally, a villain) from mystery literature, television, or other media.
The character of Detective Marcel Guillame appears as a visiting investigator on the fourth season episode "Monsieur Murdoch" of "Murdoch Mysteries".
List of novels
List of Maigret novels by date of French-language publication.
| Title | Date | English title(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Pietr-le-Letton | 1931 | The Strange Case of Peter the Lett The Case of Peter the Lett Maigret and the Enigmatic Lett Pietr the Latvian |
| Le Charretier de la Providence | 1931 | The Crime at Lock 14 Maigret Meets a Milord Lock 14 The Carter of La Providence |
| M. Gallet décédé | 1931 | The Death of Monsieur Gallet Maigret Stonewalled The Late Monsieur Gallet |
| Le Pendu de Saint-Pholien | 1931 | The Crime of Inspector Maigret Maigret and the Hundred Gibbets The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien |
| La Tête d'un homme (L'Homme de la Tour Eiffel) | 1931 | A Battle of Nerves Maigret's War of Nerves A Man's Head |
| Le Chien jaune | 1931 | A Face for a Clue Maigret and the Concarneau Murders Maigret and the Yellow Dog The Yellow Dog |
| La Nuit du carrefour | 1931 | Maigret at the Crossroads Night at the Crossroads |
| Un Crime en Hollande | 1931 | A Crime in Holland Maigret in Holland |
| Au Rendez-vous des Terre-Neuves | 1931 | The Sailor's Rendezvous Maigret Answers a Plea The Grand Banks Cafe |
| La Danseuse du Gai-Moulin | 1931 | At the Gai Moulin Maigret at the Gai Moulin The Dancer at the Gai Moulin |
| La Guinguette à deux sous | 1932 | Guinguette by the Seine Maigret and the Tavern by the Seine Maigret to the Rescue A Spot by the Seine The Bar on the Seine The Two-Penny Bar |
| L'Ombre chinoise | 1932 | The Shadow in the Courtyard Maigret Mystified The Shadow Puppet |
| L'Affaire Saint-Fiacre | 1932 | Maigret and the Countess The Saint-Fiacre Affair Maigret Goes Home Maigret on Home Ground |
| Chez les Flamands | 1932 | The Flemish Shop Maigret and the Flemish Shop The Flemish House |
| Le Port des brumes | 1932 | Death of a Harbour Master Maigret and the Death of a Harbor Master The Port of Shadows The Misty Harbour |
| Le Fou de Bergerac | 1932 | The Madman of Bergerac |
| Liberty Bar | 1932 | Liberty Bar Maigret on the Riviera |
| L'Écluse no. 1 | 1933 | The Lock at Charenton Maigret Sits It Out Lock No. 1 |
| La femme rousse | 1933 | The Redhead |
| Maigret | 1934 | Maigret Returns Maigret |
| La Maison du juge | 1940 | Maigret in Exile |
| Les Caves du Majestic | 1942 | Maigret and the Hotel Majestic The Hotel Majestic |
| Cécile est morte | 1942 | Maigret and the Spinster Cecile is Dead |
| Signé Picpus | 1944 | To Any Lengths Maigret and the Fortuneteller Signed, Picpus |
| Félicie est là | 1944 | Maigret and the Toy Village Félicie |
| L'Inspecteur Cadavre | 1944 | Maigret's Rival Inspector Cadaver |
| Maigret se fâche | August 1945 | Maigret in Retirement |
| Maigret à New York | March 1946 | Maigret in New York Inspector Maigret in New York's Underworld Maigret in New York's Underworld |
| Les Vacances de Maigret | November 1947 | A Summer Holiday No Vacation for Maigret Maigret on Holiday Maigret's Holiday |
| Maigret et son mort | January 1948 | Maigret's Dead Man Maigret's Special Murder |
| La Première enquête de Maigret, 1913 | October 1948 | Maigret's First Case |
| Mon ami Maigret | February 1949 | My Friend Maigret The Methods of Maigret |
| Maigret chez le coroner | July 1949 | Maigret at the Coroner's |
| L'Amie de Mme Maigret | December 1949 | Madame Maigret's Own Case Madame Maigret's Friend The Friend of Madame Maigret |
| Les Mémoires de Maigret | September 1950 | Maigret's Memoirs |
| Maigret et la vieille dame | December 1950 | Maigret and the Old Lady |
| Maigret au "Picratt's" | December 1950 | Maigret and the Strangled Stripper Maigret in Montmartre Inspector Maigret and the Strangled Stripper |
| Maigret en meublé | February 1951 | Maigret Takes a Room Maigret Rents a Room |
| Maigret et la grande perche | May 1951 | Inspector Maigret and the Burglar's Wife Maigret and the Burglar's Wife |
| Maigret, Lognon et les gangsters | September 1951 | Inspector Maigret and the Killers Maigret and the Gangsters |
| Le Revolver de Maigret | June 1952 | Maigret's Revolver |
| Maigret et l'homme du banc | 1953 | Maigret and the Man on the Boulevard Maigret and the Man on the Bench The Man on the Boulevard |
| Maigret a peur | March 1953 | Maigret Afraid |
| Maigret se trompe | August 1953 | Maigret's Mistake |
| Maigret à l'école | December 1953 | Maigret Goes to School |
| Maigret et la jeune morte | January 1954 | Inspector Maigret and the Dead Girl Maigret and the Young Girl |
| Maigret chez le ministre | August 1954 | Maigret and the Minister Maigret and the Calame Report |
| Maigret et le corps sans tête | January 1955 | Maigret and the Headless Corpse |
| Maigret tend un piège | July 1955 | Maigret Sets a Trap |
| Un Échec de Maigret | March 1956 | Maigret's Failure |
| Maigret s'amuse | September 1956 | Maigret's Little Joke None of Maigret's Business |
| Maigret voyage | August 1957 | Maigret and the Millionaires |
| Les Scrupules de Maigret | December 1957 | Maigret Has Scruples |
| Maigret et les témoins récalcitrants | October 1958 | Maigret and the Reluctant Witnesses |
| Une Confidence de Maigret | May 1959 | Maigret Has Doubts |
| Maigret aux assises | November 1959 | Maigret in Court |
| Maigret et les vieillards | June 1960 | Maigret in Society |
| Maigret et le voleur paresseux | January 1961 | Maigret and the Lazy Burglar Maigret and the Idle Burglar |
| Maigret et les braves gens | September 1961 | Maigret and the Black Sheep |
| Maigret et le client du samedi | February 1962 | Maigret and the Saturday Caller |
| Maigret et le clochard | May 1962 | Maigret and the Dosser Maigret and the Bum |
| La Colère de Maigret | June 1962 | Maigret Loses His Temper |
| Maigret et le fantôme | June 1963 | Maigret and the Ghost Maigret and the Apparition |
| Maigret se défend | July 1964 | Maigret on the Defensive |
| La Patience de Maigret | March 1965 | The Patience of Maigret Maigret Bides His Time |
| Maigret et l'affaire Nahour | February 1966 | Maigret and the Nahour Case |
| Le Voleur de Maigret | November 1966 | Maigret's Pickpocket Maigret and the Pickpocket |
| Maigret à Vichy | September 1967 | Maigret Takes the Waters Maigret in Vichy |
| Maigret hésite | January 1968 | Maigret Hesitates |
| L'Ami d'enfance de Maigret | June 1968 | Maigret's Boyhood Friend |
| Maigret et le tueur | April 1969 | Maigret and the Killer |
| Maigret et le marchand de vin | September 1969 | Maigret and the Wine Merchant |
| La Folle de Maigret | May 1970 | Maigret and the Madwoman |
| Maigret et l'homme tout seul | February 1971 | Maigret and the Loner |
| Maigret et l'indicateur | June 1971 | Maigret and the Flea Maigret and the Informer |
| Maigret et Monsieur Charles | February 1972 | Maigret and Monsieur Charles |
List of short stories
List of Maigret short stories by date of publication.
| Title | Date | English title(s) |
|---|---|---|
| "Une erreur de Maigret" | 1938 | "Maigret's Mistake" |
| "L'amoureux de Madame Maigret" | 1938 | "The Stronger Vessel" "Madame Maigret's Admirer" |
| "Stan le tueur" | 1938 | "Stan the Killer" |
| "L'Auberge aux noyés" | 1938 | "The Inn of the Drowned" "The Drowned Men's Inn" |
| "La péniche aux deux pendus" | 1938 | "The Barge with Two Hanging Bodies" "Inspector Maigret Thinks" "Dead Man's Barge" "Two Bodies on a Barge" |
| "L'affaire du Boulevard Beaumarchais" | 1938 | "The Affair of the Boulevard Beaumarchais" "The Mysterious Affair in the Boulevard Beaumarchais" |
| "Monsieur Lundi" | 1938 | "Mr. Monday" "Inspector Maigret Hesitates" |
| "Jeumont, 51 minutes d'arrêt" | 1938 | "Jeumont, 51 Minutes Wait!" "Inspector Maigret Deduces" "Jeumont, 51 Minutes Stop" |
| "Les larmes de bougie" | 1938 | "Journey Into Time" "Journey Backward Into Time" "Death of a Woodlander" |
| "Rue Pigalle" | 1938 | "Rue Pigalle" "Inspector Maigret Investigates" "In the Rue Pigalle" |
| "La vieille dame de Bayeux" | 1938 | "The Old Lady of Bayeux" |
| "L'Étoile du Nord" | 1938 | "At the Étoile du Nord" |
| "Tempête sur la Manche" | 1938 | "Storm in the Channel" "Storm over the Channel" |
| "Mademoiselle Berthe et son amant" | 1938 | "Maigret and the Frightened Dressmaker" "Mademoiselle Berthe and her Lover" |
| "L'improbable Monsieur Owen" | 1938 | "The Unlikely Monsieur Owen" |
| "Ceux du Grand Café" | 1938 | "The Group at the Grand-Café" |
| "Le Notaire du Châteauneuf" | 1938 | "Inspector Maigret and the Missing Miniatures" "The Three Daughters of the Lawyer" |
| "La fenêtre ouverte" | 1938 | "The Open Window" "Inspector Maigret Smokes His Pipe" |
| "L'Homme dans la rue" | 1939 | "The Man on the Run" "Inspector Maigret Pursues" "The Man in the Street" |
| "Vente à la bougie" | 1939 | "Under the Hammer" "Inspector Maigret Directs" "Sale by Auction" |
| "Menaces de mort" | 1942 | "Death Threats" |
| "La pipe de Maigret" | June 1945 | "Maigret's Pipe" |
| "Le témoinage de l'enfant de choeur" | 1946 | "Elusive Witness" "According to the Altar Boy" "Crime in the Rue Sainte-Catherine" "The Evidence of the Altar-Boy" |
| "Le client le plus obstiné du monde" | May 1946 | "The Most Obstinate Man in Paris" "The Most Obstinate Customer in the World" "The Most Obstinate Man in the World" |
| "Maigret et l'inspecteur malgracieux" | May 1946 | "Maigret and the Surly Inspector" |
| "On ne tue pas les pauvres types" | August 1946 | "Death of a Nobody" |
| "Sous peine de mort" | November 1946 | "Inspector Maigret's War of Nerves" "Death Penalty" |
| "Un Noël de Maigret" | May 1950 | "Maigret's Christmas" |
References
External links
- Simenon's Maigret (bibliography, statistics, online texts, links)
- Maigret at the Internet Movie Database
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