OSS 117

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).

Novels

Bruce wrote 91 OSS 117 novels for the French publishing house Fleuve Noir Espionnage series^[1] beginning with Tu parles d'une ingénue (Ici OSS 117) in 1949, predating Ian Fleming'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.^[2]

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.^[3]

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.^[4]

Movie Adaptations

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 Hunebelle
• Banco à Bangkok pour OSS 117 (Shadow of Evil or Panic in Bangkok), 1964, directed by André Hunebelle
• Furia à Bahia pour OSS 117 (OSS 117: Mission for a Killer), 1965, directed by André Hunebelle & Jacques Besnard
• Atout coeur à Tokyo pour OSS 117 (Terror in Tokyo), 1966, directed by Michel Boisrond
• Pas de roses pour OSS 117 (OSS 117 Double agent), 1968, directed by André Hunebelle, Renzo Cerrato & Jean-Pierre Desagnat
• OSS 117 prend des vacances (OSS 117 takes a vacation), 1970, directed by Pierre Kalfon
• 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 Spies), 2006, directed by Michel Hazanavicius
• OSS 117: Rio ne répond plus (OSS 117: Lost in Rio), 2009, directed by Michel Hazanavicius

References

1. ^ Brantonne
2. ^ Blake, Matt & Deal, David The Eurospy Guide Luminary Press 2004
3. ^ p. 60 Williams, Nicola France Lonely Planet 2007
4. ^ p. 543 Dulles, Allen Welsh, Petersen Neal H. From Hitler's Doorstep: The Wartime Intelligence Reports of Allen Dulles 1996, Penn State Press

External links

• OSS 117: Cairo Nest of Spies movie official website
• Jean Bruce website
• OSS117 is not dead original American trailer, Youtube.com
• OSS 117: Cairo Nest of Spies IMDb Page