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).

In Michel Hazanavicius's films of the 2000s, the character is a French citizen working for the Service de Documentation Extérieure et de Contre-Espionnage, the French intelligence agency from 1944 to 1982 (now DGSE).

In real-life OSS, code number 117 was allocated to William L. Langer, who was chief of the Research and Analysis Branch of the OSS.

Novels and films

Bruce wrote 88 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 Fleming's James Bond 007 by four years. After Jean Bruce died in a car accident in 1963, his wife Josette Bruce (signing as "J.Bruce") wrote 143 OSS 117 novels before retiring in 1985. Starting in 1987, Bruce's daughter Martine and her husband François wrote 23 more OSS 117 books. The last published novel was O.S.S. 117 prend le large in 1992.

Gianfranco Plenizio

Gianfranco Plenizio (born 10 January 1941) is an Italian conductor, composer, pianist and essayist.

Life and career

Born in Sedegliano, Plenizio studied piano with Enrico De Angelis Valentini and conduction under Franco Ferrara. After his debut as a pianist, he focused on conducting; among others, he conducted the London Symphony Orchestra, the Santa Cecilia Orchestra, the Orquesta Nacional de España, the Orchestre de chambre de Genève and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. Active as a film score composer, he collaborated with notable directors such as Federico Fellini, Billy Wilder, Mario Monicelli, Pietro Germi, Ermanno Olmi. Plenizio is also active as an author of essays, mainly focusing on history of music.

Selected filmography

Carole André

Carole André (born 11 March 1953) is a French film actress. She appeared in 34 films between 1967 and 1991, including two films screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

Selected filmography

References

External links

Angelo Infanti

Angelo Infanti (16 February 1939 – 12 October 2010) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in over 90 films between 1961 and 2010. He was born on 16 February 1939 in Zagarolo, Italy. He died on 12 October 2010 in Tivoli, Italy due to cardiac arrest.

He is perhaps best known to non-Italian audiences as Fabrizio in The Godfather. Fabruzzio was a bodyguard to Michael Corleone who was hiding in Sicily. Fabrizio betrays Michael by setting up explosives in his car, but kill his new bride instead. In the novel, Fabrizio is later shot dead in revenge for killing Michael, but this did not appear in the film.

Filmography

OSS 117 - Double Agent

OSS 117 - Double Agent is a 1968 Eurospy film about agent OSS 117, starring John Gavin.

It was also known as OSS 117: Murder for Sale or No Roses for OSS 117 (Pas de Roses pour OSS 117).

Production

Frederick Stafford did not reprise his role as he was filming Alfred Hitchcock's Topaz and was replaced by John Gavin.The film used an idea of having the hero undergo plastic surgery to fool his enemies, an idea discarded by the film On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) that was being filmed at the same time.

The film was shot in Rome and Tunisia. It was known during production as No Roses for Robert.

Reception

The film was only a moderate success at the box office in France and was not released in the US despite Gavin's presence in the lead role. However the film did help Gavin be cast - briefly - as James Bond in Diamonds Are Forever (1971).

References

External links