Gaston Leroux(1868-1927)
- Writer
- Additional Crew
A native of Paris, France, a poet, journalist and novelist, Gaston
Leroux is known for his many creative horror stories, including
"Rouilable", "The Haunted Chair" and "The Wax Mask", but is probably
best known for his work "The Phantom of the Opera", which became
Leroux's prize possession. He wrote the novel in 1908 about a
disfigured man who dresses in masks and capes and terrorizes the Paris
Opera House while falling in love with the leading lady. "The Phantom
of the Opera" was based much upon Leroux's own experiences. During his
early years as a journalist in the late 1800s, Leroux spent time going
the Paris Opera House and watching performances, and was influenced by
Charles Gounod's opera "Faust", about a
man who sells his soul to the devil. On one occasion, the chandelier
which featured in the opera fell into the audience by accident.
Combining the singers, Faust and the chandelier together, Leroux
created "The Phantom of the Opera".
In 1923, Carl Laemmle, head of the new
Universal Pictures in Hollywood, produced a film of the novel,
The Phantom of the Opera (1925),
with Lon Chaney in the lead. Leroux was
impressed by this, but two years later he died. Since that time, "The
Phantom of the Opera" has become so popular it has inspired five
feature remakes, one in 1943
Phantom of the Opera (1943)),
another in 1962
(The Phantom of the Opera (1962)
and again in 1989
(The Phantom of the Opera (1989)).
A television version was also made
(The Phantom of the Opera (1983))
and then a remake made in 1999
(The Phantom of the Opera (1998)).
The most recent remake is
Joel Schumacher's
The Phantom of the Opera (2004),
produced and cast by
Andrew Lloyd Webber, with
Gerard Butler,
Emmy Rossum and
Patrick Wilson, three quite
unknown actors, rather than
Michael Crawford and
Sarah Brightman, the original actors of
the Broadway show. The novel was also made into a major London and
Broadway stage musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Gaston Leroux will
forever be remembered for "The Phantom of the Opera".
Leroux is known for his many creative horror stories, including
"Rouilable", "The Haunted Chair" and "The Wax Mask", but is probably
best known for his work "The Phantom of the Opera", which became
Leroux's prize possession. He wrote the novel in 1908 about a
disfigured man who dresses in masks and capes and terrorizes the Paris
Opera House while falling in love with the leading lady. "The Phantom
of the Opera" was based much upon Leroux's own experiences. During his
early years as a journalist in the late 1800s, Leroux spent time going
the Paris Opera House and watching performances, and was influenced by
Charles Gounod's opera "Faust", about a
man who sells his soul to the devil. On one occasion, the chandelier
which featured in the opera fell into the audience by accident.
Combining the singers, Faust and the chandelier together, Leroux
created "The Phantom of the Opera".
In 1923, Carl Laemmle, head of the new
Universal Pictures in Hollywood, produced a film of the novel,
The Phantom of the Opera (1925),
with Lon Chaney in the lead. Leroux was
impressed by this, but two years later he died. Since that time, "The
Phantom of the Opera" has become so popular it has inspired five
feature remakes, one in 1943
Phantom of the Opera (1943)),
another in 1962
(The Phantom of the Opera (1962)
and again in 1989
(The Phantom of the Opera (1989)).
A television version was also made
(The Phantom of the Opera (1983))
and then a remake made in 1999
(The Phantom of the Opera (1998)).
The most recent remake is
Joel Schumacher's
The Phantom of the Opera (2004),
produced and cast by
Andrew Lloyd Webber, with
Gerard Butler,
Emmy Rossum and
Patrick Wilson, three quite
unknown actors, rather than
Michael Crawford and
Sarah Brightman, the original actors of
the Broadway show. The novel was also made into a major London and
Broadway stage musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Gaston Leroux will
forever be remembered for "The Phantom of the Opera".