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OSS-117

oss117_polereact oss117_troubleintokyo oss117_hightreason oss117_deadsilence OSS1171 oss117_softsell OSS117_deepfreeze oss117_shocktactics oss117_coffin oss117_flashpoint OSS117_shockwave oss117_coldspell oss117_photofinish oss117_striptease oss117_topsecret oss117_lastquarter OSS117_doubletake
 
Full Name: Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath
Codename: OSS-117
Nationality: American
Organization: CIA
Occupation Agent
Creator: Jean Bruce
Time Span: 1954 - 1968

ABOUT THE SERIES

OSS-117 is an agent for the CIA.

His proper name is Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath. Born to wealthy parents, he knew he could have found a way out of serving in combat during WWII but that was something he would never consider. Not only did he insist on serving, he took the incredibly dangerous job of working behind enemy lines for the OSS. He was assigned the codenumber of 117 in that organization and had earned the rank of Colonel by the time the war ended and his services were no longer needed.

Returning to the States, he considered entering the family business or looking for something to do elsewhere but the creation of the new CIA was too big of a draw to him and he knocked on its door offering his skills. With no hesitation he was accepted and even given the chance to continue to use his previous designation while working for the Agency.

As the series begins, the CIA is still very young and so is Hubert, though only in years. As the years pass and the adventures mount, the agent ages as well but not at the same rate. OSS-117 remains a dynamic, dangerous agent who is known for being extremely ruthless when needed and to whom the toughest, most dangerous jobs are routinely given. He would have it no other way.

Regardless of where the action takes de La Bath, he has the confidence to feel at ease and, if he cannot blend in necessarily, he certainly can be confident he has the agility and the intelligence to survive. This is vital because in the many dozens of assignments he is given over the years, there is really no place on the planet that he has not found himself at least once, sometimes more often.

BOOKS

Number of Books:255
First Appearance:1954
Last Appearance:1968

The OSS-117 series were originally written in French. Out of the 240+ published casefiles, only a handful were translated into English, and just a couple made it to the U.S.

The authorship of the adventures is an interesting matter for it became a family affair. The creator and initial writer was prolific author Jean Bruce, a man who wrote under several pseudonyms and in several different genres though action thrillers were his forte. The fact that his wealthy, suave, dashing, and dangerous hero came out 4 years before Ian Fleming published the first Bond adventure is worth noting.

M.Bruce had scribed nearly 90 adventures (one source indicates 90+) when he died in a car accident in 1963, producing around one new thriller every two months. With his death the series came to an abrupt end, at least for a couple of years. In 1966, the publishers and his widow, Josette Bruce, decided that she would continue the series and for the next 19 years, she kept the agent quite busy with an even greater output. Upon her retirement, the grown children of the Bruce's took up the writing and continued for another 24 adventures.

In addition to the impressive number of adventures, there have been several movies made of the agent. The first, OSS 117 Is Not Dead, was releasted in 1956. In the mid 60's five action adventure movies were released, at least two of which were released in English (?dubbed?). One starred John Gavin, an actor who had been strongly considered for taking Sean Connery's role as Bond. Two more movies were done in the early 70's.

In 2006 and 2009, two parody action films were made with the hero being played more as a satire than as a serious spy. Both did well though how they were received by fans of the books is not known.

* One book lists OSS-117's family home as being in Boston while online sites refer to his lineage as being from Louisiana French aristocracy.

Listed in the Books section are those adventures which have been translated into English. Listed immediately below are the books I have discovered in Wikipedia. There had been an excellent website devoted to OSS-117 complete with publishing schedules and cover art but apparently that site has gone down.

Note: A very good introduction to OSS 117 can be found at the excellent spy blog Dougle O Section.

Note 2: One of the French books, Contact Impossible, has been listed on one occasion as being also in English but I have never found evidence of that.

Nr   French Title (Translation)

Adventures By Jean Bruce, Written From 1949 To 1963:
1. Ici OSS 117 Talk About A Naive (Here Is OSS 117)
2. OSS 117 Et Force Noire (OSS 117 And Force Black)
3. OSS 117 Joue Le Jeu (OSS 117 Plays The Game)
4. Faut Pas S'Y Fier (Should Not Be Relied Upon) - Peter Larne
5. Romance De La Mort (Romance Of Death)
6. Ne Jouez Pas Avec Les Filles (Do Not Play With Girls) - Peter Larne
7. Cadavre Au Détail (Corpse Retail)
8. OSS 117 Appelle (OSS 117 Calls)
9. Trahison (Betrayal)
10. Contact Impossible (Unable To Contact)
11. Piège Dans La Nuit (Trap In The Night)
12. Une Vraie Panthère (A True Panther) - ?????
13. Cessez D'émettre (Stop Broadcasting)
14. L'Arsenal Sautera (The Arsenal Will Jump)
15. Une Poule Et Des Poulets (A Hen And Chickens)
16. Cité Secrète (Secret City)
17. Vous Avez Trahi (You Have Betrayed)
18. Un Fromage Pour Une Souris (A Cheese For A Mouse)
19. L'Espionne S'évade (The Spy Escapes)
20. OSS 117 Contre X (OSS 117 Against X)
21. Chasse Aux Atomes (Atom Hunt)
22. Pas Une Pour Racheter L'Autre (Not One To Redeem The Other)
23. Tortures (Torture)
24. Pays Neutre (Neutral Country)
25. Alerte (Alert)
26. À Qui Perd Gagne (Who Loses Wins)
27. Angoisse (Anguish)
28. Sous Peine De Mort (Under The Death Penalty)
29. OSS 117 N'est Pas Mort (OSS 117 Is Not Dead)
30. Bonne Mesure (Good Measurement)
31. OSS 117 Répond Toujours (OSS 117 Always Responds)
32. Un Sarcophage Pour Isa (A Sarcophagus For Isa)
33. Carte Blanche Pour OSS 117 (White Card For OSS 117)
34. OSS 117 Top Secret (OSS 117 Top Secret)
35. Ombres sur le Bosphore (Shadows On The Bosphorus)
36. Meurtre Sur L'Acropole (Murder On The Acropolis)
37. Affaire N°1 (Case No. 1)
38. Inch Allah (Inshallah)
39. Tirez Les Ficelles (Pull The Strings)
40. Cache-Cache Au Cachemire (Hide And Seek In Cashmere)
41. Hara-Kiri (Hara-Kiri)
42. Les Marrons Du Feu (The Fire Chestnuts)
43. Documents à Vendre (Documents For Sale)
44. Travail Sans Filet (Work Without Net)
45. Dernier Quart D'Heure (Last Quarter Hour)
46. OSS 117 Rentre Dans La Danse (OSS 117 Joins The Dance)
47. OSS 117 s'en Occupe (OSS 117 Takes Care Of It)
48. OSS 117 Voit Rouge (OSS 117 Sees Red)
49. Noel Pour Un Espion (Christmas For A Spy)
50. Visa Pour Caracas (Visa For Caracas)
51. OSS 117 N'Est Pas Aveugle (OSS 117 Is Not Blind)
52. OSS 117 Tue La Taon (OSS 117 Kills The Horsefly)
53. OSS 117 Franchit Le Canal (OSS 117 Crosses The Canal)
54. Festival Pour OSS 117 (Festival For OSS 117)
55. Chinoiseries Pour OSS 117 (Chinoiserie For OSS 117)
56. Plan De Bataille Pour OSS 117 (Battle Plan For OSS 117)
57. Partie De Manille Pour OSS 117 (Shackle Part For OSS 117)
58. Un As De Plus à Las Vegas (One More Ace In Las Vegas)
59. Le Sbire De Birmanie (The Burmese Minion)
60. A Tout Coeur à Tokyo (A Whole Heart In Tokyo)
61. Moche Coup à Moscou (Ugly Shot In Moscow)
62. Gachis à Karachi (Waste In Karachi)
63. Panique à Wake (Panic At Wake)
64. Les Secrets Font La Valise (The Secrets Make The Suitcase)
65. Pan Dans La Lune (Pan In The Moon)
66. Cinq Gars Pour Singapour (Five Guys For Singapore)
67. Double Bang à Bangkok (Double Bang In Bangkok)
68. Delire En Iran (Delire In Iran)
69. Métamorphose à Formose (Metamorphosis In Formosa)
70. Arizona Zone A (Arizona Zone A)
71. Lila De Calcutta (Lila From Calcutta)
72. Tactique Arctique (Arctic Tactics)
73. Agonie En Patagonie (Agony In Patagonia)
74. Poisson D'Avril (April Fool)
75. À Tuer (To Kill)
76. OSS 117 à L'école (OSS 117 At School)
77. Du Lest à L'Est (From East To East)
78. Plein Gaz Pour OSS 117 (Full Throttle For OSS 117)
79. OSS 117 Prefere Les Rousses (OSS 117 Prefers Redheads)
80. OSS 117 Prend Le Maquis (OSS 117 Takes The Maquis)
81. OSS 117 ? Ici Paris (OSS 117? Paris Here)
82. Fidèlement Vôtre...OSS 117 (Faithfully Yours...OSS 117)
83. Striptease Pour OSS 117 (Striptease For OSS 117)
84. OSS 117 Au Liban (OSS 117 In Lebanon)
85. Les Espions Du Pirée (The Spies Of Piraeus)
86. Les Monstres Du Holy-Loch (The Monsters Of Holy Loch)
87. Valse Viennoise Pour OSS 117 (Viennese Waltz For OSS 117)
88. OSS 117 à Mexico (OSS 117 In Mexico)

Adventures By Josette Bruce, Written From 1966 To 1985:
89. Les anges de Los Angeles (Los Angeles Angels)
90. Halte à Malte (Stop In Malta)
91. Réseau zéro (Network Zero)
92. Palmarès à Palomarès (Prize List In Palomarès)
93. Congo à gogo (Congo Galore)
94. OSS 117 contre OSS (OSS 117 Vs. OSS)
95. Boucan à Bucarest (Boucan In Bucharest)
96. Ombres chinoises sur Tanger (Chinese Shadows In Tangier)
97. Des pruneaux à Lugano (Prunes In Lugano)
98. Pas de roses à Ispahan (No Roses In Isfahan)
99. Détour à Hambourg (Detour To Hamburg)
100. Avanies en Albanie (Avanies In Albania)
101. Tornade pour OSS 117 (Tornado For OSS 117)
102. Coup d'État pour OSS 117 (Coup D'état For OSS 117)
103. Sarabande à Hong-Kong (Sarabande In Hong Kong)
104. Surprise-partie en Colombie (Surprise Party In Colombia)
105. Finasseries finlandaises (Finnish Finishings)
106. Interlude aux Bermudes (Interlude In Bermuda)
107. Vacances pour OSS 117 (Holidays For OSS 117)
108. Médaille d'or pour OSS 117 (Gold Medal For OSS 117)
109. Spatiale dernière (Last Space)
110. Jeux de malins à Berlin (Smart Games In Berlin)
111. OSS 117 récolte la tempête (OSS 117 Harvests The Storm)
112. Magie blanche pour OSS 117 (White Magic For OSS 117)
113. Gare aux Bulgares (Beware The Bulgarians)
114. Zizanie en Asie (Discord In Asia)
115. Un soir en Côte-d'Ivoire (One Evening In Ivory Coast)
116. Dans le mille au Brésil (On Target In Brazil)
117. La Rage au Caire (The Rage In Cairo)
118. Alibi en Libye (Alibi In Libya)
119. Mission 117 pour OSS 117 (Mission 117 For OSS 117)
120. Coup de dingue à St-Domingue (Crazy Trip To Santo Domingo)
121. OSS 117 chez les hippies (OSS 117 Among The Hippies)
122. OSS 117 s'expose (OSS 117 Is Exposed)
123. Méli-mélo à Porto-Rico (Hodgepodge In Puerto Rico)
124. OSS 117 en Péril (OSS 117 In Danger)
125. OSS 117 traque le traître (OSS 117 Tracks Down The Traitor)
126. Chassé-croisé pour OSS 117 (Crossover For OSS 117)
127. OSS 117 joue de la Polonaise (OSS 117 Plays Polonaise)
128. OSS 117 aime les Portugaises (OSS 117 Loves Portuguese Girls)
129. OSS 117 voit tout en noir (OSS 117 Sees Everything In Black)
130. OSS 117 malaise en Malaysia (OSS 117 Malay In Malaysia)
131. OSS 117 part en fumée (OSS 117 Goes Up In Smoke)
132. Du sang chez les Afghans (Blood Among The Afghans)
133. OSS 117 liquide (OSS 117 Liquid)
134. Balade en Angola (Walk In Angola)
135. Intermède en Suède (Interlude In Sweden)
136. Maldonne à Lisbonne (Maldonne In Lisbon)
137. Hécatombe pour OSS 117 (Massacre For OSS 117)
138. Ramdam à Lausanne (Ramdam In Lausanne)
139. Traîtrise à Venise (Treachery In Venice)
140. Dérive sur Tananarive (Drifting On Antananarivo)
141. Péril sur le Nil (Danger On The Nile)
142. OSS 117 cherche des crosses (OSS 117 Looking For Stocks)
143. Frénésie à Nicosie (Frenzy In Nicosia)
144. Sérénade espagnole pour OSS 117 (Spanish Serenade For OSS 117)
145. Matin calme pour OSS 117 (Calm Morning For OSS 117)
146. Autopsie en Tunisie (Autopsy In Tunisia)
147. TNT à la Trinité (Tnt In Trinity)
148. OSS 117 dans le brouillard (OSS 117 In The Fog)
149. Pleins tubes sur le Danube (Full Hits On The Danube)
150. OSS 117 riposte (OSS 117 Fights Back)
151. OSS 117 sur la brèche (OSS 117 In The Breach)
152. Plaies et bosses à Mykonos (Sores And Bumps In Mykonos)
153. OSS 117 aux commandes en Thaïlande (OSS 117 In Command In Thailand)
154. Tango sur une corde à piano (Tango On A Piano Wire)
155. Franc et fort à Francfort (Frank And Loud In Frankfurt)
156. OSS 117 gagne son pari à Paris (OSS 117 Wins Its Bet In Paris)
157. OSS 117 et la bombe de Bombay (OSS 117 And The Bombay Bomb)
158. OSS 117 en conflit à Bali (OSS 117 In Conflict In Bali)
159. OSS 117 entre en lice à l'île Maurice (OSS 117 Enters The Fray In Mauritius)
160. Plein chaos chez Mao (Full Chaos At Mao)
161. Durs à cuire à Curaçao (Badass In Curaçao)
162. Cavalcade à Rio (Cavalcade In Rio)
163. Trois Maltaises pour OSS 117 (Three Maltese Women For OSS 117)
164. OSS 117 fin prêt à Taipeh (OSS 117 Ready For Taipei)
165. Ultimatum pour OSS 117 (Ultimatum For OSS 117)
166. Rencontres à Ibiza pour OSS 117 (Meetings In Ibiza For OSS 117)
167. Safari pour OSS 117 (Safari For OSS 117)
168. Corps à corps pour OSS 117 (Melee For OSS 117)
169. OSS 117 sur un volcan à Abidjan (OSS 117 On A Volcano In Abidjan)
170. OSS 117 pêche en Islande (OSS 117 Fishing In Iceland)
171. Tête de Turc en Turquie (Turk's Head In Türkiye)
172. Coup d'éclat à Prétoria (Brilliant In Pretoria)
173. OSS 117 dernier sursis en Yougoslavie (OSS 117 Last Reprieve In Yugoslavia)
174. Coup de barre à Bahrein (Setback In Bahrain)
175. OTAN pour OSS 117 (NATO For OSS 117)
176. Coup de main pour OSS 117 (Helping Hand For OSS 117)
177. Perfidies en Birmanie pour OSS 117 (Perfidies In Burma For OSS 117)
178. Dernier round au Cameroun (Last Round In Cameroon)
179. Dérapage en Alaska (Skid In Alaska)
180. Vol de Noël pour OSS 117 (Christmas Flight For OSS 117)
181. Coup de projecteur pour OSS 117 (Spotlight For OSS 117)
182. Croisière atomique pour OSS 117 (Atomic Cruise For OSS 117)
183. Imbroglio à San Diego pour OSS 117 (Imbroglio For OSS 117)
184. À feu et à sang pour OSS 117 (Fire And Blood For OSS 117)
185. OSS 117 gagne la belle (OSS 117 Wins The Beauty)
186. Combat dans l'ombre pour OSS 117 (Fighting In The Shadows For OSS 117)
187. OSS 117 joue les mercenaires (OSS 117 Plays Mercenaries)
188. Plan d'urgence pour OSS 117 (Contingency Plan For OSS 117)
189. Choc à Bangkok pour OSS 117 (Shock In Bangkok For OSS 117)
190. Panique en Afrique pour OSS 117 (Panic In Africa For OSS 117)
191. Bagarre au Gabon pour OSS 117 (Brawl In Gabon For OSS 117)
192. OSS 117 remporte la palme au Népal (OSS 117 Wins The Prize In Nepal)
193. OSS 117 sème la désunion à la Réunion (OSS 117 Sows Disunity In Reunion)
194. OSS 117 compte les coups (OSS 117 Counts Shots)
195. Déluge à Delhi pour OSS 117 (Flood In Delhi For OSS 117)
196. OSS 117 chez les sorciers (OSS 117 Among Wizards)
197. Coup de masse aux Bahamas (Mass Hit In The Bahamas)
198. OSS 117 mise en scène au Sénégal (OSS 117 Staged In Senegal)
199. Accrochage sur l'Acropole pour OSS 117 (Hanging On The Acropolis For OSS 117)
200. Rallye pour OSS 117 (Rally For OSS 117)
201. OSS 117 au finish (OSS 117 At The Finish)
202. Coup d'arnaque au Danemark (Scam In Denmark)
203. Sans fleurs ni Floride pour OSS 117 (Without Flowers Or Florida For OSS 117)
204. OSS 117 arrête le massacre (OSS 117 Stops The Massacre)
205. OSS 117 ne perd pas la tête (OSS 117 Doesn't Lose His Mind)
206. Folies en Italie pour OSS 117 (Follies In Italy For OSS 117)
207. Alarme en Afrique australe pour OSS 117 (Alarm In Southern Africa For OSS 117)
208. Salades maltaises pour OSS 117 (Maltese Salads For OSS 117)
209. Panique à la Martinique pour OSS 117 (Panic In Martinique For OSS 117)
210. Coup de sang à Ceylan pour OSS 117 (Bloodshed In Ceylon For OSS 117)
211. Cauchemar irlandais pour OSS 117 (Irish Nightmare For OSS 117)
212. OSS 117 sur un volcan (OSS 117 On A Volcano)
213. Sarabande pour OSS 117 (Sarabande For OSS 117)
214. OSS 117 au Levant (OSS 117 In The Levant)
215. S.O.S. Brésil pour OSS 117 (S.O.S. Brazil For OSS 117)
216. California zéro pour OSS 117 (California Zero For OSS 117)
217. Coup de poker pour OSS 117 (Poker Move For OSS 117)
218. K.O. à Tokyo pour OSS 117 (Ko In Tokyo For OSS 117)
219. Casse-tête chinois pour OSS 117 (Chinese Puzzle For OSS 117)
220. Pas de pigeon à Venise pour OSS 117 (No Pigeon In Venice For OSS 117)
221. Hallali en Australie pour OSS 117 (Hallali In Australia For OSS 117)
222. Que viva Mexico OSS 117 (Que Viva Mexico OSS 117)
223. Québec point zéro pour OSS 117 (Quebec Ground Zero For OSS 117)
224. Commando fantôme pour OSS 117 (Ghost Commando For OSS 117)
225. Tuerie en Turquie (Killing In Türkiye)
226. L'Enfer du désert pour OSS 117 (Desert Hell For OSS 117)
227. OSS 117 traqué à l'île de Pâques (OSS 117 Tracked To Easter Island)
228. Piège à Berlin pour OSS 117 (Trap In Berlin For OSS 117)
229. Mission pyramides pour OSS 117 (Pyramid Mission For OSS 117)
230. Priorité absolue pour OSS 117 (Top Priority For OSS 117)
231. Anathème à Athènes pour OSS 117 (Anathema In Athens For OSS 117)

Adventures By Francois And Martine Bruce, Written From From 1987 To 1992:
232. OSS 117 Est Mort (OSS 117 Is Dead)
233. La Nubienne (The Nubian)
234. Le Contrat (The Contract)
235. Le Cartel (The Cartel)
236. Un Drôle De Candidat (An Odd/Funny Candidate)
237. Viennoiseries Pour H.B.B. (Pastries For H.B.B)
238. SOS Kurdistan (SOS Kurdistan)
239. Quiproquo Corse (Corsican Misunderstanding)
240. Mourir à El Paso (Die In El Paso)
241. Harlem Virus (Harlem Virus)
242. Le Vampire Des Carpates (The Carpathian Vampire)
243. Hong Kong Folies (Hong Kong Folies)
244. Paranoia Parisienne (Parisian Paranoia Paris)
245. Une Ville En Otage (A City Hostage)
246. Rumba Roumaine (Romanian Rumba)
247. Casse-Tête Suédois (Swedish Puzzle)
248. Rodéo Dans Rome (Rodeo In Rome)
249. Rendez-Vous à Berlin (See You In Berlin)
250. Des Carats Dans Le Caviar (Carats In Caviar)
251. Passe-Passe Pour Hubert Bonisseur De La Bath (Sleight Of Hand for H.B.B.)
252. Compte à Rebours (Countdown)
253. Toccata à Tokyo (Toccata In Tokyo)
254. Bangkok Cocktail (Bangkok Cocktail)
255. OSS 117 Prend Le Large (OSS 117 Takes Off)

1 A Coffin For Isa A Coffin For Isa
Written by Jean Bruce
Copyright: 1954
Originally in French as Un Sarcophage Pour Isa, #32.
Clearly marked as an OSS117 adventure, he does not appear in it and the plot is that of a murder mystery. Several neighbors decide for fun to fake the assassination of one of them and they choose Isa. Then she turns up actually murdered.
2 Deep Freeze Deep Freeze
Written by Jean Bruce, Lawrence Wilson (translator)
Copyright: 1963
Originally in French as Tactique Arctique, #72.
The Russian scientist's plans for the Arctic Circle and the ice it contains would prove a huge boon to the Motherland but a disaster to the low-lying regions of Europe. OSS-117 is in Leningrad to find the secret and get it back from the Iron Curtain.
3 Double Take Double Take
Written by Jean Bruce, Lawrence Wilson (translator)
Copyright: 1964
Originally in French as OSS 117 Rentre Dans La Danse, #46.
OSS425 died getting the information proving a dangerous security leak in the American Project Fourteen but OSS117, meeting with him in Russia, now must find a way to get the data out of the Soviet Union, and staying alive in the process.
4 Short Wave Short Wave
Written by Jean Bruce, Lawrence Wilson (translator)
Copyright: 1964
Originally in French as Affaire Nr 1, #37.
An Warsaw Pact radio tower is blocking the airwaves, preventing Radio Free Europe from operating. It is OSS-117's job to parachute into Poland to knock it out. He has two Poles to help in this matter but both seem to have their own issues slowing him down.
5 Pole Reaction Pole Reaction
Written by Jean Bruce
Copyright: 1965
Originally in French as OSS 117 Repond Toujours, #31.
At the American Nuclear Base in Greenland, OSS-117 is one of several thousand men and women enduring sub-zero conditions. Amongst them is one woman who had decided to eradicate the opposite sex.
6 Shock Tactics Shock Tactics
Written by Jean Bruce, W. G. Corp (translator)
Copyright: 1965
Originally in French as Ombres Sur Le Bosphore, #35.
Sent to Istanbul on a forced rest, OSS117 was just supposed to act as advisor on security matters for the upcoming NATO training exercises. Then it is learned that someone has stolen the plans and lives are at risk and the rest is at an end.
7 The Last Quarter Hour The Last Quarter Hour
aka Live Wire
 Written by Jean Bruce, Lowell Bair (translator)
Copyright: 1955
Originally in French as Dernier Quart D'Heure, #45
Someone has destroyed the CIA's network in Argentina and killed the agents leading it. OSS-117 is dispatched there to find out who did it and to get revenge for the fallen operatives.
8 Soft Sell Soft Sell
Written by Jean Bruce
Copyright: 1965
Originally in French as Plan De Bataille Pour OSS 117, #56.
A repository of top secret documents in Honolulu has been breached and the man in charge murdered when the thieves took the classified files. It is OSS 117's job to get them back.
9 Trouble In Tokyo Trouble In Tokyo
aka Hot Line
 Written by Jean Bruce, Lowell Bair (translator)
Copyright: 1958
Originally in French as A Tout Coeur à Tokyo, #60.
A secretary working for the US at the embassy in Tokyo has been approached by enemy agents and the CIA want to use her to track down their network.
10 Flash Point Flash Point
Written by Jean Bruce, W. G. Gray (translator)
Copyright: 1965
Originally in French as Moche Coup à Moscou, #61.
:A Russian scientist has an affair with the wife of a military attaché at the US embassy in Moscow. OSS 117's mission is to take advantage of this situation to obtain secret information..."
11 Photo Finish Photo Finish
Written by Jean Bruce
Copyright: 1965
Originally in French as OSS 117 à L'éCole, #76.
Following a clever simulation, a network of Russian spies operating in New York makes an American expert in slang believe that he killed an FBI man. He is offered sanctuary in the USSR, the real purpose being to have him teach American slang in a spy school located in Ukraine. OSS 117, having learned of this affair, takes the identity of this expert and manages to pass himself off as him with the objective of seizing the file of spies trained in this school..."
12 Dead Silence Dead Silence
Written by Jean Bruce
Copyright: 1967
Originally in French as Cadavre Au DéTail, #7.
Sent to Lisbon to meet with an informant, OSS117 heads to the man's hotel room and interrupts two men who have just drowned the contact and now would like to make a corpse of Hubert. Barely surviving, he is intrigued when the phone rings and he is asked if he has the Evil Eye.
13 High Treason High Treason
Written by Jean Bruce
Copyright: 1967
Originally in French as Trahison, #9.
"A secret organization is carrying out espionage activities in England with a view to producing an H bomb transportable by plane. OSS 117's mission is to dismantle this organization..."
14 Top Secret Top Secret
Written by Jean Bruce
Copyright: 1967
Originally in French as OSS 117 Top Secret, #34.
OSS117 was in Tangier on a very hush-hush assignment but on his first day in the city, his beautiful colleague is murdered and Hubert knows the secrecy is long gone.
15 Cold Spell Cold Spell
Written by Jean Bruce
Copyright: 1967
Originally in French as Cinq Gars Pour Singapour, #66.
Sent to Singapore to investigate the sudden desertion of an entire company of U.S. Marines, OSS117 thinks at first that the job will be a simple, swift one but when the bodies start showing up, he has to change his mind.
16 Strip Tease Strip Tease
Written by Jean Bruce
Copyright: 1968
Originally in French as Strip-Tease Pour OSS 117, #83.
"The CIA is informed that one of its secret agents in Moscow has given documents to a young French woman nicknamed Isa Belle, a stripper in Amsterdam, who went to Moscow on a brief tourist trip. OSS 117's mission is to contact Isa Belle in Amsterdam in order to recover secret documents..."

MY COMMENTS

I cannot help thinking, now that some time has gone by since I first read the OSS-117 books that made it to the States, that the movies made in the decades since I first learned of him and enjoyed the action of this dashing and fun-loving but still dangerous and efficient hero should not have been made.

The two in the last decade, written to be spoofs of the genre, are a lot of fun and do a great job of elbowing the clichés quite nicely but to do so with an agent who has entertained people for decades without the humor seems just wrong. It is much like the Matt Helm movies starring Dean Martin - fun, fun movies that still did not need to put down one of spy-fi's best American agents.

Now that I've gotten that rant out - read the few OSS-117 stories that were translated into English. The two that made it to America are relatively inexpensive and well worth the time. They are translations and so much might have been lost but there is enough staying behind to make it a good read.

Or learn French and have a whole lot more available.

GRADE

My Grade: B

Your Average Grade:   A+

YOUR OPINIONS

dietarychef A+ 5/18/2012 11:49:56 AM

I read a couple of these in the '60s - "Short Wave" was certainly one. The thing I find most fascinating about 0SS-117 is that I am completely convinced that he was the template for Fleming's Bond and Jean Bruce never gets the credit for this. A shame!

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