For nearly 100 years, one actor after another has taken on the role of Jules Maigret in film and/or television series. Based on the novels written by Georges Simenon, the Jules Maigret series is the best-selling detective series second to Sherlock Holmes.
Fair-haired Benjamin Wainwright made his debut as the head of an elite police unit in Paris known as La Crim on PBS Masterpiece’s Maigret on Sunday, Oct. 5. Unlike his predecessors, this Maigret is younger, does not smoke a pipe (but carries one inherited from his father) or wear a bowler hat in this modern-day version of the classic detective. Also, the cast of characters is more diverse and instead of being served dinner prepared by his wife, he sometimes cooks or brings home takeout.
PBS description of Maigret episode 1: The Lazy Burglar – Part One
“Maigret is investigating a series of bank robberies that have been plaguing Paris. He ignores his superior’s orders and turns his attention to the brutal murder of a burglar, Honoré Cuendet. His decision to juggle both cases puts his career in jeopardy, but he continues to seek justice for the slain thief. Just as he is closing in on Cuendet’s killers, the bank robbers strike again.”
Chief Inspector Maigret and his team of maverick but loyal detectives, "Les Maigrets," solve a series of complex crimes in Paris. Maigret’s unconventional methods and unique sense of justice put him at odds with his superiors and the judicial system he is supposed to represent. Maigret must outwit some of Paris’s most cunning and violent criminals, while dealing with his own troubled past.”
A guide to previous Maigrets
Pierre Renoir’s approach to the character in the 1932 French crime film Night at the Crossroads was stoical and efficient as he chased after a gang of thieves. For his part, the paunch Charles Laughton brought a wry sense of humor in the 1950 film noir The Man on the Eiffel Tower. Rupert Davies starred in the title role in the BBC television series from 1960 to 1963.
Richard Harris appeared on the screen in 1988 as an Irish-like, bespectacled Maigret in a flick that was presented as a pilot for a potential television series. Michael Gambon took the reins in 1992 for a two-season series set in post-World War II Paris. Famously known as the comical Mr. Bean, actor Rowan Atkinson played it straight and serious for two seasons from 2016 to 2017.
There have been over 35 actors who portrayed Chief Inspector Jules Maigret, with each having a spouse who showed patience and the ability to help keep their busy husbands grounded. With less than five episodes to go, time will tell how Benjamin Wainwright's portrayal will rank among fans of the detective.
Maigret airs on PBS on Sundays at 9/8c on PBS.
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