# Wait, Alexandre Dumas is TWO guys? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 28, 2020, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240 "2020-08-28T13:45:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/1 "2020-08-28T13:45:28Z")
I didn’t know Alexandre Dumas was father and son until today. And I’ve read _Camille_. I also didn’t know they were mixed race, but I’m more stunned by the fact that I thought they were one guy. I’m glad I found out without embarrassing myself, but still… ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/2 "2020-08-28T13:46:39Z")
Well, I just found this out, too. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/3 "2020-08-28T14:03:33Z")
What a pair of Dumases. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/4 "2020-08-28T14:04:56Z")
I remember it coming up on Jeopardy! once long ago, when someone responded “Who is Alexandre Dumas” and Alex asked them to be more specific. I guess they are differentiated as “pere”/“fils” (father/son)? So I knew there were two of them, but I couldn’t tell you who wrote what. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/5 "2020-08-28T14:05:10Z")
😝 ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/6 "2020-08-28T14:06:22Z")
The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo By Tom Reiss. A great read ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/7 "2020-08-28T14:07:07Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > What a pair of Dumases. The name is Dumass. (Ad written by a friend of mine. 😃 ) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Jemkrew4mFU/hqdefault.jpg "Mr Dumbass A&w rootbeer") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jemkrew4mFU) ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/8 "2020-08-28T14:14:05Z")
That was a great ad. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/9 "2020-08-28T14:25:03Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > What a pair of Dumases. All I can think off when I hear the name: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/K9p9Yr1U2KA/maxresdefault.jpg "Shawshank Redemption - Alexander Dumbass") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9p9Yr1U2KA) ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/10 "2020-08-28T14:51:27Z")
True but most of the popular stuff people recognize was written by the father, so it usually is one person people are talking about. “The Three Musketeers”, “The Count of Monte Cristo”, “The Corsican Brothers”, and several others were his. Jr was a successful writer but didn’t produce anything that would be near as well known today among English speaking readers. “Camille” is probably the best known in that regard, as it was adapted into “La Traviata”. Probably it didn’t help that he was more of a playwright than novelist while his father was the reverse. I don’t think anything else he wrote is even modestly well known today. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/11 "2020-08-28T14:54:17Z")
**don\_t\_ask** , I’m the same way. I literally said the thread title out loud “Alexandry Dumbass” ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/12 "2020-08-28T14:55:18Z")
Glad to know this for the next time I’m on _Jeopardy!_ I mean, the first time. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/13 "2020-08-28T15:28:04Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > I remember it coming up on Jeopardy! once long ago, when someone responded “Who is Alexandre Dumas” and Alex asked them to be more specific. I guess they are differentiated as “pere”/“fils” (father/son)? So I knew there were two of them, but I couldn’t tell you who wrote what. “pere/fils” is the French equivalent of “Sr./Jr.” in English. Alexander Dumas pere wrote most of the novels you associate with the last name (_The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers_, etc.). Alexander Dumas fils wrote both novels and plays, but _Camille_ is the only one that most people have heard of nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/14 "2020-08-28T15:48:48Z")
I inferred from the OP that the Dumases wrote as a team, and all the famous works of pere were actually collaborations. That would have been truly surprising. I think those of us who didn’t know Alexandre Dumas had a son of the the same name who became a less successful writer can be forgiven that gap in knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/15 "2020-08-28T22:05:43Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > I think those of us who didn’t know Alexandre Dumas had a son of the the same name who became a less successful writer can be forgiven that gap in knowledge. No you can’t. It’s unforgiveable. It’s nearly inconceivable. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/16 "2020-08-28T22:07:10Z")
However, Jerry Lewis and Jerry Lee Lewis are the same guy. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/17 "2020-08-28T22:14:23Z")
I just learned Morgan Freeman and Morgan J Freeman arent the same guy. MJF is a producer of 16 and pregnant series and spinoffs. I used to think it was MF who I really respect and I couldn’t get over he had a hand on that trash. Now I know and I’m sorry I mixed them up. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/18 "2020-08-28T22:14:29Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > However, Jerry Lewis and Jerry Lee Lewis are the same guy. Whole Lotta Flaaaavin Goin’ On. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/19 "2020-08-28T22:32:40Z")
I was thinking today why isn’t there a modernized/tv-series adaptation of “The Count of Monte Cristo”? It’s got everything. And the bones of the story seem like they’d lend themselves well to an update. And it seems like it would be easily serializable (especially as that’s how it was originally released) Or has there been and I just missed it? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240/20 "2020-08-28T22:36:54Z")
A few years ago, ABC had a soapy night-time drama called _[Revenge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenge_(TV_series))_, which was loosely (very loosely) based on _The Count of Monte Cristo_. And Stephen Fry wrote a book called _[The Stars’ Tennis Balls](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stars%27_Tennis_Balls)_ (although in the US it was called _Revenge_) that is also an adaptation of the novel. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-alexandre-dumas-is-two-guys/919240.md?page=2)