Jeeves (born Reginald Jeeves, nicknamed Reggie) is a fictional character in a series of
comedic
Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...
short stories and novels by English author
P. G. Wodehouse
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, ( ; 15 October 188114 February 1975) was an English author and one of the most widely read humorists of the 20th century. His creations include the feather-brained Bertie Wooster and his sagacious valet, Jeeve ...
. Jeeves is the highly competent
valet
A valet or varlet is a male servant who serves as personal attendant to his employer. In the Middle Ages and Ancien Régime, valet de chambre was a role for junior courtiers and specialists such as artists in a royal court, but the term "valet ...
of a wealthy and idle young Londoner named
Bertie Wooster
Bertram Wilberforce Wooster is a fictional character in the comedic Jeeves stories created by British author P. G. Wodehouse. An amiable English gentleman and one of the "idle rich", Bertie appears alongside his valet, Jeeves, whose intelligenc ...
. First appearing in print in 1915, Jeeves continued to feature in Wodehouse's work until his last completed novel ''
Aunts Aren't Gentlemen
''Aunts Aren't Gentlemen'' is a comic novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom in October 1974 by Barrie & Jenkins, London, and in the United States under the title ''The Cat-nappers'' on 14 April 1975 by Simon & Schuste ...
'' in 1974, a span of 60 years.
Both the name "Jeeves" and the character of Jeeves have come to be thought of as the quintessential name and nature of a
manservant
A domestic worker or domestic servant is a person who works within the scope of a residence. The term "domestic service" applies to the equivalent occupational category. In traditional English contexts, such a person was said to be "in service ...
, inspiring many similar characters as well as the name of an Internet search engine,
Ask Jeeves
Ask.com (originally known as Ask Jeeves) is a question answering–focused e-business founded in 1996 by Garrett Gruener and David Warthen in Berkeley, California.
The original software was implemented by Gary Chevsky, from his own design. Wart ...
, and a financial-technology company. A "Jeeves" is now a generic term as validated by its entry in the ''
Oxford English Dictionary
The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a co ...
''.
Jeeves is a valet, not a
butler; that is, he is responsible for serving an individual, whereas a butler is responsible for a household and manages other servants. On rare occasions he does fill in for someone else's butler. According to Bertie Wooster, he "can
buttle with the best of them".
Inspiration
A valet called Jevons appears in Wodehouse's 1914 short story "Creatures of Impulse", and may have been an early prototype for Jeeves.
[Cawthorne (2013), p. 169.] Like Jeeves, Jevons is described as the perfect valet. "Creatures of Impulse" appeared in ''
The Strand Magazine
''The Strand Magazine'' was a monthly British magazine founded by George Newnes, composed of short fiction and general interest articles. It was published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950, running to 711 issues, though the ...
'', and was not republished in any collection, though some parts went into the making of "
The Crime Wave at Blandings
"The Crime Wave at Blandings" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse that first appeared in the United States in two parts, in the October 10 and October 17, 1936 editions of the '' Saturday Evening Post'', and in the United Kingdom in the January 19 ...
".
In his 1953 semi-autobiographical book written with
Guy Bolton
Guy Reginald Bolton (23 November 1884 – 4 September 1979) was an Anglo-American playwright and writer of musical comedies. Born in England and educated in France and the US, he trained as an architect but turned to writing. Bolton preferred ...
, ''
Bring on the Girls!'', Wodehouse suggested that the Jeeves character was inspired by an actual butler named Eugene Robinson whom Wodehouse employed for research purposes. Wodehouse described Robinson as a "walking ''Encyclopaedia Britannica''". However, Robinson worked at Wodehouse's house in Norfolk Street where Wodehouse did not live until 1927, long after Jeeves had been created.
Wodehouse named his Jeeves after
Percy Jeeves
Percy Jeeves (5 March 1888 – 22 July 1916) was a first-class cricketer from England, playing 50 first-class matches in his career, all but one for Warwickshire County Cricket Club from 1912 to 1914. He played one match for the Players against ...
(1888–1916), a popular English cricketer for
Warwickshire
Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Av ...
. Wodehouse witnessed Percy Jeeves bowling at
Cheltenham Cricket Festival
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Gloucestershire. Founded in 1870, Gloucestershire have always ...
in 1913. Percy Jeeves was killed at the
Battle of the Somme in July 1916, less than a year after the first appearance of the Wodehouse character who would make his name a household word.
["The most invaluable nugget contained in the book 'Wodehouse at the Wicket'' by P. G. Wodehouse and Murray Hedgcocktraces the origin of the name Jeeves to Percy Jeeves, a Warwickshire professional cricketer known for his impeccable grooming, smart shirts and spotlessly clean flannels. Wodehouse probably saw him take a couple of smooth, effortless catches in a match between Gloucestershire and Warwickshire. The name, the immaculate appearance and silent efficiency stuck and the inimitable manservant appeared first in 1916, just weeks after the original Percy Jeeves died in the war in France." ]
In a letter written in 1965, Wodehouse wrote that he had read
Harry Leon Wilson
Harry Leon Wilson (May 1, 1867 – June 28, 1939) was an American novelist and dramatist best known for his novels ''Ruggles of Red Gap'' and '' Merton of the Movies''. Another of his works, ''Bunker Bean'', helped popularize the term "flapper". ...
's ''Ruggles of Red Gap'' when it was first published as a magazine serial in 1914 and it influenced the creation of Jeeves. ''Ruggles of Red Gap'' is a comedic novel about an English valet who is won by an American from an English earl in a poker game. In the letter, Wodehouse wrote, "I felt that an English valet would never have been so docile about being handed over to an American in payment of a poker debt. I thought he had missed the chap's dignity. I think it was then that the idea of Jeeves came into my mind."
The development of Jeeves and Bertie was influenced by
Arthur Conan Doyle's
Sherlock Holmes stories, according to
Richard Usborne
Richard Alexander Usborne (16 May 1910 – 21 March 2006) was a journalist, advertising executive, schoolmaster and author. After the publication of his book ''Wodehouse at Work'' in 1961 he became regarded as the leading authority on the works ...
; Sherlock Holmes and Jeeves are "the great brains" while
Dr. Watson
John H. Watson, known as Dr. Watson, is a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Along with Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson first appeared in the novel ''A Study in Scarlet'' (1887). The last work by Doyle f ...
and Bertie are "the awed companion-narrators, bungling things if they try to solve the problems themselves". Jeeves and Bertie have been described as comic versions of Holmes and Watson. Wodehouse directly compares Jeeves and Bertie to Holmes and Watson in some of the Jeeves stories, such as in ''
Aunts Aren't Gentlemen
''Aunts Aren't Gentlemen'' is a comic novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom in October 1974 by Barrie & Jenkins, London, and in the United States under the title ''The Cat-nappers'' on 14 April 1975 by Simon & Schuste ...
''.
Fictional biography
Early life and family
Wodehouse disclosed little about Jeeves's early life. According to the character, he was privately educated, and his mother thought him intelligent.
Jeeves has an uncle,
Charlie Silversmith, who is butler at
Deverill Hall The following is a list of recurring or notable fictional locations featured in the stories of P. G. Wodehouse, in alphabetical order by place name.
Angler's Rest
The Angler's (or Anglers') Rest is the fictional public house frequented by irr ...
. Silversmith dandled Jeeves on his knee frequently when Jeeves was very young and, when Jeeves is an adult, they write regularly to each other. Charlie Silversmith's daughter Queenie Silversmith is Jeeves's cousin. Jeeves also mentions his late uncle Cyril in ''
Right Ho, Jeeves
''Right Ho, Jeeves'' is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, the second full-length novel featuring the popular characters Jeeves and Bertie Wooster, after '' Thank You, Jeeves''. It was first published in the United Kingdom on 5 October 1934 by Herbe ...
''. His niece Mabel is engaged to Bertie Wooster's friend
Charles "Biffy" Biffen. His cousin Egbert is a constable and plays a role in the short story "
Without the Option
"Without the Option" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in the '' Saturday Evening Post'' in the United States in June 1925, and in ''The Strand Magaz ...
".
[Garrison (1991), pp. 96–98.]
Jeeves has three placid aunts, in contrast to Bertie Wooster's aunts. Aunt Emily is interested in psychical research, and another aunt, Mrs. Pigott, owns a cat in Maiden Eggesford; this cat plays a major role in ''
Aunts Aren't Gentlemen
''Aunts Aren't Gentlemen'' is a comic novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom in October 1974 by Barrie & Jenkins, London, and in the United States under the title ''The Cat-nappers'' on 14 April 1975 by Simon & Schuste ...
''. Jeeves occasionally refers to an aunt without naming her, including one who read
Oliver Wendell Holmes to him when he was young. In ''
Right Ho, Jeeves
''Right Ho, Jeeves'' is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, the second full-length novel featuring the popular characters Jeeves and Bertie Wooster, after '' Thank You, Jeeves''. It was first published in the United Kingdom on 5 October 1934 by Herbe ...
'', he mentions his Aunt Annie, though she was widely disliked.
Employment history
In his youth, Jeeves worked as a
page boy at a girls' school. He apparently served in the military to some extent in
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. In the play ''
Come On, Jeeves
''Come On, Jeeves'' is a comedic play co-written by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse. The play was written in the summer of 1952, and toured the English provinces in the summer of 1954. Wodehouse adapted the play into the novel ''Ring for Jeeves' ...
'', Jeeves states that he was a
batman.
Shortly before entering Bertie's service, Jeeves was employed by Lord Frederick Ranelagh, who was swindled in
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo (; ; french: Monte-Carlo , or colloquially ''Monte-Carl'' ; lij, Munte Carlu ; ) is officially an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is ...
. Jeeves previously worked for
Lord Worplesdon
The following is a list of recurring and notable fictional characters featured in the Jeeves novels and short stories by P. G. Wodehouse.
Anatole
Anatole is a recurring fictional character in the Jeeves stories, being the supremely skilled F ...
, resigning after nearly a year because of Worplesdon's eccentric choice of evening dress.
[Wodehouse (2008) 925 ''Carry On, Jeeves'', chapter 1, p. 13.] Jeeves later helps Lord Worplesdon in ''
Joy in the Morning''. Other former employers include Mr. Digby Thistleton (later Lord Bridgnorth), who sold hair tonic; Mr. Montague-Todd, a financier who is in the second year of a
prison
A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, corre ...
term when Jeeves mentions him; and Lord Brancaster, who gave
port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as H ...
-soaked seedcake to his pet parrot.
Jeeves becomes Bertie Wooster's valet. However, his tenure with Bertie Wooster has occasional lapses during the stories; at these times, Jeeves finds work elsewhere. Jeeves works for Lord Chuffnell for a week in ''
Thank You, Jeeves
''Thank You, Jeeves'' is a Jeeves comic novel by P.G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom on 16 March 1934 by Herbert Jenkins, London, and in the United States on 23 April 1934 by Little, Brown and Company, New York.McIlvaine (1 ...
'', after giving notice because of Bertie Wooster's unwillingness to give up the
banjolele
The banjo ukulele, also known as the banjolele or banjo uke, is a four-stringed musical instrument with a small banjo-type body and a fretted ukulele neck. The earliest known banjoleles were built by John A. Bolander and by Alvin D. Keech, both ...
, and is briefly employed by J. Washburn Stoker in the same novel. In ''
Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves
''Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves'' is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, published in the United States on 22 March 1963 by Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, and in the United Kingdom on 16 August 1963 by Herbert Jenkins, London.McIlvaine (1990), p. 97, A8 ...
'', he serves as substitute butler for Bertie's
Aunt Dahlia
Dahlia Travers (née Wooster) is a recurring fictional character in the Jeeves stories of English comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being best known as Bertie Wooster's bonhomous, red-faced Aunt Dahlia. She is much beloved by her nephew, in contra ...
, and later enters Sir
Watkyn Bassett
The following is a list of recurring and notable fictional characters featured in the Jeeves novels and short stories by P. G. Wodehouse.
Anatole
Anatole is a recurring fictional character in the Jeeves stories, being the supremely skilled F ...
's employment for a short time as part of a scheme to help Bertie. Jeeves is Lord Rowcester's butler for the length of ''
Ring for Jeeves''.
While working for Bertie Wooster, he occasionally pretends to be the valet of one of Bertie's friends as part of some scheme, though he is still actually Bertie's valet. He pretends to be the valet of Bicky Bickersteth in "
Jeeves and the Hard-boiled Egg",
Rocky Todd in "
The Aunt and the Sluggard
"The Aunt and the Sluggard" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in the '' Saturday Evening Post'' in the United States in April 1916, and in ''The Str ...
", and
Gussie Fink-Nottle
Augustus "Gussie" Fink-Nottle is a recurring fictional character in the ''Jeeves'' novels of comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being a lifelong friend of Jeeves's master Bertie Wooster and a country member of the Drones Club. He wears horn-rimmed s ...
when Gussie masquerades as Bertie Wooster in ''
The Mating Season''. Jeeves acts as a bookmaker's clerk in ''
Ring for Jeeves'', disguising himself for the role with a check suit and walrus moustache. In the play ''
Come On, Jeeves
''Come On, Jeeves'' is a comedic play co-written by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse. The play was written in the summer of 1952, and toured the English provinces in the summer of 1954. Wodehouse adapted the play into the novel ''Ring for Jeeves' ...
'', which has mostly the same plot as ''Ring for Jeeves'', it is mentioned that Jeeves changed his appearance as a bookmaker's clerk, though in the play, Jeeves also impersonates a medieval ghost named Lady Agatha, wearing makeup and women's medieval clothing to complete the disguise. He pretends to be a broker's man in "
Jeeves and the Greasy Bird
"Jeeves and the Greasy Bird" is a short story by English humorist P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''Playboy'' magazine in the United States in December 1965, and i ...
" and Bertie's
solicitor in ''
Aunts Aren't Gentlemen
''Aunts Aren't Gentlemen'' is a comic novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom in October 1974 by Barrie & Jenkins, London, and in the United States under the title ''The Cat-nappers'' on 14 April 1975 by Simon & Schuste ...
''. In one instance, he pretends to be Bertie Wooster in a telephone conversation with playwright Percy Gorringe. In ''
Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves
''Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves'' is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, published in the United States on 22 March 1963 by Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, and in the United Kingdom on 16 August 1963 by Herbert Jenkins, London.McIlvaine (1990), p. 97, A8 ...
'', he assumes an alias, calling himself Chief Inspector Witherspoon of
Scotland Yard. This alias is also mentioned in ''
Aunts Aren't Gentlemen
''Aunts Aren't Gentlemen'' is a comic novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom in October 1974 by Barrie & Jenkins, London, and in the United States under the title ''The Cat-nappers'' on 14 April 1975 by Simon & Schuste ...
''.
Jeeves is a member of the
Junior Ganymede Club, a London club for butlers and valets.
The stories
Jeeves is first hired by Bertie in "
Jeeves Takes Charge
"Jeeves Takes Charge" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in the ''Saturday Evening Post'' in the United States in November 1916, and in ''The Strand ...
" to replace a valet whom Bertie had fired for stealing from him. In this short story, Bertie briefly fires Jeeves after Jeeves, who believes that Bertie would not be happy with his fiancée
Florence Craye
Lady Florence Craye is a recurring fictional character who appears in P. G. Wodehouse's comedic Jeeves stories and novels. An intellectual and imperious young woman, she is an author who gets engaged at different times to various characters, eac ...
, takes steps to end Bertie's engagement to her. Bertie quickly rehires Jeeves after realizing that Jeeves was right. Thereafter, Jeeves lives with Bertie, usually in their London residence at
Berkeley Mansions. Over the course of the short stories and novels, Jeeves helps Bertie, frequently extricating him from unwanted engagements, and also assists Bertie's friends and relatives with various dilemmas. Jeeves often has another motive, such as disposing of an item recently acquired by Bertie that Jeeves does not like, for example a bright scarlet
cummerbund
A cummerbund is a broad waist sash, usually pleated, which is often worn with single-breasted dinner jackets (or ''tuxedos''). The cummerbund was adopted by British military officers in colonial India, where they saw it worn by sepoys (Indi ...
. He sometimes receives a monetary reward from Bertie and other people he helps in early stories, though this does not occur in later stories.
Bertie and Jeeves experience a variety of adventures in numerous short stories and novels. Aside from changes in his employment status, some events occur that are particularly noteworthy for Jeeves. Jeeves gets engaged twice in "
Jeeves in the Springtime", though he never talks about these fiancées afterwards, and it appears that he does not become engaged again. In the only story Jeeves narrates, "
Bertie Changes His Mind
"Bertie Changes His Mind" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in August 1922, and in '' Cosmopolitan' ...
", he opposes Bertie's decision to live with his nieces. Jeeves and Bertie visit
Deverill Hall The following is a list of recurring or notable fictional locations featured in the stories of P. G. Wodehouse, in alphabetical order by place name.
Angler's Rest
The Angler's (or Anglers') Rest is the fictional public house frequented by irr ...
, where Jeeves's Uncle Charlie is employed as butler, in ''
The Mating Season''.
In the novel ''
Ring for Jeeves'', which is set after World War II, Jeeves temporarily works as Lord Rowcester's butler while Bertie is sent to a school where the idle rich learn to fend for themselves. This is the only story in which Jeeves appears without Bertie Wooster. The novel was adapted from the play ''
Come On, Jeeves
''Come On, Jeeves'' is a comedic play co-written by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse. The play was written in the summer of 1952, and toured the English provinces in the summer of 1954. Wodehouse adapted the play into the novel ''Ring for Jeeves' ...
''.
Jeeves's first name was not revealed until the penultimate novel, ''
Much Obliged, Jeeves
''Much Obliged, Jeeves'' is a comic novel by P. G. Wodehouse, published in the United Kingdom by Barrie & Jenkins, London, and in the United States by Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York under the name ''Jeeves and the Tie That Binds''. Both edit ...
''. Bertie Wooster learns Jeeves's name when he hears another valet greet Jeeves with "Hullo, Reggie." The readers may have been surprised to learn Jeeves's first name, but Bertie was stunned by the revelation "that he had a first name" in the first place. In the club book of Jeeves's club, the Junior Ganymede, all members must record the foibles of their employers to forewarn other butlers and valets. Bertie wants Jeeves to destroy his section. Jeeves is initially reluctant to defy his club's rules, but he eventually does destroy the pages for Bertie by the end of ''Much Obliged, Jeeves''.
Jeeves last appears in ''
Aunts Aren't Gentlemen
''Aunts Aren't Gentlemen'' is a comic novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom in October 1974 by Barrie & Jenkins, London, and in the United States under the title ''The Cat-nappers'' on 14 April 1975 by Simon & Schuste ...
'', in which Jeeves and Bertie head to the rural village of Maiden Eggesford, though Jeeves wants to go to New York. He and Bertie visit New York at the end of the story.
Personal characteristics
Age and appearance
While Bertie Wooster is approximately 24 years old in "
Jeeves Takes Charge
"Jeeves Takes Charge" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in the ''Saturday Evening Post'' in the United States in November 1916, and in ''The Strand ...
" (1916), Jeeves's age is not stated in the stories, and has been interpreted differently by various illustrators and adaptations. However, there are a few hints in the books regarding Jeeves's age. Jeeves has a long employment history, and he is older than Bertie Wooster. On the other hand, Jeeves is young enough to be engaged to a waitress courted by
Bingo Little
Richard P. "Bingo" Little is a recurring fictional character in the comedic Jeeves and Drones Club stories of English writer P. G. Wodehouse, being a friend of Jeeves's master Bertie Wooster and a member of the Drones Club.
In his early appear ...
, who is the same age as Bertie Wooster, in "
Jeeves in the Springtime". In ''
Ring for Jeeves'', Jeeves is described as resembling "a youngish High Priest of a refined and dignified religion".
In the reference work ''Wodehouse in Woostershire'' by Wodehouse scholars Geoffrey Jaggard and Tony Ring, it is speculated using information provided in the Jeeves canon that Bertie's age ranges from approximately 24 to 29 over the stories, and that Jeeves is roughly ten years older than Bertie, giving an age range of 35 to 40. This happens to agree with a personal letter Wodehouse wrote in 1961 to scholar
Robert A. Hall Jr., in which Wodehouse, explaining that his characters did not age with real life time, gave an approximate age for Jeeves:
Keggs in '' A Damsel in Distress'' is supposed to be the same man who appears in '' The Butler Did It'', but does it pan out all right? It doesn't if you go by when the books were written. The ''Damsel'' was published in 1919 and the ''Butler'' in 1957. But I always ignore real life time. After all, Jeeves—first heard of at the age presumably of about thirty-five in 1916—would now be around eighty-five, counting the real years.
Thompson suggests that the age gap between Bertie and Jeeves is roughly 20 years. According to the stage directions of ''
Come On, Jeeves
''Come On, Jeeves'' is a comedic play co-written by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse. The play was written in the summer of 1952, and toured the English provinces in the summer of 1954. Wodehouse adapted the play into the novel ''Ring for Jeeves' ...
,'' Jeeves is depicted as being in his mid-forties. Though, it is worth noting the play is set in the 1950s (later adapted into the novel ''
Ring For Jeeves''), so this indicates the general age Jeeves may appear to be in the non-linear canon, rather than a chronological reference point.
In appearance, Jeeves is described as "tall and dark and impressive". When they first meet in "Jeeves Takes Charge", Bertie describes Jeeves as "a kind of darkish sort of respectful Johnnie" with "a grave, sympathetic face" and a nearly silent way of walking that Bertie equates to a "healing zephyr". On multiple occasions, Bertie states that Jeeves has "finely chiselled features", and a large head, which seems to Bertie to indicate intelligence. As Bertie says, Jeeves is "a godlike man in a bowler hat with grave, finely chiselled features and a head that stuck out at the back, indicating great brain power". Bertie also describes Jeeves's eyes as gleaming with intelligence.
Personality
Bertie frequently describes Jeeves as having a "feudal spirit". Jeeves enjoys helping Bertie and his friends,
[Usborne (2003), p. 86.] and solves Bertie's personal problems despite not being obliged to do so. Jeeves interrupts his vacation twice to come to Bertie's aid (in "
The Love That Purifies
"The Love that Purifies" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in November 1929, and in ''Cosmopolitan' ...
" and ''
Jeeves in the Offing
''Jeeves in the Offing'' is a comic novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United States on 4 April 1960 by Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, under the title ''How Right You Are, Jeeves'', and in the United Kingdom on 12 August 1960 by ...
''). He regularly rescues Bertie, usually from an unwanted marriage but also from other threats, such as when he saves Bertie from a hostile swan or when he pulls Bertie out of the way of a taxi. Jeeves is evidently offended when a revolutionary tells him that servants are outdated in "
Comrade Bingo
"Comrade Bingo" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in London in May 1922, and in ''Cosmopolitan'' in New York that same mo ...
".
Jeeves generally manipulates situations for the better and is described as "a kindly man" in ''Ring for Jeeves''. However, he does influence Bertie's decisions to suit his own preferences, such as when he causes Bertie to change his mind about living with his nieces in "
Bertie Changes His Mind
"Bertie Changes His Mind" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in August 1922, and in '' Cosmopolitan' ...
". Jeeves is also stubborn when opposing a new item that Bertie has taken a liking to, such as an alpine hat or purple socks. While he often stays on in spite of these radical objects, he can only withstand so much: the worst case is when he resigned after Bertie, privately labeling him as a "domestic
Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...
", resolved to study the banjolele in the countryside. Usually, Jeeves finds a way to help Bertie with a problem, and Bertie agrees to give away the item that Jeeves disapproves of. Even when Bertie and Jeeves are having a disagreement, Jeeves still shows sympathy, as much as he shows any emotion, when Bertie is in serious trouble.
Often wearing "an expression of quiet intelligence combined with a feudal desire to oblige", Jeeves consistently maintains a calm and courteous demeanor. When he feels discomfort or is being discreet, he assumes an expressionless face which Bertie describes as resembling a "stuffed moose" or "stuffed frog". When very surprised, he will raise his eyebrow a small fraction of an inch, and when he is amused, the corner of his mouth twitches slightly. His composure extends to his voice, which is soft and respectful. When he wishes to start a conversation, he sometimes makes a low gentle cough "like a very old sheep clearing its throat on a misty mountain top". He may also cough to signify disapproval. Bertie states that he saw the normally imperturbable Jeeves come "very near to being rattled" for the first time when the sight of
Bingo Little
Richard P. "Bingo" Little is a recurring fictional character in the comedic Jeeves and Drones Club stories of English writer P. G. Wodehouse, being a friend of Jeeves's master Bertie Wooster and a member of the Drones Club.
In his early appear ...
in a false beard caused Jeeves to drop his jaw and steady himself with a table in "Comrade Bingo". In ''
Joy in the Morning'', Bertie claims that the only occasion on which he had ever seen Jeeves "really rattled" was when he first met Bertie's friend Boko Fittleworth, who wears turtleneck sweaters and flannel trousers with a patch on the knee; Jeeves "winced visibly and tottered off" to recover his composure in the kitchen, where Bertie supposes Jeeves pulled himself together with cooking sherry.
Bertie says that Jeeves is persuasive and magnetic. He believes that Jeeves could convince a candidate standing for Parliament to vote against herself. There is a poetic side to Jeeves, who recites a great deal of poetry. He is much affected when a parted couple reconciles, and tells Bertie that his heart leaps up when he beholds a rainbow in the sky.
It is not unusual for Bertie's acquaintances to ask for Jeeves's help directly without discussing it with Bertie, and Jeeves is willing to assist them even if Bertie is not involved in any way. Bertie once says that Jeeves "isn't so much a valet as a
Mayfair consultant." On one occasion, Bertie considers it probable that even the distinguished Sir
Roderick Glossop
Sir Roderick Glossop is a recurring fictional character in the comic novels and short stories of P. G. Wodehouse. Sometimes referred to as a "nerve specialist" or a "loony doctor", he is a prominent practitioner of psychiatry in Wodehouse's wor ...
has consulted Jeeves, and says, "Jeeves is like Sherlock Holmes. The highest in the land come to him with their problems. For all I know, they may give him jewelled snuff boxes."
Skills
Jeeves presents the ideal image of the gentlemanly manservant, being highly competent, dignified, and respectful. He speaks intelligently and correctly, using proper titles for members of the nobility. One of his skills is moving silently and unobtrusively from room to room. According to Bertie, Jeeves noiselessly "floats" and "shimmers". Bertie once remarks, "Presently I was aware that Jeeves was with me. I hadn't heard him come in, but you often don't with Jeeves. He just streams silently from spot A to spot B, like some gas". In addition to being a proficient valet, Jeeves can serve capably as a butler, and does so on a few occasions. As Bertie says in ''Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves'', "If the call comes, he can buttle with the best of them."
[Cawthorne (2013), p. 170.]
Jeeves has an encyclopedic knowledge of literature and academic subjects. He frequently quotes from
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
and the
romantic poets
Romantic poetry is the poetry of the Romantic era, an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century. It involved a reaction against prevailing Enlightenment ideas of the 18t ...
. Well informed about members of the British aristocracy thanks to the club book of the
Junior Ganymede Club, he also seems to have a considerable number of useful connections among various servants. Jeeves uses his knowledge and connections to solve problems inconspicuously.
Richard Usborne
Richard Alexander Usborne (16 May 1910 – 21 March 2006) was a journalist, advertising executive, schoolmaster and author. After the publication of his book ''Wodehouse at Work'' in 1961 he became regarded as the leading authority on the works ...
, a leading scholar of the life and works of Wodehouse, describes Jeeves as a "godlike prime mover" and "master brain who is found to have engineered the apparent coincidence or coincidences". To form his plans, Jeeves often studies "the psychology of the individual" or the personality of one or more people involved in the situation. His mental prowess is attributed to eating fish, according to Bertie Wooster, who credits the phosphorus content in the fish with boosting Jeeves's brain power. Jeeves does not try to argue this claim, though at least once he says he does not eat a lot of fish.
One of Jeeves's greatest skills is making a special drink of his own invention, a strong beverage which momentarily stuns one's senses but is very effective in curing hangovers. The drink is Jeeves's version of a
prairie oyster
Prairie Oyster was a Canadian country music group from Toronto, Ontario. They were named Country Group or Duo of the year six times by both the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) and the Juno Awards. The band also won the Bud Country Fan ...
. Bertie first hires Jeeves after his hangover is cured by one of Jeeves's special drinks.
Not simply a hangover cure, the drink can also give energy to someone who needs it, yet calm down someone who is agitated. Dark in colour, Jeeves's special pick-me-up is composed of
Worcester sauce, a raw egg, and red pepper according to Jeeves, though Bertie suspects that the drink consists of more than that. Wodehouse mentions other ingredients in a personal letter he wrote late in his life, though these ingredients are not referred to in the stories. Additionally, Jeeves is capable of typing and writing
shorthand
Shorthand is an abbreviated symbolic writing method that increases speed and brevity of writing as compared to longhand, a more common method of writing a language. The process of writing in shorthand is called stenography, from the Greek ''st ...
.
Jeeves has knowledge in more dubious subjects as well. He is well-informed about how to steal paintings and kidnap dogs. He uses a
Mickey Finn to incapacitate the unscrupulous
Bingley
Bingley is a market town and civil parish in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, on the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, which had a population of 18,294 at the 2011 Census.
Bingley railwa ...
. Capable of action when the situation calls for it, Jeeves uses a golf club to knock out Sippy Sipperley in "
The Inferiority Complex of Old Sippy
"The Inferiority Complex of Old Sippy" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in April 1926, and in ''Lib ...
", and takes down a swan with a raincoat and boathook in "
Jeeves and the Impending Doom
"Jeeves and the Impending Doom" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in December 1926, and in ''Liberty ...
". He finds it necessary to get Aunt Dahlia to knock out Bertie with a gong stick in "
Jeeves Makes an Omelette
"Jeeves Makes an Omelette" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in the ''Star Weekly'' in Canada in August 1958. The story was also included in the 1 ...
", though he agrees with Bertie not to use this sort of tactic again. After Jeeves uses a cosh to knock out Constable Dobbs in ''
The Mating Season'', an astonished Bertie describes Jeeves as "something that would be gratefully accepted as a muscle guy by any gang on the lookout for new blood".
Hobbies
Jeeves often reads intellectual, "improving" books, including the works of
Spinoza
Baruch (de) Spinoza (born Bento de Espinosa; later as an author and a correspondent ''Benedictus de Spinoza'', anglicized to ''Benedict de Spinoza''; 24 November 1632 – 21 February 1677) was a Dutch philosopher of Portuguese-Jewish origin, ...
,
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
, and "
Dostoevsky and the great Russians". He also enjoys the works of romance novelist
Rosie M. Banks, and regularly reads ''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' (f ...
'', which Bertie occasionally borrows to try the crossword puzzle. In "
Jeeves in the Springtime", he went dancing in Camberwell, where he was seen by Bertie's friend Bingo Little. Bingo says that he saw Jeeves "swinging a dashed efficient shoe". Once a week, Jeeves takes the afternoon off to play
bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
at his club, the Junior Ganymede.
One of Jeeves's hobbies is fishing, which he tends to do during his annual summer holiday, typically taken at
Bognor Regis
Bognor Regis (), sometimes simply known as Bognor (), is a town and seaside resort in West Sussex on the south coast of England, south-west of London, west of Brighton, south-east of Chichester and east of Portsmouth. Other nearby towns i ...
. Bertie sees him fishing in ''
Joy in the Morning''. Appreciating travel in general, Jeeves wants to go on a cruise in two different stories, "
The Spot of Art
"The Spot of Art" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in December 1929, and in ''Cosmopolitan (magazi ...
" and ''
The Code of the Woosters
''The Code of the Woosters'' is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published on 7 October 1938, in the United Kingdom by Herbert Jenkins, London, and in the United States by Doubleday, Doran, New York. It was previously serialised in ''The Sa ...
''. Jeeves claims that travel is educational, though Bertie suspects that Jeeves has a Viking strain and "yearns for the tang of the salt breezes". Jeeves occasionally enjoys gambling, which is the reason he wishes to go to Monte Carlo in "
Jeeves and the Yule-tide Spirit
"Jeeves and the Yule-tide Spirit" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in December 1927, and in ''Libe ...
".
Relationship with Bertie Wooster
The premise of the Jeeves stories is that the brilliant
valet
A valet or varlet is a male servant who serves as personal attendant to his employer. In the Middle Ages and Ancien Régime, valet de chambre was a role for junior courtiers and specialists such as artists in a royal court, but the term "valet ...
is firmly in control of his rich and unworldly young employer's life. Jeeves becomes Bertie Wooster's guardian and all-purpose problem solver, devising subtle plans to help Bertie and his friends with various problems. In particular, Jeeves extricates Bertie Wooster from engagements to formidable women whom Bertie reluctantly becomes engaged to, Bertie being unwilling to hurt a woman's feelings by turning her down. While Jeeves wants to keep Bertie from a fiancée whom he believes will not make Bertie happy, Jeeves also wants to keep his position, which he feels would be threatened by a wife. Jeeves also provides assistance when Bertie, who refuses to let a pal down, gets drawn into trouble trying to help a friend or a relative he is fond of. Bertie is usually unaware of the extent of Jeeves's machinations until all is revealed at the end of the story. On one occasion, Bertie acknowledges and accepts his role as a pawn in Jeeves's grand plan, though Jeeves objects, saying that he could have accomplished nothing without Bertie's cooperation.
For the most part, Bertie and Jeeves are on good terms. Being fond of Bertie, Jeeves considers their connection "pleasant in every respect". Bertie says that he looks on Jeeves as "a sort of guide, philosopher, and friend". At times when Bertie is separated from Jeeves, Bertie is miserable. When Bertie must stay by himself in a hotel in "
The Aunt and the Sluggard
"The Aunt and the Sluggard" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in the '' Saturday Evening Post'' in the United States in April 1916, and in ''The Str ...
", he struggles without having Jeeves there to press his clothes and bring him tea, saying "I don't know when I've felt so rotten. Somehow I found myself moving about the room softly, as if there had been a death in the family"; he later cheers himself up by going round the cabarets, though "the frightful loss of Jeeves made any thought of pleasure more or less a mockery". In ''
Thank You, Jeeves
''Thank You, Jeeves'' is a Jeeves comic novel by P.G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom on 16 March 1934 by Herbert Jenkins, London, and in the United States on 23 April 1934 by Little, Brown and Company, New York.McIlvaine (1 ...
'', when Jeeves has left Bertie's employment because of their disagreement over a banjolele, Bertie still seeks Jeeves for help and Jeeves comes to his aid. Bertie dislikes when Jeeves goes on his annual holiday, stating, "without this right-hand man at his side Bertram Wooster becomes a mere shadow of his former self". Jeeves appreciates the praise that Bertie bestows on him, saying that "Mr. Wooster has always been gratifyingly appreciative of my humble efforts on his behalf".
Jeeves has firm ideas about how an English gentleman should dress and behave, and sees it as his duty to ensure that his employer presents himself appropriately. When friction arises between Jeeves and Bertie, it is usually over some new item about which Bertie Wooster is enthusiastic that does not meet with Jeeves's approval, such as bright purple socks, a white mess jacket, or a garish vase. Bertie becomes attached to these less conservative pieces and views Jeeves's opposition to them as "hidebound and reactionary", marking him "an enemy to Progress". This type of disagreement results in a period of coolness between them. The conflict is resolved by the end of the story, typically after Jeeves has helped Bertie with his latest problem. Bertie, grateful, agrees to have it Jeeves's way. He does not object if he learns that Jeeves, foreseeing that Bertie would agree to give up the item, has already disposed of it.
Bertie considers Jeeves to be a marvel, and wonders why Jeeves is content to work for him, stating, "It beats me sometimes why a man with his genius is satisfied to hang around pressing my clothes and what not". Jeeves has been offered twice the salary Bertie pays him by another gentleman, but still remains with Bertie. Jeeves views Bertie as being friendly but mentally negligible, though his opinion of Bertie's intelligence seems to improve over time. In an early story, he says that Bertie is "an exceedingly pleasant and amiable young gentleman, but not intelligent. By no means intelligent. Mentally he is negligible – quite negligible." Hearing this spurs Bertie to try to solve problems on his own, though he ultimately fails and needs Jeeves's assistance. Nonetheless, Jeeves's view of Bertie's intelligence has apparently softened by the first novel, when Jeeves says that Bertie "is, perhaps, mentally somewhat negligible, but he has a heart of gold". At one point in the ninth novel, Jeeves actually commends Bertie's quick thinking, saying that Bertie's tactic of hiding from an antagonist behind a sofa "showed a resource and swiftness of thought which it would be difficult to overpraise".
Influence
Jeeves's name is used as a synonym for a personal manservant. A "
Jeeves
Jeeves (born Reginald Jeeves, nicknamed Reggie) is a fictional character in a series of comedic short stories and novels by English author P. G. Wodehouse. Jeeves is the highly competent valet of a wealthy and idle young Londoner named Berti ...
" is a generic term for a model valet or butler according to the ''
Oxford English Dictionary
The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a co ...
'' and the ''
Merriam-Webster Dictionary''. It can mean a "resourceful helper" according to the ''
Encarta World English Dictionary''. In a comedy routine in a 1993 ''
Seinfeld'' episode,
Jerry Seinfeld said, "Did you ever notice a lot of butlers are named Jeeves? I think when you name a baby Jeeves; you've pretty much mapped out his future. Not much chance he's gonna be a hitman."
From 1996 until 2006,
Ask.com
Ask.com (originally known as Ask Jeeves) is a question answering–focused e-business founded in 1996 by Garrett Gruener and David Warthen in Berkeley, California.
The original software was implemented by Gary Chevsky, from his own design. Wa ...
, a question-and-answer search engine, was known as Ask Jeeves and featured a caricature of a butler on its launch page. The name of Jeeves has also been used by other companies and services, such as the British dry-cleaning firm
Jeeves of Belgravia
Jeeves of Belgravia (or Jeeves) is a British multinational retailer which offers specialist dry cleaning, garment and accessories care services. The company is based in London and currently has over 30 branches in 14 cities around the world, in ...
and the New Zealand company Jeeves Tours.
The fictional amateur detective
Lord Peter Wimsey
Lord Peter Death Bredon Wimsey (later 17th Duke of Denver) is the fictional protagonist in a series of detective novels and short stories by Dorothy L. Sayers (and their continuation by Jill Paton Walsh). A dilettante who solves mysteries fo ...
and his valet
Mervyn Bunter
Mervyn Bunter is a fictional character in Dorothy L. Sayers' novels and short stories featuring Lord Peter Wimsey.
Literary Background
Dorothy L. Sayers (1893–1957) wrote a number of novels and short stories concerning the adventures of ...
, created by
Dorothy L. Sayers
Dorothy Leigh Sayers (; 13 June 1893 – 17 December 1957) was an English crime writer and poet. She was also a student of classical and modern languages.
She is best known for her mysteries, a series of novels and short stories set between th ...
in 1923, were partially inspired by Bertie Wooster and Jeeves.
Jeeves himself is parodied in the mashup "Scream for Jeeves."
Jeeves series
List of stories
The Jeeves canon is a series of
comedic
Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...
stories following Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves, consisting of 35 short stories and 11 novels. With minor exceptions, the short stories were written and published first (between 1915 and 1930); the novels later (between 1934 and 1974). While the series of stories featuring the character of Jeeves are often referred to as the "Jeeves" stories, the series is also called by other names such as the "Jeeves and Wooster" or "Jeeves and Bertie" stories.
Bertie Wooster narrates (in the
first person) all the stories but two, "
Bertie Changes His Mind
"Bertie Changes His Mind" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in August 1922, and in '' Cosmopolitan' ...
" (which Jeeves himself narrates in the
first person), and ''
Ring for Jeeves'' (which features Jeeves but not Bertie Wooster and is written in the
third person
Third person, or third-person, may refer to:
* Third person (grammar), a point of view (in English, ''he'', ''she'', ''it'', and ''they'')
** Illeism, the act of referring to oneself in the third person
* Third-person narrative, a perspective in p ...
).
Jeeves and Bertie first appeared in "
Extricating Young Gussie
"Extricating Young Gussie" is a short story by the British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse. It was first published in the United States in the 18 September 1915 issue of ''The Saturday Evening Post'' and in the United Kingdom in the January 1916 edi ...
", a short story published in the US in September 1915, though it was not seen in the UK until 1916. In the story, Jeeves's character is minor and not fully developed, and Bertie's surname appears to be Mannering-Phipps. The first fully recognisable Jeeves and Wooster story was "Leave It to Jeeves", published in early 1916. As the series progressed, Jeeves assumed the role of Bertie Wooster's co-protagonist. Most of the Jeeves stories were originally published as magazine pieces before being collected into books, although 11 of the short stories were reworked and divided into 18 chapters to make an episodic semi-novel called ''The Inimitable Jeeves''. Other collections, most notably ''The World of Jeeves'', restore these to their original form of 11 distinct stories.
* ''
The Man with Two Left Feet'' (1917) – One story in a book of thirteen
** "
Extricating Young Gussie
"Extricating Young Gussie" is a short story by the British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse. It was first published in the United States in the 18 September 1915 issue of ''The Saturday Evening Post'' and in the United Kingdom in the January 1916 edi ...
" – The first appearances of Jeeves and Bertie, originally published 1915-09-18 in the ''
Saturday Evening Post.''
* ''
My Man Jeeves
''My Man Jeeves'' is a collection of short stories by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom in May 1919 by George Newnes. Of the eight stories in the collection, half feature the popular characters Jeeves and Bertie Wooster, wh ...
'' (1919) – Four stories in a book of eight, all four reprinted (in slightly rewritten forms) in the 1925 collection ''Carry On, Jeeves''. The non-Jeeves stories feature
Reggie Pepper.
** "Leave It to Jeeves", rewritten and retitled "The Artistic Career of Corky" in ''Carry On, Jeeves'', originally published 1916-02-05 in the ''Saturday Evening Post''.
** "The Aunt and the Sluggard", slightly rewritten for ''Carry On, Jeeves'', originally published 1916-04-22 in the ''Saturday Evening Post''.
** "Jeeves and the Unbidden Guest", slightly rewritten for ''Carry On, Jeeves'', originally published 1916-12-09 in the ''Saturday Evening Post.''
** "Jeeves and the Hard-boiled Egg", slightly rewritten for ''Carry On, Jeeves'', originally published 1917-03-03 in the ''Saturday Evening Post.''
* ''
The Inimitable Jeeves
''The Inimitable Jeeves'' by P.G. Wodehouse was the first of the Jeeves novels, although not originally conceived as a single narrative, being assembled from a number of short stories featuring the same characters. The book was first published ...
'' (1923) – A semi-novel consisting of eighteen chapters, originally published as eleven short stories (some of which were split for the book):
** "A Letter of Introduction" with "Startling Dressiness of a Lift Attendant" (together "
Jeeves and the Chump Cyril", originally published 1918-04-03 in the ''Saturday Evening Post.'')
** "The Pride of the Woosters Is Wounded" with "The Hero's Reward" (together "
Scoring off Jeeves
"Scoring off Jeeves" (also published as "Bertie Gets Even") is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in London in February 1922, ...
", originally published February 1922 in the ''Strand''.)
** "Introducing Claude and Eustace" with "Sir Roderick Comes to Lunch" (together "
Sir Roderick Comes to Lunch
"Sir Roderick Comes to Lunch" (also published as "Jeeves the Blighter") is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in London in Ma ...
", originally published March 1922 in the ''Strand''.)
** "Aunt Agatha Speaks Her Mind" with "Pearls Mean Tears" (together "
Aunt Agatha Takes the Count
"Aunt Agatha Takes the Count" (also published as "Aunt Agatha Makes a Bloomer") is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in Lond ...
", originally published April 1922 in the ''Strand'', revised for ''TIJ''.)
** "Comrade Bingo" with "Bingo Has a Bad Goodwood" (together "
Comrade Bingo
"Comrade Bingo" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in London in May 1922, and in ''Cosmopolitan'' in New York that same mo ...
", originally published May 1922 in the ''Strand''.)
** "
The Great Sermon Handicap
"The Great Sermon Handicap" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in London in June 1922, and then in ''Cosmopolitan'' in Ne ...
", originally published June 1922 in the ''Strand''.
** "
The Purity of the Turf", originally published July 1922 in the ''Strand''.
** "
The Metropolitan Touch", originally published September 1922 in the ''Strand''.
** "
The Delayed Exit of Claude and Eustace
"The Delayed Exit of Claude and Eustace" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in London in October 1922, and then in ''Cosmo ...
", originally published October 1922 in the ''Strand''.
** "Bingo and the Little Woman" with "All's Well" (together "
Bingo and the Little Woman
"Bingo and the Little Woman" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in London in November 1922, and then in ''Cosmopolitan'' i ...
", originally published November 1922 in the ''Strand''.)
** "Jeeves Exerts the Old Cerebellum" with "No Wedding Bells for Bingo" (together "
Jeeves in the Springtime", originally published December 1921 in the ''Strand'' and ''
Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan may refer to:
Food and drink
* Cosmopolitan (cocktail), also known as a "Cosmo"
History
* Rootless cosmopolitan, a Soviet derogatory epithet during Joseph Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign of 1949–1953
Hotels and resorts
* Cosmopoli ...
.'')
* ''
Carry On, Jeeves
''Carry On, Jeeves'' is a collection of ten short stories by P. G. Wodehouse. It was first published in the United Kingdom on 9 October 1925 by Herbert Jenkins, London, and in the United States on 7 October 1927 by George H. Doran, New York.McIl ...
'' (1925) – Ten stories:
** "
Jeeves Takes Charge
"Jeeves Takes Charge" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in the ''Saturday Evening Post'' in the United States in November 1916, and in ''The Strand ...
" – Recounts the first meeting of Jeeves and Wooster, originally published 1916-11-18 in the ''Saturday Evening Post.''
** "
The Artistic Career of Corky", a rewrite of "Leave It to Jeeves", originally published in ''My Man Jeeves''
** "
Jeeves and the Unbidden Guest", originally published in ''My Man Jeeves''
** "
Jeeves and the Hard-boiled Egg", originally published in ''My Man Jeeves''
** "
The Aunt and the Sluggard
"The Aunt and the Sluggard" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in the '' Saturday Evening Post'' in the United States in April 1916, and in ''The Str ...
", originally published in ''My Man Jeeves''
** "
The Rummy Affair of Old Biffy
"The Rummy Affair of Old Biffy" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in the '' Saturday Evening Post'' in the United States in September 1924, and in ...
", originally published 1924.
** "
Without the Option
"Without the Option" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in the '' Saturday Evening Post'' in the United States in June 1925, and in ''The Strand Magaz ...
", originally published 1925.
** "
Fixing it for Freddie", a rewrite of a Reggie Pepper story, "Helping Freddie", originally published in ''My Man Jeeves''
** "
Clustering Round Young Bingo", originally published 1925-02-21 in the ''Saturday Evening Post.''
** "
Bertie Changes His Mind
"Bertie Changes His Mind" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in August 1922, and in '' Cosmopolitan' ...
" – The only story in the canon narrated by Jeeves, originally published August 1922 in the ''Strand'' and ''
Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan may refer to:
Food and drink
* Cosmopolitan (cocktail), also known as a "Cosmo"
History
* Rootless cosmopolitan, a Soviet derogatory epithet during Joseph Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign of 1949–1953
Hotels and resorts
* Cosmopoli ...
''.
* ''
Very Good, Jeeves
''Very Good, Jeeves'' is a collection of eleven short stories by P. G. Wodehouse, all featuring Jeeves and Bertie Wooster. It was first published in the United States on 20 June 1930 by Doubleday, Doran, New York, and in the United Kingdom on 4 J ...
'' (1930) – Eleven stories:
** "
Jeeves and the Impending Doom
"Jeeves and the Impending Doom" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in December 1926, and in ''Liberty ...
", originally published 1926.
** "
The Inferiority Complex of Old Sippy
"The Inferiority Complex of Old Sippy" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in April 1926, and in ''Lib ...
", originally published 1926.
** "
Jeeves and the Yule-tide Spirit
"Jeeves and the Yule-tide Spirit" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in December 1927, and in ''Libe ...
" (US title: ''Jeeves and the Yuletide Spirit''), originally published 1927.
** "
Jeeves and the Song of Songs
"Jeeves and the Song of Songs" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in September 1929, and in ''Cosmop ...
", originally published 1929.
** "
Episode of the Dog McIntosh
"Episode of the Dog McIntosh" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' as "Jeeves and the Dog McIntosh" in the United Kingdom in ...
" (alternate title: ''Jeeves and the Dog McIntosh'', US title: ''The Borrowed Dog''), originally published 1929.
** "
The Spot of Art
"The Spot of Art" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in December 1929, and in ''Cosmopolitan (magazi ...
" (US title: ''Jeeves and the Spot of Art''), originally published 1929.
** "
Jeeves and the Kid Clementina
"Jeeves and the Kid Clementina" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in January 1930, and in ''Cosmopol ...
", originally published 1930.
** "
The Love That Purifies
"The Love that Purifies" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in November 1929, and in ''Cosmopolitan' ...
" (US title: ''Jeeves and the Love That Purifies''), originally published 1929.
** "
Jeeves and the Old School Chum
"Jeeves and the Old School Chum" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in February 1930, and in ''Cosmop ...
", originally published 1930.
** "
Indian Summer of an Uncle
"Indian Summer of an Uncle" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in March 1930, and in ''Cosmopolitan' ...
", originally published 1930.
** "
The Ordeal of Young Tuppy
"The Ordeal of Young Tuppy" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in April 1930, and in ''Cosmopolitan' ...
" (US title: ''Tuppy Changes His Mind''), originally published 1930.
* ''
Thank You, Jeeves
''Thank You, Jeeves'' is a Jeeves comic novel by P.G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom on 16 March 1934 by Herbert Jenkins, London, and in the United States on 23 April 1934 by Little, Brown and Company, New York.McIlvaine (1 ...
'' (1934) – The first full-length Jeeves novel
* ''
Right Ho, Jeeves
''Right Ho, Jeeves'' is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, the second full-length novel featuring the popular characters Jeeves and Bertie Wooster, after '' Thank You, Jeeves''. It was first published in the United Kingdom on 5 October 1934 by Herbe ...
'' (1934) (US title: ''Brinkley Manor'')
* ''
The Code of the Woosters
''The Code of the Woosters'' is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published on 7 October 1938, in the United Kingdom by Herbert Jenkins, London, and in the United States by Doubleday, Doran, New York. It was previously serialised in ''The Sa ...
'' (1938)
* ''
Joy in the Morning'' (1946) (US title: ''Jeeves in the Morning'')
* ''
The Mating Season'' (1949)
* (''
Come On, Jeeves
''Come On, Jeeves'' is a comedic play co-written by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse. The play was written in the summer of 1952, and toured the English provinces in the summer of 1954. Wodehouse adapted the play into the novel ''Ring for Jeeves' ...
'' – 1952 play with Guy Bolton, adapted 1953 into ''Ring for Jeeves'', produced 1954, published 1956)
* ''
Ring for Jeeves'' (1953) – Only Jeeves novel without Bertie Wooster (US title: ''The Return of Jeeves''), adapting the play ''Come On, Jeeves''
* ''
Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit
''Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit'' is a comic novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom on 15 October 1954 by Herbert Jenkins, London and in the United States on 23 February 1955 by Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, under t ...
'' (1954) (US title: ''Bertie Wooster Sees It Through'')
* ''
A Few Quick Ones'' (1959) – One short story in a book of ten
** "
Jeeves Makes an Omelette
"Jeeves Makes an Omelette" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in the ''Star Weekly'' in Canada in August 1958. The story was also included in the 1 ...
", a rewrite of a Reggie Pepper story originally published in ''My Man Jeeves''
* ''
Jeeves in the Offing
''Jeeves in the Offing'' is a comic novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United States on 4 April 1960 by Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, under the title ''How Right You Are, Jeeves'', and in the United Kingdom on 12 August 1960 by ...
'' (1960) (US title: ''How Right You Are, Jeeves'')
* ''
Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves
''Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves'' is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, published in the United States on 22 March 1963 by Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, and in the United Kingdom on 16 August 1963 by Herbert Jenkins, London.McIlvaine (1990), p. 97, A8 ...
'' (1963)
* ''
Plum Pie
''Plum Pie'' is a collection of nine short stories by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom on 22 September 1966 by Barrie & Jenkins (under the Herbert Jenkins Ltd, Herbert Jenkins imprint), and in the United States on 1 Decembe ...
'' (1966) – One short story in a book of nine
** "
Jeeves and the Greasy Bird
"Jeeves and the Greasy Bird" is a short story by English humorist P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''Playboy'' magazine in the United States in December 1965, and i ...
"
* ''
Much Obliged, Jeeves
''Much Obliged, Jeeves'' is a comic novel by P. G. Wodehouse, published in the United Kingdom by Barrie & Jenkins, London, and in the United States by Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York under the name ''Jeeves and the Tie That Binds''. Both edit ...
'' (1971) (US title: ''Jeeves and the Tie That Binds'')
* ''
Aunts Aren't Gentlemen
''Aunts Aren't Gentlemen'' is a comic novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom in October 1974 by Barrie & Jenkins, London, and in the United States under the title ''The Cat-nappers'' on 14 April 1975 by Simon & Schuste ...
'' (1974) (US title: ''The Cat-nappers'')
The collection ''The World of Jeeves'' (first published in 1967, reprinted in 1988) contains all of the Jeeves short stories (with the exception of "Extricating Young Gussie") presented more or less in narrative chronological order, but with some variations from the originals.
Setting and timeline
The short stories are set primarily in London, where Bertie Wooster has a flat and is a member of the raucous
Drones Club, or in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
, though some short stories are set around various stately homes in the English countryside. The novels all take place at or near an English country house, most commonly
Brinkley Court The following is a list of recurring or notable fictional locations featured in the stories of P. G. Wodehouse, in alphabetical order by place name.
Angler's Rest
The Angler's (or Anglers') Rest is the fictional public house frequented by irrepr ...
,
Worcestershire
Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see H ...
(in four novels) and
Totleigh Towers The following is a list of recurring or notable fictional locations featured in the stories of P. G. Wodehouse, in alphabetical order by place name.
Angler's Rest
The Angler's (or Anglers') Rest is the fictional public house frequented by irrep ...
,
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean.
The county town is the city of Gl ...
(in two novels).
The Jeeves stories are described as occurring within a few years of each other. For example, Bertie states in ''
Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit
''Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit'' is a comic novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom on 15 October 1954 by Herbert Jenkins, London and in the United States on 23 February 1955 by Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, under t ...
'' (1954) that his Aunt Dahlia has been running her paper ''Milady's Boudoir'', first introduced in "
Clustering Round Young Bingo" (1925), for about three years. However, there are inconsistencies between the stories that make it difficult to construct a timeline. For instance, it is stated in ''
Jeeves in the Offing
''Jeeves in the Offing'' is a comic novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United States on 4 April 1960 by Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, under the title ''How Right You Are, Jeeves'', and in the United Kingdom on 12 August 1960 by ...
'' that Aunt Dahlia ran her paper for four years, and not three, as is shown in ''Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit''. Nonetheless, some scholars have attempted to create a rough timeline.
J. H. C. Morris suggested that the Jeeves canon spanned approximately five years, stating that four Christmases are accounted for, and another must have passed during Bertie's time in America in the early stories, making five in all.
Kristin Thompson
Kristin Thompson (born 1950) is an American film theorist and author whose research interests include the close formal analysis of films, the history of film styles, and " quality television," a genre akin to art film. She wrote two scholarly books ...
also suggested that approximately five years passed during the stories, though Thompson instead relied on explicit references to time passed between events in the series.
The stories follow a
floating timeline
A floating timeline (also known as a sliding timescale) is a device used in fiction, particularly in long-running serials in comics and animation as well as other media, to explain why characters age little or not at all over a period of time— ...
, with each story being set at the time it was written, while the characters do not change and past events are referred to as happening recently. This results in the stories following "two kinds of time", as the characters hardly age but are seen against the background of a changing world. This floating timeline allows for comedic references to films, songs, and politicians that would have been well known to readers when the stories were written. For example, in ''Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit'' (1954), when Bertie is surprised to hear that his Aunt Dahlia wants to sell her weekly paper, he remarks, "It was like hearing that Rodgers had decided to sell Hammerstein." (This is a reference to
Rodgers and Hammerstein
Rodgers and Hammerstein was a theater-writing team of composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960), who together created a series of innovative and influential American musicals. Their popular ...
, who created popular Broadway musicals in the 1940s and 1950s.) However, certain
Edwardian era
The Edwardian era or Edwardian period of British history spanned the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910 and is sometimes extended to the start of the First World War. The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 marked the end of the Victor ...
elements, such as aristocratic country houses and traditional gentlemen's clubs like the Drones Club, continue to be prevalent throughout the series, despite becoming less common in the real world. Several writers have described the Jeeves series as being set in the
interwar period (1918–1939).
The setting is generally an idealised version of the world, with international conflicts being downplayed or ignored. Illness and injuries cause negligible harm, similar to downplayed injuries in stage comedy.
Comic style
The plots and dialogue of the Jeeves stories were strongly influenced by Wodehouse's experience writing for the stage, and the playlike quality of the stories is often comically exaggerated. For example, many stage comedies involve two sundered couples, and this number is increased to five for the plot of the Jeeves novel ''
The Mating Season''. Bertie frequently uses theatrical terminology to describe characters and settings. For instance, in ''
Joy in the Morning'', Bertie says that Lord Worplesdon's study "proved to be what they call on the stage a 'rich interior', liberally equipped with desks, chairs, tables, carpets and all the usual fixings." Later in the same scene, when Worplesdon sends his butler to fetch Jeeves, Bertie says, "During the stage wait, which was not of long duration, the old relative filled in with some ''ad lib'' stuff about Boko, mostly about how much he disliked his face" (chapter 22). The dialogue is sometimes written like in a script. For example, several lines of text in the first chapter of ''
Right Ho, Jeeves
''Right Ho, Jeeves'' is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, the second full-length novel featuring the popular characters Jeeves and Bertie Wooster, after '' Thank You, Jeeves''. It was first published in the United Kingdom on 5 October 1934 by Herbe ...
'' are rendered in script format.
Wodehouse uses a number of what
Kristin Thompson
Kristin Thompson (born 1950) is an American film theorist and author whose research interests include the close formal analysis of films, the history of film styles, and " quality television," a genre akin to art film. She wrote two scholarly books ...
terms "delaying devices" to keep the competent Jeeves from solving problems too quickly. For example, Bertie sometimes cannot get help from Jeeves initially because Jeeves is away on vacation. In multiple stories, Jeeves delays solving Bertie's problem because he disapproves of an object Bertie has acquired. Jeeves is shown to be a "thoroughly pragmatic, occasionally Machiavellian figure" who is willing to delay solving problems until it is advantageous for him to do so. In some stories, Bertie insists on trying to handle problems himself. Jeeves, planning in the background, can estimate the extent of Bertie's mistakes in advance and incorporate them into his own plan in the end.
Wodehouse has Jeeves consistently use a very formal manner of speaking, while Bertie's speech mixes formal and informal language. These different styles are frequently used to create humour in the stories, such as when Bertie has to translate Jeeves's erudite speech for one of his pals who is not familiar with Jeeves. An example of this occurs in "
The Artistic Career of Corky", when Jeeves comes up with a plan to help Bertie's friend Corky. Jeeves says his plan "cannot fail of success" but has a drawback in that it "requires a certain financial outlay". Bertie explains to Corky that Jeeves means "he has got a pippin of an idea, but it's going to cost a bit".
Jeeves often tells Bertie about his machinations at the end of the stories, but does not always reveal everything to Bertie. This can be seen in the only story narrated by Jeeves, "
Bertie Changes His Mind
"Bertie Changes His Mind" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in August 1922, and in '' Cosmopolitan' ...
", in which Jeeves manipulates events without telling Bertie. The reader can infer some of Jeeves's offstage activity from subtle clues in Bertie's narrative. For example, in "
Jeeves and the Kid Clementina
"Jeeves and the Kid Clementina" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse, and features the young gentleman Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. The story was published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in January 1930, and in ''Cosmopol ...
", Bertie ends up in a tree while trespassing as part of a task outlined by the mischievous
Bobbie Wickham, and is confronted by a policeman. The only information given to the reader about how the policeman got there is when he says, "We had a telephone call at the station saying there was somebody in Miss Mapleton's garden." After reading the story, the reader can look back and infer that Jeeves called the police himself or got someone else to do it, knowing the incident would ultimately make Bertie seem heroic to Miss Mapleton and would make Bertie realize the dangers of Bobbie's scheming.
Adaptations
Television
* ''
The World of Wooster
''The World of Wooster'' is a comedy television series, based on the Jeeves stories by author P. G. Wodehouse. The television series starred Ian Carmichael as English gentleman Bertie Wooster and Dennis Price as Bertie's valet Jeeves.
The s ...
'' (30 May 1965 to 17 November 1967, 20 episodes of 30 minutes) was a half-hour comedy series for
BBC1
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...
, with
Dennis Price
Dennistoun Franklyn John Rose Price (23 June 1915 – 6 October 1973) was an English actor, best remembered for his role as Louis Mazzini in the film '' Kind Hearts and Coronets'' (1949) and for his portrayal of the omnicompetent valet Jeeve ...
as Jeeves, and
Ian Carmichael
Ian Gillett Carmichael, OBE (18 June 1920 – 5 February 2010) was an English actor who worked prolifically on stage, screen and radio in a career spanning 70 years. He found prominence in the films of the Boulting brothers, including ...
as Bertie Wooster.
* In the 1970s and 1980s, Jeeves and Bertie Wooster were portrayed by various actors in twelve commercials for Croft Original Sherry. One 1973 advertisement featured
Jeremy Irons
Jeremy John Irons (; born 19 September 1948) is an English actor and activist. After receiving classical training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Irons began his acting career on stage in 1969 and has appeared in many West End theatre ...
as Bertie Wooster.
* In the 1981
BBC Two documentary ''Thank You, P. G. Wodehouse'', Jeeves was portrayed by
Michael Aldridge
Michael William ffolliott Aldridge (9 September 1920 – 10 January 1994) was an English actor. He was known for playing Seymour Utterthwaite in the television series ''Last of the Summer Wine'' from 1986 to 1990 and he had a long career as a ...
and Bertie Wooster was portrayed by
Jonathan Cecil
Jonathan Hugh Gascoyne-Cecil (22 February 1939 – 22 September 2011), known as Jonathan Cecil, was an English theatre, film, and television actor.
Early life
Cecil was born in London, England, the son of Lord David Cecil and the grands ...
.
* ''
Jeeves and Wooster
''Jeeves and Wooster'' is a British comedy-drama television series adapted by Clive Exton from P. G. Wodehouse's "Jeeves" stories. It aired on the ITV network from 22 April 1990 to 20 June 1993, with the last series nominated for a Britis ...
'' (22 April 1990 to 20 June 1993, 23 episodes of 50 minutes), a hit
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
series starring
double act Fry and Laurie
Fry and Laurie are English comedy double act, mostly active in the 1980s and 1990s. The duo consisted of Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, who met in 1980 through mutual friend Emma Thompson while all three attended the University of Cambridge. They ...
(with
Stephen Fry
Stephen John Fry (born 24 August 1957) is an English actor, broadcaster, comedian, director and writer. He first came to prominence in the 1980s as one half of the comic double act Fry and Laurie, alongside Hugh Laurie, with the two starring ...
as Jeeves, and
Hugh Laurie
James Hugh Calum Laurie (; born 11 June 1959) is an English actor, comedian, writer, and musician. He first gained recognition for his work as one half of the comedy double act Fry and Laurie with Stephen Fry. The two men acted together in ...
as Bertie Wooster). The scripts for this series by
Clive Exton
Clive Exton (11 April 1930 – 16 August 2007) was a British television and film screenwriter who wrote scripts for the series '' Poirot,'' ''Jeeves and Wooster,'' and '' Rosemary & Thyme.''[boogie woogie
Boogie-woogie is a genre of blues music that became popular during the late 1920s, developed in African-American communities since 1870s.Paul, Elliot, ''That Crazy American Music'' (1957), Chapter 10, p. 229. It was eventually extended from pi ...]
piano to have Bertie perform such songs accompanied by Jeeves.
Film
* In 1919, two silent short comedy films, "Making Good with Mother" and "Cutting Out Venus", were released in the US. These shorts were inspired by the
Reggie Pepper stories and directed by
Lawrence C. Windom
Lawrence Clement Windom (October 5, 1872 – November 14, 1957) was an American film director. He worked in theater before joining the film industry. In 1918 he signed a deal with World Pictures.
Filmography
References
External links
*
...
. Reggie Pepper, a prototype for Bertie Wooster, was given a manservant named "Jeeves" who was a reformed burglar. The shorts featured
Lawrence Grossmith
Lawrence Randall Grossmith (29 March 1877 – 21 February 1944) was an English actor, the son of the Gilbert and Sullivan performer George Grossmith and the brother of the actor-manager George Grossmith Jr.
After establishing his career in Ed ...
as Reggie Pepper and
Charles Coleman as Jeeves.
* ''
Thank You, Jeeves!
''Thank You, Jeeves!'' is a 1936 comedy film directed by Arthur Greville Collins, written by Stephen Gross and Joseph Hoffman, and starring Arthur Treacher, Virginia Field, David Niven, Lester Matthews, Colin Tapley and John Graham Spacey. I ...
'' (1936) was the first film to feature Jeeves and Bertie, with
Arthur Treacher
Arthur Veary Treacher (, 23 July 1894 – 14 December 1975) was an English film and stage actor active from the 1920s to the 1960s, and known for playing English types, especially butler and manservant roles, such as the P.G. Wodehouse valet c ...
as Jeeves and
David Niven
James David Graham Niven (; 1 March 1910 – 29 July 1983) was a British actor, soldier, memoirist, and novelist. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Major Pollock in '' Separate Tables'' (1958). Niven's other roles ...
as Bertie Wooster. In the film, they meet a girl and help her brother stop two spies trying to get his secret plans. The film has almost nothing to do with the book of that title. ''
Step Lively, Jeeves!
''Step Lively, Jeeves!'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Eugene Forde, written by Frank Fenton and Lynn Root, and starring Arthur Treacher as P. G. Wodehouse's Jeeves alongside Patricia Ellis, Robert Kent, Alan Dinehart, George Gi ...
'' (1937) also featured
Arthur Treacher
Arthur Veary Treacher (, 23 July 1894 – 14 December 1975) was an English film and stage actor active from the 1920s to the 1960s, and known for playing English types, especially butler and manservant roles, such as the P.G. Wodehouse valet c ...
as Jeeves. Bertie Wooster does not appear, Jeeves is portrayed as a naive bumbler, and the film has nothing to do with any Wodehouse story. Wodehouse was disappointed with the two Treacher films.
* ''
By Jeeves'' (2001) is a recorded performance of the musical, released as a video with British actor
Martin Jarvis as Jeeves and American actor John Scherer as Bertie Wooster.
Radio
* "Leave It to Jeeves" (1940) is an episode of the American
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
radio series ''Forecast''. It was not based on the Wodehouse short story originally titled "
Leave it to Jeeves".
Alan Mowbray
Alan Mowbray (born Alfred Ernest Allen; 18 August 1896 – 25 March 1969) was an English stage and film actor who found success in Hollywood.
Early life
Mowbray was born in London, England. He served with distinction in the British Army in Wo ...
portrayed Jeeves and
Edward Everett Horton
Edward Everett Horton Jr. (March 18, 1886 – September 29, 1970) was an American character actor. He had a long career in film, theater, radio, television, and voice work for animated cartoons.
Early life
Horton was born in Kings County ...
portrayed Bertie Wooster. The scriptwriter was
Stuart Palmer.
* In the 1955
BBC Light Programme
The BBC Light Programme was a national radio station which broadcast chiefly mainstream light entertainment and light music from 1945 until 1967, when it was replaced by BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 1. It opened on 29 July 1945, taking over the ...
dramatisation of the novel ''
Ring for Jeeves'',
Deryck Guyler
Deryck Bower Guyler (29 April 1914 – 7 October 1999) was an English actor, best remembered for his portrayal of officious, short-tempered middle-aged men in sitcoms such as ''Please Sir!'' and '' Sykes''.
Early life
Guyler was born in Wallas ...
portrayed Jeeves and
Ian Carmichael
Ian Gillett Carmichael, OBE (18 June 1920 – 5 February 2010) was an English actor who worked prolifically on stage, screen and radio in a career spanning 70 years. He found prominence in the films of the Boulting brothers, including ...
portrayed
Bill, Lord Rowcester. In the following 1956 dramatisation of ''
Right Ho, Jeeves
''Right Ho, Jeeves'' is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, the second full-length novel featuring the popular characters Jeeves and Bertie Wooster, after '' Thank You, Jeeves''. It was first published in the United Kingdom on 5 October 1934 by Herbe ...
'', Deryck Guyler again portrayed Jeeves, and
Naunton Wayne
Naunton Wayne (born Henry Wayne Davies, 22 June 1901 – 17 November 1970), was a Welsh character actor, born in Pontypridd, Glamorgan, Wales. He was educated at Clifton College. His name was changed by deed poll in 1933.
Stage actor
His firs ...
portrayed Bertie Wooster.
* ''Jeeves'' is a 1958 LP record issued by
Caedmon with
Terry-Thomas
Terry-Thomas (born Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens; 10 July 19118 January 1990) was an English character actor and comedian who became internationally known through his films during the 1950s and 1960s. He often portrayed disreputable members of t ...
as Bertie Wooster and
Roger Livesey
Roger Livesey (25 June 1906 – 4 February 1976) was a British stage and film actor. He is most often remembered for the three Powell and Pressburger, Powell & Pressburger films in which he starred: ''The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp'', '' ...
as Jeeves. Side one is the story "Indian Summer of an Uncle"; side two is "Jeeves Takes Charge". The album was re-released by
Harper Audio
HarperCollins Publishers LLC is one of the Big Five English-language publishing companies, alongside Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan. The company is headquartered in New York City and is a subsidiary of News Corp ...
in 1989.
* ''
What Ho! Jeeves
''What Ho! Jeeves'' (sometimes written ''What Ho, Jeeves!'') is a series of radio dramas based on some of the Jeeves short stories and novels written by P. G. Wodehouse, starring Michael Hordern as the titular Jeeves and Richard Briers as Berti ...
'' (1973 to 1981) is a
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...
series adapting various Jeeves stories with
Michael Hordern
Sir Michael Murray Hordern Commander of the Order of the British Empire, CBE (3 October 19112 May 1995)Morley, Sheridan"Hordern, Michael Murray (1911–1995)" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004, online e ...
as Jeeves, and
Richard Briers
Richard David Briers (14 January 1934 – 17 February 2013) was an English actor whose five-decade career encompassed film, radio, stage and television.
Briers first came to prominence as George Starling in ''Marriage Lines'' (1961–66), but ...
as Bertie Wooster.
* In 1988,
David Suchet portrayed Jeeves and
Simon Cadell
Simon John Cadell (19 July 1950 – 6 March 1996) was an English actor, best known for his portrayal of Jeffrey Fairbrother in the first five series of the BBC situation comedy ''Hi-de-Hi!''.
Early life
Born in London, he was the son of theat ...
played Bertie Wooster in the BBC ''Saturday Night Theatre'' radio adaptation of the novel ''Right Ho, Jeeves''.
* In 1997,
L.A. Theatre Works
L.A. Theatre Works (LATW) is a not-for-profit American media arts organization based in Los Angeles founded in 1984. The intent of the organization is to produce, preserve, and distribute classic and contemporary plays of significance. Along with i ...
dramatised ''The Code of the Woosters'', with
Martin Jarvis as Jeeves (and
Roderick Spode
Roderick Spode, 7th Earl of Sidcup, often known as Spode or Lord Sidcup, is a recurring fictional character in the Jeeves novels of English comic writer P. G. Wodehouse. In the first novel in which he appears, he is an "amateur dictator" and the ...
) and Mark Richard as Bertie Wooster.
In 1998, the same organisation dramatised ''Thank You, Jeeves'', with
Paxton Whitehead
Francis Edward Paxton Whitehead (born 17 October 1937) is an English actor, theatre director and playwright. He was nominated for a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for his performance as Pellinore in the 1980 revival of ''Camelot''. He has h ...
as Jeeves and
Simon Templeman
Simon Templeman (born January 28, 1954) is an English actor. He is known for his video game roles as Kain in ''Legacy of Kain'', Gabriel Roman in '' Uncharted: Drake's Fortune'', Loghain in ''Dragon Age'' and Admiral Han'Gerrel vas Neema in ' ...
as Bertie Wooster. Both dramatisations were adapted by Richard, who had previously adapted the novels as theatrical plays, and were recorded before a live audience.
* In 2006, BBC Radio 4 dramatised ''The Code of the Woosters'' for its ''
Classic Serial
''Classic Serial'' was a strand on BBC Radio 4, which broadcasts in series of one-hour dramas, "Adaptations of works which have achieved classic status." It is broadcast twice weekly, first from 3:00–4:00 pm on Sunday, then repeated from 9:00– ...
'' series, with
Andrew Sachs
Andreas Siegfried Sachs (7 April 1930 – 23 November 2016), known professionally as Andrew Sachs, was a German-born British actor and writer. He made his name on British television and found his greatest fame for his portrayal of the comical Sp ...
as Jeeves and
Marcus Brigstocke
Marcus Alexander Brigstocke (born 8 May 1973) is a British comedian, actor and satirist. He has worked in stand-up comedy, television, radio and musical theatre. He has appeared on many BBC television and radio shows.
Early life
Brigstocke is ...
as Bertie Wooster.
* ''Jeeves Live!'' (2007—2020) is an intermittent series of dramatic readings of Jeeves short stories, performed by Martin Jarvis in front of a live audience and broadcast on BBC Radio 4. The series includes the following eight stories: "Fixing It for Freddie", "Bertie Changes His Mind", "Jeeves and the Song of Songs", "Jeeves Takes Charge", "The Aunt and the Sluggard", "Jeeves and the Yule-Tide Spirit", "Indian Summer of an Uncle", and "The Great Sermon Handicap". Two other stories aired under the title ''Jeeves in Manhattan'', "Jeeves and the Unbidden Guest" and "The Artistic Career of Corky". Six of these readings were recorded live at the
Cheltenham Literature Festival
''The Times'' and ''The Sunday Times'' Cheltenham Literature Festival, a large-scale international festival of literature held every year in October in the English spa town of Cheltenham, and part of Cheltenham Festivals: also responsible for t ...
.
* In 2014, Martin Jarvis portrayed Jeeves and
Jamie Bamber
Jamie Saint John Bamber Griffith (born 3 April 1973), known professionally as Jamie Bamber, is a British actor, known for his roles as Lee Adama in ''Battlestar Galactica'' and Detective Sergeant Matt Devlin in the ITV series '' Law & Order: ...
portrayed Bill, Lord Rowcester, in a radio drama adapting ''Ring for Jeeves'' for BBC Radio 4's ''Classic Serial'' series.
* In 2018, ''
Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves
''Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves'' is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, published in the United States on 22 March 1963 by Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, and in the United Kingdom on 16 August 1963 by Herbert Jenkins, London.McIlvaine (1990), p. 97, A8 ...
'' was adapted as a radio drama for BBC Radio 4. Martin Jarvis portrayed Jeeves and
James Callis
James Nicholas Callis (born 4 June 1971) is a British actor. He is known for playing Dr. Gaius Baltar in the re-imagined '' Battlestar Galactica'' miniseries and television series, and Bridget Jones's best friend Tom in '' Bridget Jones's Di ...
portrayed Bertie Wooster.
Theatre
* ''
Come On, Jeeves
''Come On, Jeeves'' is a comedic play co-written by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse. The play was written in the summer of 1952, and toured the English provinces in the summer of 1954. Wodehouse adapted the play into the novel ''Ring for Jeeves' ...
'' (opened 1954, still presented from time to time under its name or as ''Ring for Jeeves'') is a 1952 play by Guy Bolton and Wodehouse (adapted into the 1953 novel ''
Ring for Jeeves''), opened 1954 in
Worthing
Worthing () is a seaside town in West Sussex, England, at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of Chichester. With a population of 111,400 and an area of , the borough is the second largest component of the Brighton and Ho ...
, England (cast unknown), published in 1956.
* The Jeeves novel ''
The Mating Season'' was dramatized as a play by Marjorie Duhan Adler, under the title ''Too Much Springtime''. The play was published by the Dramatic Publishing Company in Chicago in 1955.
* Mark Richard dramatised multiple Jeeves novels for the stage: ''Right Ho, Jeeves'' (premiered 1993), ''The Code of the Woosters'' (1994), ''Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit'' (1995), ''Thank You, Jeeves'' (1996), and ''Jeeves in the Morning'' (1997). Richard portrayed Bertie Wooster in these productions, with Page Hearn as Jeeves. They reprised their roles for Hearn's dramatisation of a Jeeves novel, ''Jeeves and the Mating Season'' (2001). These productions were presented by the City Lit Theater Company in Chicago. Richard adapted the scripts of ''The Code of the Woosters'' and ''Thank You, Jeeves'' for
L.A. Theatre Works
L.A. Theatre Works (LATW) is a not-for-profit American media arts organization based in Los Angeles founded in 1984. The intent of the organization is to produce, preserve, and distribute classic and contemporary plays of significance. Along with i ...
radio productions.
* Playwright Margaret Raether has adapted five plays from the Jeeves stories which have been presented at multiple theatres in the United States. The plays are: ''Jeeves Intervenes'' (premiered 2006), ''Jeeves in Bloom'' (2009), ''Jeeves Takes a Bow'' (2012), ''Jeeves at Sea'' (2015),
[ and ''Jeeves Saves the Day'' (2020). ''Jeeves Intervenes'' is loosely based on " Jeeves and the Hard-boiled Egg", and ''Jeeves in Bloom'' on '']Right Ho, Jeeves
''Right Ho, Jeeves'' is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, the second full-length novel featuring the popular characters Jeeves and Bertie Wooster, after '' Thank You, Jeeves''. It was first published in the United Kingdom on 5 October 1934 by Herbe ...
''. The plot of ''Jeeves Takes a Bow'' involves a friend of Bertie's who takes an interest in performing on the stage (a plot point used in "Extricating Young Gussie
"Extricating Young Gussie" is a short story by the British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse. It was first published in the United States in the 18 September 1915 issue of ''The Saturday Evening Post'' and in the United Kingdom in the January 1916 edi ...
" and " Jeeves and the Chump Cyril"), and in ''Jeeves at Sea'', another friend of Bertie's pretends to be his own twin brother (in circumstances similar to those in Wodehouse's Reggie Pepper story " Rallying Round Old George").
* ''Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense
''Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense'' is a play written by David and Robert Goodale based on the 1938 novel ''The Code of the Woosters'' by P. G. Wodehouse. After try-out performances at the Richmond Theatre and the Theatre Royal, Brighton i ...
'', a play based on the novel ''The Code of the Woosters'', premiered in 2013 with Matthew Macfadyen as Jeeves and Stephen Mangan
Stephen James Mangan (born 16 May 1968) is an English actor, comedian, presenter and writer. He has played Guy Secretan in ''Green Wing'', Dan Moody in ''I'm Alan Partridge'', Seán Lincoln in '' Episodes'', Bigwig in ''Watership Down'', Postm ...
as Bertie Wooster.
Musicals
* ''Jeeves
Jeeves (born Reginald Jeeves, nicknamed Reggie) is a fictional character in a series of comedic short stories and novels by English author P. G. Wodehouse. Jeeves is the highly competent valet of a wealthy and idle young Londoner named Berti ...
'' (22 April 1975 to 24 May 1975, 38 performances), an unsuccessful musical loosely based on Wodehouse, opened in London (with Michael Aldridge
Michael William ffolliott Aldridge (9 September 1920 – 10 January 1994) was an English actor. He was known for playing Seymour Utterthwaite in the television series ''Last of the Summer Wine'' from 1986 to 1990 and he had a long career as a ...
as Jeeves, and David Hemmings as Bertie Wooster). Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics and book by Alan Ayckbourn, based on the novel ''The Code of the Woosters''.
* '' By Jeeves'' (1 May 1996 to 12 February 1997; 28 October 2001 to 30 December 2001, 73 performances), a more successful complete rewrite of the earlier version, opened in London (with Malcolm Sinclair as Jeeves, and Steven Pacey
Steven Pacey (born 5 June 1957) is an English actor, best known for his role as Del Tarrant in the 3rd and 4th series of the science fiction series ''Blake's 7'' from January 1980 to December 1981.
Personal life
Pacey was born in Leamington Spa ...
as Wooster), and premiered in the US in November 1996 (with Richard Kline
Richard Kline (born April 29, 1944) is an American actor and television director. His roles include Larry Dallas on the sitcom ''Three's Company'', Richie in the later seasons of ''It's a Living'' and Jeff Beznick in '' Noah Knows Best''.
Early ...
as Jeeves, and John Scherer as Wooster). It was produced again in 2001 on Broadway (with Martin Jarvis as Jeeves, and Scherer as Wooster), with one recorded performance released as a video film and aired on television.
Comics
* In Alan Moore
Alan Moore (born 18 November 1953) is an English author known primarily for his work in comic books including '' Watchmen'', ''V for Vendetta'', '' The Ballad of Halo Jones'', ''Swamp Thing'', ''Batman:'' ''The Killing Joke'', and '' From He ...
's comic '' The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier'' (2007), Jeeves appears in the segment "What Ho, Gods of the Abyss?" in which he contacts the League through a cousin in the British Museum to help combat the arrival of a Mi-go to Brinkley Court The following is a list of recurring or notable fictional locations featured in the stories of P. G. Wodehouse, in alphabetical order by place name.
Angler's Rest
The Angler's (or Anglers') Rest is the fictional public house frequented by irrepr ...
and Bertie Wooster's Aunt Dahlia
Dahlia Travers (née Wooster) is a recurring fictional character in the Jeeves stories of English comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being best known as Bertie Wooster's bonhomous, red-faced Aunt Dahlia. She is much beloved by her nephew, in contra ...
's possession
Possession may refer to:
Law
* Dependent territory, an area of land over which another country exercises sovereignty, but which does not have the full right of participation in that country's governance
* Drug possession, a crime
* Ownership
* ...
by Cthulhu
Cthulhu is a fictional cosmic entity created by writer H. P. Lovecraft. It was first introduced in his short story " The Call of Cthulhu", published by the American pulp magazine ''Weird Tales'' in 1928. Considered a Great Old One within the p ...
.
* The Japanese manga series ''Please, Jeeves
is a Japanese manga series adapted from the comedic Jeeves short stories written by English humourist P. G. Wodehouse. The original stories were translated into Japanese by Tamaki Morimura and illustrated by Bun Katsuta. ''Please, Jeeves'' w ...
'' (2008–2014) adapts many of the Jeeves short stories. It was translated by Tamaki Morimura and illustrated by Bun Katsuta.
Literature
* The short story "Clubs are Trumps" was written by Hugh Kingsmill
Hugh Kingsmill Lunn (21 November 1889 – 15 May 1949), who dropped his surname for professional purposes, was a versatile British writer and journalist. The writers Arnold Lunn and Brian Lunn were his brothers.
Life
Hugh Kingsmill Lunn was born ...
as a sequel to the Jeeves story "The Purity of the Turf". It was published in 1931 in an issue of ''The English Review
''The English Review'' was an English-language literary magazine published in London from 1908 to 1937. At its peak, the journal published some of the leading writers of its day.
History
The magazine was started by 1908 by Ford Madox Hueffer (la ...
'', and reprinted in ''The Best of Hugh Kingsmill'', published in 1970 by Victor Gollancz, London.
* In the 20 May 1953 issue of ''Punch
Punch commonly refers to:
* Punch (combat), a strike made using the hand closed into a fist
* Punch (drink), a wide assortment of drinks, non-alcoholic or alcoholic, generally containing fruit or fruit juice
Punch may also refer to:
Places
* Pun ...
'', writer Julian Maclaren-Ross wrote a parody
A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its sub ...
of the Jeeves stories titled "Good Lord, Jeeves". In the story, Bertie loses his wealth and needs a job; Jeeves, who has just been elevated to the peerage, hires Bertie as his valet. Wodehouse wrote to Maclaren-Ross saying how much he liked it. It was included in Maclaren-Ross's book ''The Funny Bone'', published in 1956 by Elek, London.
* In the 1970s and 1980s, Jeeves and Bertie Wooster were featured in a number of full-page magazine print advertisements for Croft Original Sherry. The advertisements each had comedic prose imitating Wodehouse's writing style and a colour illustration similar to the magazine illustrations that originally appeared with many of Wodehouse's stories.
* ''Jeeves: A Gentleman's Personal Gentleman'' (1981), a fictional biography of Jeeves by Northcote Parkinson, attempts to provide background information about him.
* "Scream for Jeeves" (1990) was written under the pseudonym H. P. G. Wodecraft (actually Peter Cannon
Peter H. Cannon (born 1951 in California) is an H. P. Lovecraft scholar and an author of Cthulhu Mythos fiction. Cannon works as an editor for ''Publishers Weekly'', specializing in thrillers and mystery. He lives in New York City and is marrie ...
) and published in ''Crypt of Cthulhu
''Crypt of Cthulhu'' is an American fanzine devoted to the writings of H. P. Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos. It was published as part of the Esoteric Order of Dagon amateur press association for a short time, and was formally established in 1 ...
'' #72. It purports to put Jeeves and Bertie Wooster into the action of Lovecraft's "The Rats in the Walls
"The Rats in the Walls" is a short story by American author H. P. Lovecraft. Written in August–September 1923, it was first published in '' Weird Tales'', March 1924.
Plot
In 1923, an American named Delapore, the last descendant of the De la ...
". It was later included in ''Scream for Jeeves: A Parody'' (1994), which contains two more Lovecraft fusions, titled "Something Foetid" and "The Rummy Affair of Young Charlie".
* ''Wake Up, Sir!'' (2005) by Jonathan Ames
Jonathan Ames (; born March 23, 1964) is an American author who has written a number of novels and comic memoirs, and is the creator of two television series, '' Bored to Death'' ( HBO) and ''Blunt Talk'' ( STARZ). In the late '90s and early ...
is a homage to the Bertie and Jeeves novels.
* ''Jeeves and the Wedding Bells'' (2013), a pastiche novel authorized by the Wodehouse estate, was written by British novelist Sebastian Faulks
Sebastian Charles Faulks (born 20 April 1953) is a British novelist, journalist and broadcaster. He is best known for his historical novels set in France – ''The Girl at the Lion d'Or'', '' Birdsong'' and '' Charlotte Gray''. He has also pub ...
, who became the first writer authorized by the Wodehouse estate to produce a new fiction utilizing the Jeeves and Wooster characters.
* The short story "Greeves and the Evening Star" by Matt Hughes, published in the 2015 anthology ''Old Venus
''Old Venus'' is a "retro Venus science fiction"-themed anthology edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, that was published on March 3, 2015. All of the stories are set on the planet Venus as styled in the pre-space probe pulp magazin ...
'', is a science fiction parody of Jeeves and Wooster that takes place on the planet Venus. The characters based on Jeeves and Bertie Wooster are renamed Greeves and Bartie Gloster.
* '' Jeeves and the King of Clubs'' (2018), a pastiche novel authorized by the Wodehouse estate, was written by Ben Schott
Ben Schott (born 26 May 1974) is a British writer, photographer, and author of the ''Schott's Miscellanies'' and '' Schott's Almanac'' series.
Early life and university
Ben Schott was born in North London, England, the son of a neurologist ...
. A sequel by Schott titled ''Jeeves and the Leap of Faith'' was released in 2020.
See also
* List of Jeeves characters
The following is a list of recurring and notable fictional characters featured in the Jeeves novels and short stories by P. G. Wodehouse.
Anatole
Anatole is a recurring fictional character in the Jeeves stories, being the supremely skille ...
, an alphabetical list of Jeeves characters
* List of P. G. Wodehouse characters in the Jeeves stories, a categorized outline of Jeeves characters
* List of P. G. Wodehouse locations, including locations in the Jeeves stories
* List of fictional butlers
A list of fictional butler
A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine ...
, also including once-butler valets such as Jeeves
References
Notes
Bibliography
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External links
*
Jeeves Stories
' at Standard Ebooks
The Wodehouse Society's page
The P G Wodehouse Society (UK)
BBC's ''World of Wooster''
(March 2007 Archive.org
The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
cache) at the BBC Comedy Guide (down)
ITV's ''Jeeves and Wooster''
(March 2007 Archive.org
The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
cache) at the BBC Comedy Guide
{{Authority control
P. G. Wodehouse characters
Fictional valets
Fictional butlers
Literary characters introduced in 1915
Book series introduced in 1915
Fictional British people
Male characters in literature
Fictional fishers
Fictional contract bridge players