About Léo Malet
Lived 1909 – 1996 (aged 86). Léo Malet was a French writer, poet and screenwriter.
Léo Malet (1909–1996) was a French crime novelist and surrealist. He was known for creating the Parisian private eye Nestor Burma.
Biography
Leo Malet was born in Montpellier.
In the 1930s, he was closely aligned with the Surrealists, and was close friends with André Breton, René Magritte and Yves Tanguy, amongst others.
Selected bibliography 120, rue de la Gare (1943) Le cinquième procédé (1948) Le soleil naît derrière le Louvre (1954) (First of the "New Mysteries of Paris" series) Des kilomètres de linceuls (1955) Fièvre au Marais (1955) La nuit de Saint-Germain-des-Prés (1955) M'as-tu vu en cadavre (1956) Brouillard au pont de Tolbiac (1956) Casse-pipe à la Nation (1957) Micmac moche au Boul' Mich' (1957) Nestor Burma court la poupée (1971) Poste restante (1983)
Comic book adaptations Brouillard au pont de Tolbiac (Casterman, 1982); drawn by: Jacques Tardi 120, rue de la Gare (Casterman, 1988); drawn by: Jacques Tardi Une gueule de bois en plomb (Casterman, 1990); drawn by: Jacques Tardi Casse-pipe à la Nation (Casterman, 1996); drawn by: Jacques Tardi M'as-tu vu en cadavre ? (Casterman, 2000); drawn by: Jacques Tardi
Filmography 120, rue de la Gare, directed by Jacques Daniel-Norman (1946), with René Dary (as Nestor Burma) La Nuit d'Austerlitz, directed by Stellio Lorenzi (TV film, 1954), with Daniel Sorano (as Nestor Burma) The Enigma of the Folies-Bergere, directed by Jean Mitry (1959), with Bella Darvi, Frank Villard, Dora Doll La Nuit de Saint-Germain-des-Prés, directed by Bob Swaim (1977), with Michel Galabru (as Nestor Burma) Nestor Burma, détective de choc, directed by Jean-Luc Miesch (1982), with Michel Serrault (as Nestor Burma), Jane Birkin Les Rats de Montsouris, directed by Maurice Frydland (TV film, 1988), with Gérard Desarthe (as Nestor Burma) Nestor Burma (TV series, 39 episodes, 1991–2003), with Guy Marchand (as Nestor Burma)
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Important facts
People in Léo Malet's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Léo Malet's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Léo Malet?
French writer (1909–1996)
When was Léo Malet born?
Léo Malet was born on 7 March 1909 in Montpellier.
When did Léo Malet die?
Léo Malet died on 3 March 1996 in Châtillon.
What was Léo Malet's occupation?
Léo Malet was a writer, poet and screenwriter.
What nationality was Léo Malet?
Léo Malet was French.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Léo Malet. https://biography.guide/leo-malet/
MLA: "Léo Malet." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/leo-malet/.
Chicago: "Léo Malet." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/leo-malet/.
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