Kenny Barker as R2D2, Star Wars
Did you know that Kenny Barker, who is best known for playing R2D2 in Star Wars was in the 1982 version Hunchback. He played a pick pocket.
Victor Hugo
On May 22th 1885, at the age of 83, Victor Hugo died of pneumonia. His death created an intense national mourning. He was revered not only as a literary figure but as a statesman who shaped the Third Republic and democracy in France.
More than 2 million followed his funeral procession in Paris from the Arc de Triomphe to the Panthéon, where he was buried. He shares a crypt with Alexandre Dumas and Émile Zola.
Film Fact – In the film Camille Claudel
Does anyone else think Victor Hugo should get a bio-pic?
I just want to say that my heart goes out to all those affected by the tragedy today in Boston. I live near Boston, I went to school there, I have friends who live close by, so I feel it’s close to me.
This is also on the DVD
In addition to a novelist, poet, dramatist and writer Hugo was a a wonderful artist. Many of his works have survived. I really like his artwork. It has a whimsical fantasy aspect to it, at least from my point of view. I love have he used colors, his quality of lines and his use of positive and negative space.
Here are a view examples of his work but you can see more HERE
Victor Hugo The Snake c1866
Victor Hugo Octopus with the initials V.H
Victor Hugo Mushroom
Hunchback of Notre Dame Character Illustration by Francois Joseph Aime De Lemud
Hugo’s first novel major was successful Notre Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre-Dame), which was published in 1831 and was very successful. The novel shamed Paris into restoring the then neglected Cathedral which was attaching many tourist because of the Book. It also inspired a renewed appreciation for pre-Renaissance buildings, which began to be actively preserved. So Notre Dame as tourist attraction is largely due to Hugo and the book
Builded you own 3D Puzzle of Notre Dame of Paris
Victor Hugo
Portrait of Adele Hugo by Gemaelde von Louis Boulanger
Victor Hugo married the girl next door, Adèle Foucher. Hugo’s mother, Sophie, was against the match but after her death he married Adèle on October 14 1822. They had five children together. In 1830, after their youngest daughter (named Adèle ) was born the elder Adèle told Hugo that she didn’t want anymore children which was code for no more sex. Both Hugo and the Adèle took lovers. However it was the expulsion from Adèle bed’s that was the inspiration for Phoebus‘ tragic fate of getting married Notre Dame de Paris.
Further Reading
– Victor Hugo: A Biography
– Love Letters of Great Men: The Collection of Love Letters Drawn from by Carrie Bradshaw in “Sex in the City”
– Hugo: The Strange Life and Visions of Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo’s Daughter, Adèle
Did you know that Victor Hugo youngest child, Adele developed a romantic obsession a British military officer who rejected and nearly destroyed her. Kind of sounds like an mash-up of Frollo and Esmeralda. Adele’s love-life allludes to Notre Dame but it was by no means inspired it. Adele was born one year before Notre Dame’s publication.
There have been several biographies published on Adele Hugo but I really enjoyed the 1975 movie directed by François Truffaut and starring Isabelle Adjani called The Story of Adele H.
Note- For the Month of Setember every Monday I’m going to try post a Victor Hugo trivia that relates to Notre Dame.
Video made by LOVxxE. It uses the 25th anniversary of Phantom
footage and clips from the first run of Love Never Dies 
Hunchback of Notre Dame Graphic Novel by Tim A Conrad
Today marks the release of Tim Conrad’s Graphic Novel version of Hunchback of Notre Dame. So far it’s gotten mixed reviews but I’ll you be the judge of it that till I get my hands on it and find something the comment on (other than Esmeralda’s red hair).
Click here to order it from Amazon
