Louis Verneuil (22 July 1893 – 14 November 1952) was a French playwright, screenwriter, and novelist, best known for his prolific output of comedies and farces during the early to mid‑20th century. Over the course of his career he authored more than one hundred stage works, many of which were translated into English and adapted for film in both France and the United States.
Early life and education
Verneuil was born in Paris, France. Details of his family background and formal education are not extensively documented in reliable sources.
Career
Verneuil began writing for the theatre in the 1910s, achieving his first notable success with the play Le Train pour Venise (1920). The work was later adapted into English as The Train for Venice and staged in London and New York, establishing his reputation abroad. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s he produced a steady stream of popular comedies, including Le Larron, Le Don d’Adèle, and Mademoiselle Ma Mère.
Several of his plays were turned into films, either directly or through screen adaptations he prepared himself. Notable film versions include The Man Who Came Back (1931), The Girl and the Gambler (1939), and the American adaptation The Girl Who Came Late (1949). In the early 1940s Verneuil relocated to the United States, where he continued to write for Broadway and Hollywood, contributing both original scripts and adaptations of his earlier French works.
Personal life
Verneuil was married several times; specific details regarding his spouses are limited in the available literature. He maintained a residence in New York City during the latter part of his life.
Death
On 14 November 1952, while crossing a street in Manhattan, Verneuil was struck by a taxi. He died as a result of the injuries sustained in the accident.
Legacy
Louis Verneuil’s plays remain a reference point for early 20th‑century French popular theatre, particularly in the genre of light comedy and farce. His works continue to be revived occasionally in French-speaking regions and have influenced later playwrights who specialize in comedic timing and dialogue-driven humor.