Eugene Francois Vidocq is without a doubt one of the most interesting figures in modern history. He’s a former criminal turned undercover informant who went on to found the French national police force and the world’s first private detective agency.
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# Stuff You Should Know - Eugene Francois Vidocq Summary
This episode dives into the fascinating life of Eugene Francois Vidocq, a man who went from career criminal to becoming the father of modern criminology and helping clean up crime-ridden Paris. Starting as a juvenile delinquent who ran away to join the circus, Vidocq spent years in and out of prison for forging documents and schemes before making the dramatic decision to become a police informant in 1809. What makes his story truly wild is that he eventually created an undercover security brigade made up of ex-convicts who proved so effective at catching criminals that the regular police grew jealous of their success. Beyond his detective work, Vidocq pioneered groundbreaking forensic techniques still used today, from ballistics comparison to plaster casting of footprints, earning him the title of father of modern criminology.
Les Misérables
2012
2h 38m
★ 7.3
"If you read the book, Les Miserables, or go see that Broadway show, if you see that also movie and you cry every time. — Les Misérables was inspired by Vidoc's story, particularly the character of Jean Valjean."
— Josh
Mission: Impossible
1996
1h 51m
★ 7.0
"Or like Tom Cruise in any mission possible movie. That's right. — Comparison of Vidoc's habit of dramatically removing his disguise to Tom Cruise's style in Mission: Impossible films."
Oliver Twist
1948
2h 1m
★ 7.6
"So there was a definite rivalry. Sure, yeah, he was a pickpocket, right? Oliver Twist. — Discussion about pickpockets in relation to Vidoc's security brigade."
Papillon
1973
2h 31m
★ 7.8
"If you've ever seen the movie Papillon on the island prison they were on. — Comparing the Bagnio prison to the famous prison depicted in the film Papillon."
— Chuck
Sherlock Holmes
2009
2h 9m
★ 7.2
"One that's a little less clear, a little less direct is Sherlock Holmes. There's some traits between Sherlock Holmes and Vidoc. — Discussion of how Sherlock Holmes may have been influenced by Vidoc through the character Le Coq."
— Josh
The Birdcage
1996
R
1h 59m
★ 7.0
"I think the guy who stepped up was Agador Sparta kiss from the birdcage. — Josh references an actor from The Birdcage in relation to a character in a Vidoc story."
— Josh
The Fast and the Furious
2001
1h 46m
★ 7.0
"Including friends like Peter Brown, who did all the sound design for the Fast and Furious movies. — Mentioned in podcast advertisement for Car Stories, unrelated to main episode content."
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