Gussie Fink-Nottle
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Augustus "Gussie" Fink-Nottle is a recurring fictional character in the ''
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 Bertie W ...
'' novels of comic writer
P. G. Wodehouse Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse ( ; 15 October 1881 – 14 February 1975) was an English writer and one of the most widely read humorists of the 20th century. His creations include the feather-brained Bertie Wooster and his sagacious valet, Je ...
, being a lifelong friend of Jeeves's master
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 intellige ...
and a country member of the Drones Club. He wears horn-rimmed spectacles and studies
newt A newt is a salamander in the subfamily Pleurodelinae. The terrestrial juvenile phase is called an eft. Unlike other members of the family Salamandridae, newts are semiaquatic, alternating between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Not all aqua ...
s.


Life and character

A small young man, Gussie Fink-Nottle (called "Spink-Bottle" by 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 ...
) is one of Bertie's friends. He is described as fish-faced. He wears horn-rimmed, or tortoiseshell-rimmed spectacles. He went to a private school with Bertie Wooster, where they were close enough friends that they shared Bertie's last bar of chocolate.Ring & Jaggard (1999), pp. 86–90. He had not been in London for over five years before meeting Madeline Bassett.Cawthorne (2013), p. 216. Generally a teetotaller, he drinks
whisky Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from Fermentation in food processing, fermented grain mashing, mash. Various grains (which may be Malting, malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, Maize, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky ...
once, and says that it tastes unpleasantly like medicine, burns the throat and leaves one thirsty. His preferred drink is
orange juice Orange juice is a liquid extract of the orange (fruit), orange tree fruit, produced by squeezing or reaming oranges. It comes in several different varieties, including blood orange, navel oranges, valencia orange, clementine, and tangerine. As ...
. Gussie is very shy in his first appearance, though he becomes more confident and assertive over time. Having become interested in newts as a child, Gussie became more devoted to studying these creatures through university and afterward, eventually observing the amphibians in a pond at his home in
Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (), abbreviated ''Lincs'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber regions of England. It is bordered by the East Riding of Yorkshire across the Humber estuary to th ...
. Later, he carries newts around in glass tanks. Knowledgeable about the species, he describes the courtship practices of newts to Bertie Wooster and on another occasion provides a great deal of information on the subject to Madeline Bassett. It is likely that Gussie is a member of the Drones Club. While Gussie's membership is not stated directly, there are at least three pieces of evidence suggesting he is a member of the Drones: at least five known Drones Club members attend the dinner celebrating Gussie's engagement to Madeline that Bertie gives Gussie at the Drones, Bertie states that Gussie loves cold steak and kidney pie so much that Bertie has known him to order it "even on curry day at the Drones", and it is implied by Wodehouse in a 1937 letter he wrote to ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...
'' that one can find Gussie at the Drones Club. Gussie is described as a Drone in two books about Wodehouse's characters, ''Who's Who in Wodehouse'' by Daniel H. Garrison and ''Wodehouse in Woostershire'' by Tony Ring and Geoffrey Jaggard. 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 ...
'', Gussie drinks whisky to gather the courage to propose to Madeline Bassett (and also unknowingly drinks orange juice spiked with
gin Gin () is a distilled alcoholic drink flavoured with juniper berries and other botanical ingredients. Gin originated as a medicinal liquor made by monks and alchemists across Europe. The modern gin was modified in Flanders and the Netherlands ...
), and while under the influence of the drinks, ends up giving an uninhibited and noteworthy speech at Market Snodsbury Grammar School. In that story, he becomes engaged to Madeline, despite a temporary engagement to Bertie's cousin Angela Travers. His engagement to Madeline is ended and renewed in ''
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 Ltd, Herbert Jenkins, London, and in the United States by Doubleday (publisher), Doubleday, Doran, New York. ...
'', in which he also comes into conflict with Roderick Spode. He is still engaged to Madeline through '' The Mating Season'', though he tried to send her a letter ending their engagement, and he temporarily falls for Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright's sister Corky. Also in ''The Mating Season'', Catsmeat makes Gussie climb into the
Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square ( ) is a public square in the City of Westminster in Central London. It was established in the early-19th century around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. Its name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, the Royal Navy, ...
fountain while clothed, and Gussie uses a false name twice. When in court after being arrested for wading in the Trafalgar Square fountain, he uses the alias " Alfred Duff Cooper" (who as Minister of Information had ordered the journalist "
Cassandra Cassandra or Kassandra (; , , sometimes referred to as Alexandra; ) in Greek mythology was a Trojan priestess dedicated to the god Apollo and fated by him to utter true prophecy, prophecies but never to be believed. In modern usage her name is e ...
" to deliver a radio broadcast denouncing Wodehouse as a Nazi collaborator), and he uses Bertie Wooster's name when pretending to be Bertie at Deverill Hall. 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 ...
'', his engagement to Madeline is ended for good after she tries to make him stick to a vegetarian diet, and Gussie elopes with Emerald Stoker.


Appearances

Gussie appears 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 ...
'' (1934) * ''
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 Ltd, Herbert Jenkins, London, and in the United States by Doubleday (publisher), Doubleday, Doran, New York. ...
'' (1938) * '' The Mating Season'' (1949) * ''
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) Gussie is mentioned in: * '' Jeeves in the Offing'' (1960) * '' Much Obliged, Jeeves'' (1971) * ''
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 & Schu ...
'' (1974)


Market Snodsbury Grammar School speech

The scene 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 ...
'' in which Gussie, thoroughly inebriated due to
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 Bertie W ...
and later
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 intellige ...
lacing his orange juice with gin, as well as his massive drink of whisky, gives a speech at the Market Snodsbury
Grammar School A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a Latin school, school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented Se ...
is often cited as among the finest vignettes in English literature. Gussie goes to the boys' school to present prizes to the pupils (for spelling, drawing, etc.), with the boys' relatives and other members of the community in attendance. He is taking the place of Reverend William Plomer, who is out due to illness. After making some snide remarks to the previous speaker (a man with a beard who mistakenly calls Gussie "Fitz-Wattle"), Gussie, standing with his thumbs in the armholes of his waistcoat, begins to deliver his speech:
"Boys," said Gussie, "I mean ladies and gentlemen and boys, I will not detain you long, but I propose on this occasion to feel compelled to say a few auspicious words. Ladies – boys and ladies and gentlemen – we have all listened with interest to the remarks of our friend here who forgot to shave this morning – I don't know his name, but then he didn't know mine – Fitz-Wattle, I mean, absolutely absurd – which squares things up a bit – and we are all sorry that the Reverend What-ever-he-was-called should be dying of adenoids, but after all, here today, gone tomorrow, and all flesh is as grass, and what not, but that wasn't what I wanted to say. What I wanted to say was this – and I say it confidently – without fear of contradiction – I say, in short, I am happy to be here on this auspicious occasion and I take much pleasure in kindly awarding the prizes, consisting of the handsome books you see laid out on that table. As Shakespeare says, there are sermons in books, stones in the running brooks, or, rather, the other way about, and there you have it in a nutshell."
Gussie's grammar school speech is referenced in '' Jeeves in the Offing''. Bertie recounts that at the grammar school, Gussie "had got pickled to the gills and made an outstanding exhibition of himself, setting up a mark at which all future orators would shoot in vain".


Adaptations

; Television * In the 1990–1993 series ''
Jeeves and Wooster ''Jeeves and Wooster'' is a British comedy 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 British Aca ...
'', Gussie was portrayed by Richard Garnett in series 1 (episodes 4–5) and series 2 (episodes 1–2), and by Richard Braine in series 3 (episodes 4–5) and series 4 (episode 5). ;Stage * In the 1975 musical ''
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 Bertie W ...
'', Gussie was portrayed by Christopher Good. * In the 1996 premiere of '' By Jeeves'', a rewrite of the previous musical, he was portrayed by Simon Day. * Gussie is one of the characters portrayed in the 2013 play '' Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense'', in which Bertie, Jeeves, and the butler Seppings reenact the events of ''The Code of the Woosters''. ; Film * James Kall portrayed Gussie in the 2001 recording of the musical '' By Jeeves''. ;Radio * Gussie was voiced by Rolf Lefebvre in the 1956 BBC BBC Light Programme radio dramatisation of ''Right Ho, Jeeves''. *In the 1973–1981 series '' What Ho! Jeeves'', Gussie was voiced by Rex Garner (''Right Ho, Jeeves'' and ''The Code of the Woosters''), David Valla (''The Mating Season''), and Jonathan Cecil (''Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves''). * In the 1988 BBC radio adaptation of ''Right Ho, Jeeves'', Gussie was voiced by Trevor Nichols. * In the 1997 L.A. Theatre Works radio adaptation of ''The Code of the Woosters'', Gussie was voiced by Thomas M. Shea. *In
BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasti ...
's 2006 adaptation of ''The Code of the Woosters'' for its Classic Serial series, Gussie was voiced by Jeremy Swift. * Gussie was voiced by Matthew Wolf in the 2018 BBC radio adaptation of ''Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves''.


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, Jeeves stories, being the supremely ...
, an alphabetical list of Jeeves characters * List of P. G. Wodehouse characters in the Jeeves stories, a categorized outline of Jeeves characters * List of ''Jeeves and Wooster'' characters, a list of characters in the television series


References

;Notes ;Bibliography * * * * * * * *


External links

* (last updated 11 May 2006) {{DEFAULTSORT:Fink-Nottle, Gussie Fictional English people Lincolnshire in fiction P. G. Wodehouse characters Literary characters introduced in 1934 Male characters in literature