Character History Jean Passepartout Born to the semi-piratical captain of a Mediterranean trading vessel, Passapartout, uncertain of his actual birthplace, combines all the nationalities of Southern Europe from Albania to Spain. Before becoming Phileas Fogg's valet, he had been a circus acrobat, lumberjack, large-animal veterinary assistant, and hairdresser to the Emperor of Ethiopia. Passepartout does his best to be an exemplary manservant, ironing his master's Times every morning and keeping his evening wear immaculate. When the occasion arises, he also is a fair cook, though with a taste for the exotic that Fogg deplores. He has an uncanny knack of being able to conjure up a tray, glass and an appropriate beverage so he can serve a relaxing round of drinks in almost any circumstance with a napkin draped neatly over his arm. He also has succeeded in memorizing the railway timetables for nearly every country in the world, so that Fogg is in no danger of one of his most dreaded nightmares: missing a connection. Passepartout's real genius, however, is for concocting things. He has created a workshop in the Aurora in which he can build almost any device Jules Verne can dream up, from a stun grenade to a magnetometer. He works at extraordinary speed; a device can be invented, prototyped and tested within the course of a single episode. It may not work as planned, but it will certainly do something. Passepartout exemplifies joie de vivre; he truly knows how to enjoy life. He's always on the lookout for a moment of simple pleasure in the midst of the most hair-raising exploit: a beautiful woman to admire, a plump chicken that can be turned into a tasty ragout, an interesting local character with whom to spend an evening in some smoky tavern. He also, of course, can precipitate appalling disasters; lured away by an exhibit at a traveling fair, or pursuing a buxom fellow servant with a come hither smile. Passepartout has the good fortune of being a happy person. Unlike the others, he has no unattained goals. He is excitable, emotional, superstitious, and, in a practical way, very clever. -Talisman Crest/Filmline International Presss Kit