Who wrote the original novel "The Phantom of the Opera", which has been adapted for the screen innumerable times?

Explanation

The novel "The Phantom of the Opera" was written by Gaston Leroux and published in 1909. It has since been adapted for screen and stage countless times, but the original film adaptation remains the 1925 version starring Lon Chaney. The story revolves around a musical genius, the phantom, who has sequestered himself in the sets of a Paris opera house. He is sick and tired of another man taking credit for the music he himself has written. In 2004, the novel was adapted for film once more, this time directed by Joel Schumacher. In this version, Joel Gerard Butler starred as the phantom, playing opposite the beautiful Emmy Rossum, best known for her performance in "The Day After Tomorrow".