# Theodore Racksole — The Grand Babylon Hotel character guide > Theodore Racksole in The Grand Babylon Hotel by Arnold Bennett. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Mr. Theodore Racksole, Mr. Racksole, Racksole **First appearance:** 0000-i-the-millionaire-and-the-waiter ## Snapshot A New York millionaire who buys the Grand Babylon on impulse, then finds his fortune useless against the secrets festering inside it. ## Who they are Racksole is a self-made American who has never been beaten and takes the credit even when luck hands him an opening. Buying the hotel began as a whim over a badly cooked steak, but the presence of the princes of Posen rouses his fighting instincts and an abstract love of justice he won't name. His instinct to conceal what he learns from the police puts him at odds with the law even as he pursues the criminals. ## Relationships ### [Rocco](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/rocco) _professional_ Rocco is the hotel's chef, and Theodore Racksole is his employer, with a professional dynamic centered on hotel operations. ### [Jules](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/jules) _rivalry_ Jules, a scheming waiter, is antagonistic toward Theodore Racksole, often working against his interests. ### [Prince Aribert](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/prince_aribert) _friendship_ Prince Aribert and Theodore Racksole are allies and friends, cooperating to solve the hotel's mysteries. ### [Félix Babylon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/felix_babylon) _professional_ Félix Babylon is the hotel's owner, and Theodore Racksole is a wealthy guest and later business associate. ### [Nella Racksole](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/nella_racksole) _family_ Nella is Theodore Racksole's daughter, and they share a close, supportive father-daughter relationship. ### [Sampson Levi](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/sampson_levi) _rivalry_ Sampson Levi is a cunning antagonist who opposes Theodore Racksole in a battle of wits and power. ### [George Hazell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/george_hazell) _professional_ George Hazell is a hotel employee who works under Theodore Racksole's authority. ### [Reginald Dimmock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/reginald_dimmock) _rivalry_ Reginald Dimmock is a suspicious character who clashes with Theodore Racksole over hotel intrigues. ### [Prince Aribert](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/prince_aribert) _friendship_ Prince Aribert and Theodore Racksole are allies and friends, cooperating to solve the hotel's mysteries. ### [Jules](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/jules) _rivalry_ Jules, a scheming waiter, is antagonistic toward Theodore Racksole, often working against his interests. ### [Félix Babylon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/felix_babylon) _professional_ Félix Babylon is the hotel's owner, and Theodore Racksole is a wealthy guest and later business associate. ### [Rocco](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/rocco) _professional_ Rocco is the hotel's chef, and Theodore Racksole is his employer, with a professional dynamic centered on hotel operations. ## In the story ### [I: The Millionaire and the Waiter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/i-the-millionaire-and-the-waiter) A wealthy American millionaire who orders an Angel Kiss, causing friction with the head waiter. ### [How Mr. Racksole Obtained His Dinner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/ii-how-mr-racksole-obtained-his-dinner) The American millionaire who buys the Grand Babylon Hotel on a whim after being refused dinner service. ### [At Three A.M.](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/iii-at-three-a-m) Observes Dimmock and Nella, later meets with Félix Babylon to discuss hotel management, and at 3 A.M. spies Jules in the corridor. ### [Entrance of the Prince](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/iv-entrance-of-the-prince) Racksole confronts Jules about his wink and the ribbon incident, dismisses him, and later finds Nella working at the hotel bureau. ### [V: What Occurred to Reginald Dimmock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/v-what-occurred-to-reginald-dimmock) Studies Prince Aribert, receives urgent summons, and later brings in Dimmock's body. ### [In the Gold Room](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/vi-in-the-gold-room) Observes the ball from a hidden window, confronts Jules, stays up all night, and discovers Dimmock's body missing. ### [Nella and the Prince](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/vii-nella-and-the-prince) Investigates the disappearance of Dimmock's corpse, suspects a conspiracy, and keeps the theft out of the newspapers. ### [Arrival and Departure of the Baroness](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/viii-arrival-and-departure-of-the-baroness) Mentioned as Nella's father and owner of the hotel; not present in the chapter. ### [The Court Pawnbroker](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xi-the-court-pawnbroker) The millionaire owner of the Grand Babylon Hotel, frustrated by the unsolved mysteries and suspicious of Jules. ### [Rocco and Room No. 111](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xii-rocco-and-room-no-111) Investigates Room No. 111, visits the kitchens, and discovers a secret passage spying on Rocco. ### [In the State Bedroom](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xiii-in-the-state-bedroom) Discovers the secret passage and watches Rocco's activities; identifies the corpse as Reginald Dimmock. ### [XIV: Rocco Answers Some Questions](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xiv-rocco-answers-some-questions) Confronts Rocco, interrogates him, but is outwitted and locked in a lift overnight. ### [End of the Yacht Adventure](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xv-end-of-the-yacht-adventure) Receives a telegram from Nella, drawing him away from Detective Marshall. ### [The Woman with the Red Hat](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xvi-the-woman-with-the-red-hat) Arrives by afternoon boat, dines with Nella and Prince Aribert, argues for police involvement but agrees to investigate, wins heavily at roulette, confronts the Berlin lady. ### [The Release of Prince Eugen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xvii-the-release-of-prince-eugen) Leads the rescue effort, uses a revolver to intimidate Miss Spencer, and helps carry Eugen upstairs. ### [XVIII: In the Nighttime](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xviii-in-the-nighttime) Agrees to keep Eugen in Ostend, reads the New York Herald, and sleeps in the parlour. ### [XIX: Royalty at the Grand Babylon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xix-royalty-at-the-grand-babylon) Mentioned as immensely wealthy, able to buy all Posen; Eugen considers rewarding him but Aribert advises against it. ### [Mr. Sampson Levi Bids Prince Eugen Good Morning](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xx-mr-sampson-levi-bids-prince-eugen-good-morning) Revealed to have informed Aribert about Eugen's financial affairs. ### [The Return of Félix Babylon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xxi-the-return-of-f-lix-babylon) Wanders the hotel, troubled by the unresolved Posen affair and his concealment from police; later confides in Babylon. ### [In the Wine Cellars of the Grand Babylon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xxii-in-the-wine-cellars-of-the-grand-babylon) Initiates a late-night tour of the wine cellars to inspect security and discuss Jules's potential poisoning plot. ### [Further Events in the Cellar](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xxiii-further-events-in-the-cellar) Mistakes Nella for a criminal, then devises a plan to trap Jules by watching from behind the glass door. ### [The Bottle of Wine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xxiv-the-bottle-of-wine) Devises a plan to trap Jules but is delayed by a policeman; later conspires with Prince Aribert to use the poisoned wine to uncover accomplices. ### [The Steam Launch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xxv-the-steam-launch) Leads the search for Jules' steam launch, hires George Hazell, and embarks on a nighttime Thames expedition. ### [The Night Chase and the Mudlark](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xxvi-the-night-chase-and-the-mudlark) Leads the pursuit of Jules, orchestrates the capture, and arranges for Jules to be lodged at his hotel. ### [The Confession of Mr. Tom Jackson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xxvii-the-confession-of-mr-tom-jackson) Holds Jules captive and questions him, threatening to take the law into his own hands. ### [XXVIII: The State Bedroom Once More](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xxviii-the-state-bedroom-once-more) Returns to the hotel having captured Jules; Nella believes he can save Eugen. ### [XXIX: Theodore Is Called to the Rescue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xxix-theodore-is-called-to-the-rescue) Agrees to help raise the million pounds, discusses hotel management with Félix Babylon, and goes to the City. ### [XXX: Conclusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xxx-conclusion) Sells the hotel back to Félix Babylon, recounts Jules's death to Prince Aribert, navigates police inquiries, and consents to Nella's marriage. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/theodore_racksole - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters