Alexandre Dumas fils was born in Paris , France , the illegitimate child of Marie-Catherine Labay , a dressmaker , and novelist Alexandre Dumas . He was the son of Alexandre Dumas , pÃ re , also a writer and playwright . Dumas was born in Paris , France , the illegitimate child of Marie-Laure-Catherine Labay ( 1794-1868 ) , a dressmaker , and novelist Alexandre Dumas .