The Pink Panther

***The Pink Panther*** is a media franchise primarily focusing on a series of comedy-mystery films featuring an inept French police detective, Inspector Jacques Clouseau. The series began with the release of The Pink Panther (1963). The role of Clouseau was originated by, and is most closely associated with, Peter Sellers. Most of the films were written and directed by Blake Edwards, with theme music composed by Henry Mancini. Elements and characters inspired by the films were adapted into other media, including books, comic books and animated series.

The first film in the series derives its name from the eponymous pink diamond that has an enormous size and value. The diamond is called the "Pink Panther" because the flaw at its centre, when viewed closely, is said to resemble a leaping pink panther. The phrase reappears in the title of the fourth film The Return of the Pink Panther, in which the theft of the diamond is again the centre of the plot. The phrase was used for all the subsequent films in the series, even when the jewel did not figure in the plot. It ultimately appeared in six of the eleven films.

The first film in the series had an animated opening sequence, created by DePatie–Freleng Enterprises, features The Pink Panther Theme by Mancini, as well as the Pink Panther character. This character, designed by Hawley Pratt and Friz Freleng, was subsequently the subject of his own series of animated cartoons which gained its highest profile when aired on Saturday mornings as The Pink Panther Show. The character would be featured in the opening of every film in the movie series except A Shot in the Dark and Inspector Clouseau.

### The Pink Panther (1963)

**Released** February, 1964 (UK); March 20, 1964 (US)

### A Shot in the Dark (1964)

**Released** January 29, 1965 (UK); June 23, 1964 (US)

### The Pink Panther cartoons (1964-77)

DePatie–Freleng Enterprises (DFE Films) produced 92 shorts that were released theatrically, and eventually the first 62 entries appeared on Saturday mornings via The Pink Panther Show in 1969 on NBC.

* Two shorts appeared in 1964. "The Pink Phink" and "Pink Pajamas", were first aired December 18, 1964 and December 25, 1964, respectively.
* Twelve shorts were aired between February 12 and December 14, 1965.
* Ten shorts were aired between January 6 and December 23, 1966.
* Twelve shorts were aired between February 12 and December 27, 1967.
* Nineteen shorts were aired between January 3 and December 20, 1968.
* Seven shorts were aired between January 8 and June 20, 1969.
* Nine shorts were aired between June 23 and December 6, 1971.
* Two shorts were aired between May 16 and June 27, 1974.
* Eleven shorts were aired between June 23 and December 30, 1975.
* Seven shorts were aired between January 6 and July 9, 1976.
* The last theatrical entry "Therapeutic Pink" aired on April 1, 1977.

### Inspector Clouseau (1968)

**Released** February 14, 1968 (UK); July 19, 1968 (US)

> *"CALL THE POLICE! Inspector Clouseau Is Back!"*
>
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***Inspector Clouseau*** is a United Artists film directed by Bud Yorkin, and starring Alan Arkin as Inspector Clouseau.

Blake Edwards, Henry Mancini and Peter Sellers were all involved at that time with the film The Party. When Sellers and Edwards declined to participate, the Mirisch Company proceed without them. The film received mostly negative reviews and performed poorly at the box office.

#### Plot Summary

An organised crime wave strikes across Europe. Suspecting a mole within Scotland Yard, the Prime Minister brings Clouseau in to solve the case. Clouseau foils two assassination attempts but is subsequently kidnapped. The gang uses him to make masks of his face which they later use to commit a series of daring bank robberies across Switzerland. Eventually, Clouseau foils the plot and unmasks the traitor within the Yard.

#### Notable Cast

* Alan Arkin as Inspector Jacques Clouseau
* Frank Finlay as Supt. Weaver
* Patrick Cargill as Commissioner Sir Charles Braithwaite
* Beryl Reid as Mrs. Weaver
* Barry Foster as Addison Steele
* Richard Pearson as Shockley
* Michael Ripper as Stevie Frey
* Geoffrey Bayldon as Gutch

### The Return of the Pink Panther (1975)

**Released** January 22, 1976 (UK); May 21, 1975 (US)

### The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)

**Released** December 17, 1976 (UK); December 15, 1976 (US)

### Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978)

**Released** July 15, 1978 (UK); July 19, 1978 (US)

### Romance of the Pink Panther

Romance of the Pink Panther was to be the 7th film in the franchise, written by Peter Sellers and Jim Moloney. The basic plot involved inspector Clouseau becoming smitten with a cat burglar called "The Frog". Two drafts where written before Sellers death each with different ending. Shortly afterwards it was suggested Dudley Moore should play Clouseau but Blake Edwards chose introduce a new character in the series to replace Clouseau.

### The All New Pink Panther Show (1978)

Thirty-two new cartoon shorts were aired over 16 editions of ***The All New Pink Panther Show*** from Septmber 9 to December 23, 1978. They were later released theatrically. The series included 16 Crazylegs Crane cartoons.

### Trail of the Pink Panther (1982)

**Released** December 3, 1982 (UK); December 17, 1982 (US)

### Curse of the Pink Panther (1983)

**Released** November 30, 1983 (UK); August 12, 1983 (US)

### Son of the Pink Panther (1993)

**Released** December 26, 1993 (UK); August 27, 1993 (US)

### Reboot

The series was rebooted, beginning with The Pink Panther (2006) starring Steve Martin as Inspector Clouseau and Kevin Kline as Chief Inspector Dreyfus. This was followed by The Pink Panther 2 (2009) with Martin returning and Kline replaced by John Cleese.