Films
A films at the start starred Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau and were directed by Blake Edwards. A popular theme music is by Henry Mancini. the pinkish Panther of the title is, in the number one film, the diamond purportedly containing a flaw which forms the image of a pink panther, whose larceny is the concern of the number one film. A diamond is non later on referred to in the series (except A Link to Of The Pink Panther), however a title stuck because of the distinctive alive character of a pinkish panther seen in the number 1 film just in the opening credits & at the prevent of the film.

In a original Pink Panther motion-picture show, the independent focus get on David Niven's role as Sir Charles Lytton, aka a notorious jewel stealer "the Phantom", & his plot to steal a Pink Panther from either its original creator. the Inspector Clouseau character played basically a supporting role when Lytton's incompetent antagonist, & provided slapstick comical relief to the film that was the subtle, weak-light-hearted crime drama. A popularity of Clouseau induced him to turn into a independent character within subsequent Pink Panther films, which were extra standard slapstick comedy film.

Mancini's theme, using variations within arrangement, is utilized ab initio of a lot however two or three of the Clouseau films.

Til now, nine official films keep around been manufactured, virtually deuce getting "Pink Panther" in the title. A films come when follows: The Pink Panther (1963) A Shot in the Dark (1964) Inspector Clouseau (1968) (stars Alan Arkin as Clouseau, and non directed by Edwards) The Return of the Pink Panther (1974) (with Sellers & Edwards once more) The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976) Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978) Trail of the Pink Panther (1982) (features the by-so departed Peter Sellers by applying clips from either last films) Curse of the Pink Panther (1983) (in which Clouseau has handily never to return missing & is restored in the form of an uncredited Roger Moore) Son of the Pink Panther (1993) (starring Roberto Benigni as Inspector Clouseau Jr.)

A lot these films stand been freed by United Artists, however A Go to Of The Pink Panther is a single film in a series non presently owned by MGM/UA when at the period UA sold the film rights to British production company ITC Entertainment (although UA does own a right of first publication)--that film is today around rights judicial proceeding, which is how come "Return" is non involved inside the 2004 DVD pack placed of the more 5 Sellers films.

Although official, a 1968 film Inspector Clouseau is usually non considered section of the Pink Panther "canon" since it did not require Sellers or even Edwards. Occasionally elements of Arkin's performance & costuming, even so, were maintained after Peter Sellers took back a role around 1974.

Blake Edwards & Peter Sellers originally meant to make a Clouseau television series around 1974, however angel ITC felt the flick would better lawsuit the character, sequent in Return of the Pink Panther& the reanimated Clouseau film franchise.

A recently film, known as The Pink Panther, starring Steve Martin as Inspector Clouseau, directed by Shawn Levy, and by Robert Simonds, started filming in the Spring of 2004 and is set for release inside February 2006. Although advance publicity suggests it is the prequel to the 1963 film, it is placed in the present day. Before Martin sign language to a picture, which he too co-wrote the screenplay for, Mike Myers, Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker had all been announced when candidates to play a role of Clouseau. It remains to exist as seen whether fans of Clouseau may assume a film to become canonical since Blake Edwards is non included in the writing or even directing of the task.

Characters
Inspector Jacques Clouseau
The heavy-handed simple world health organization believes himself to become the detective genius. Inexplicably speaks within English with a ludicrous French accent, when more characters inside a films speak English in whatever accent is normal for the actor swimming the section. (Clouseau's accent is far less pronounced in the early films; it was just starting in the Seventies that an exaggerated accent became section of the joke). It hwhen been suggested that portraying the incompetent person officer as French is according to a British stereotype of the French police force generally.

Sheer luck or even clumsiness ordinarily saves him. E.g., inside a single film, assassins from either concluded a world come sent to stamp out him; Clouseau bends down to tie his shoestring, lessens terminated, etc, at just the right moment to assure that the killers' tries eliminate of these an additional.

Played by Peter Sellers, Alan Arkin, Roger Moore, and Steve Martin.

Chief Inspector Dreyfus
Clouseau's superior, introduced within The Shot in the Dark, world health organization is at length caused murderously harebrained by his exasperation sustaining Clouseau's stupidity. 1 film (A Link to Of The Pink Panther) terminates using him strait-jacketed within the cushioned cell writing "Kill Clouseau" on the wall by having his feet. In The Pink Panther Strikes Again he tries to choose above the world for the resole purpose of guaranteeing the demise of Clouseau by kidnapping the man of science & forcing him to build a disintegrator ray. Dreyfus appears to disentegrate himself at a prevent of this film, however after, without any explanation, comes back to his Primary Inspector post within late films.

Played by Herbert Lom in the Blake Edwards films, and by Kevin Kline in the forthcoming remake.

Cato
Clouseau's manservant, & renowned inside martial arts. It's unreadable whether he believes Clouseau occurs as swell detective or even simply humours him. These are the running joke that he is required to attack Clouseau while he least expects it, to keep Clouseau's combat skills & vigilance sharp. the single memorable scene has Clouseau stealthily look for a entire flat in giving from either grocery camping; upon non sorting through Cato, he opens a icebox for a bite. A location of Cato is left to the reader's imagination. Inside later inside films, Cato aids Clouseau on a few subjects, including of these in Hong Kong. Ever-faithful Cato wears glass order to exist as invisible, however he finishes higher going into various objects because of his okay,-impaired vision. At the start, Cato appears to conform to the Chinese racial stereotype of speaking in "broken English" & smile, even so Retaliation of the Pink Panther reveals that Cato is actually the cultivated gentleman, fluent around English, world health organization puts on the stereotype as an work for Clouseau. We recommend that the love-hatred relationship lives between them men, another time bordering sir thomas more on the hate side for Cato.

In the picture Retaliation of the Pink Panther, Cato, believing his master to exist as dead, ran the covert whorehouse around his flat. the code for into a bawdyhouse was to claim to exist as Inspector Clouseau, which stimulated a humourous scene whilst the really Inspector Clouseau showed higher. He late opened a second sporting house inside Curse of the Pink Panther, & converted Clouseau's flat into a museum featuring all the disguises he got worn above the years.

Played by Burt Kwouk.

François
Dreyfus's helper, world health organization typically observes his boss's interactions by using Clouseau (& subsequent emotional breakdowns) by owning placid bafflement.

Played by André Maranne.

Cartoons

A Pink Panther alive shorts, originally directed by Friz Freleng, were first created for a opening of the Blake Edwards series of films, however it were before long spun off in their have series, for instance using a trifle moustached human, resembling the alive version of Clouseau, when foil. A cartoon series was ab initio produced for theatrical release, & a 1964 animated short film The Pink Phink won a Academy Award for Animated Short Film (Freleng's third Oscar). A series in time moved to television, using many Saturday morning cartoon series (including one known as A Believe Pink Panther Indicate) producing the total of extra Pink Panther cartoons. It likewise added episodes starring more characters including The Ant and the Aardvark, the Tijuana Toads (aka a Texas Anuran), & Mr. Jaws & Catfish (aka Misterjaw). (Mr. Jaws was a shark world health organization liked to leap away from the water supply & vociferation "Gotcha!" at unsuspecting folks, & experienced the meek yellow derby-wearing catfish as a sidekick.) There were also A series of alive shorts known as "The Inspector", with a bungling Clouseau divine Inspector & his Spanish-speaking chum Sgt. Dieu-Dieu, whom a Inspector is forever correcting. ("Dieu" is French for "God", meaning a little human's title is two the bowel-centric pun and literally means "God-God".) Inside 1984, the Pink Panther had deuce sons, Little finger & Panky, in the short lived series The Pink Panther and Sons.

around a early series of Pink Panther cartoons, the Panther usually remained silent, speaking merely in 2 theatrical shorts, "Sink Pink" & "Pink Ice". Rich Little provided the voice of The Pink Panther, modelling a voice on it of David Niven. Years in the future he would overdub Niven's voice for Trail of the Pink Panther and Curse of the Pink Panther. The series of cartoons within 1993 and 1994 had a Pink Panther speaking by having the voice of Matt Frewer (of Max Headroom fame), a move that was ab initio controversial using fans world health organization felt that a panther should never speak. (Unlike a classic alive features, non completely episode titles contained a word "pink", instead several contained a word "panther".)

A cartoon character of the Pink Panther has been, since August 15, 1980, a mascot for Owens Corning fiberglass thermal insulation. A association comes from either a pinkish coloration of the insulation. Since 2001, the Pink Panther has too been the mascot for Sweet'N Low artificial sweetener. When using Owens Corning, a association comes from either a pinkish color of Sweetly'North Great packets. Around 2005, a 'Pink Panther' sunday strip, also featuring a Inspector Clouseau character, has been syndicated by Tribune Media Services. A strip is written & drawn by Eric and Bill Teitelbaum.

Jacques Clouseau, Dreyfus & Cato seem to keep around inspired a popular alive series Inspector Gadget.

Understand likewise: List of The Pink Panther cartoons