The Pink Panther

2022-08-15T14:44:49Z

2603:7000:A500:B89B:4B0:8B0A:EC74:D1EB: /* Box office and financial performance */

{{short description|Series of comedy films}}
{{redirect| Pink Panther|the animated character|Pink Panther (character)|other uses|The Pink Panther (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox media franchise
| color =pink
| title = The Pink Panther
| image = Pink Panther.png
| caption = The [[Pink Panther (character)|Pink Panther animated character]] is often used to represent the franchise
| creator = [[Blake Edwards]]<br>[[Maurice Richlin]]
| owner = [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]
| years = 1963–present
| origin = ''[[The Pink Panther (1963 film)|The Pink Panther]]'' (1963)
| books =
| novels =
| short_stories =
| comic books =
| graphic_novels =
| strips =
| magazines =
| films = {{Collapsible list
|framestyle=border:none; padding:0;
|title=Original series
|1=''[[The Pink Panther (1963 film)|The Pink Panther]]'' (1963)
|2=''[[A Shot in the Dark (1964 film)|A Shot in the Dark]]'' (1964)
|3=''[[Inspector Clouseau (film)|Inspector Clouseau]]'' (1968)
|4=''[[The Return of the Pink Panther]]'' (1975)
|5=''[[The Pink Panther Strikes Again]]'' (1976)
|6=''[[Revenge of the Pink Panther]]'' (1978)
|7=''[[Trail of the Pink Panther]]'' (1982)
|8=''[[Curse of the Pink Panther]]'' (1983)
|9=''[[Son of the Pink Panther]]'' (1993)
}}
{{Collapsible list
|framestyle=border:none; padding:0;
|title=First reboot series
|1=''[[The Pink Panther (2006 film)|The Pink Panther]]'' (2006)
|2=''[[The Pink Panther 2]]'' (2009)
}}
{{Collapsible list
|framestyle=border:none; padding:0;
|title=Second reboot series
|1=''[[The Pink Panther (2023 film)|The Pink Panther]]'' (2023)
}}
| shorts = See [[List of The Pink Panther cartoons]] and [[The Inspector|List of The Inspector cartoons]]
| tv =
| atv = {{Plainlist|
* ''[[The Pink Panther Show]]'' (1969–1980)
* ''[[Pink Panther and Sons]]'' (1984–1985)
* ''[[The Pink Panther (TV series)|The Pink Panther]]'' (1993–1995)
* ''[[Pink Panther and Pals]]'' (2010)
}}
| tv_specials = {{Plainlist|
* ''[[The Pink Panther in: A Pink Christmas]]'' (1978)
* ''[[The Pink Panther in: Olym-Pinks]]'' (1980)
* ''[[The Pink Panther in: Pink at First Sight]]'' (1981)
* ''A Very Pink Christmas'' (2011)
}}
| tv_films =
| dtv =
| plays =
| musicals =
| games =
| rpgs =
| vgs = {{Plainlist|
* ''[[Pink Panther (video game)|Pink Panther]]'' (1988)
* ''[[Pink Goes to Hollywood]]'' (1993)
* ''[[The Pink Panther: Passport to Peril]]'' (1996)
* ''[[The Pink Panther: Hokus Pokus Pink]]'' (1998)
* ''Pink Panther: Pinkadelic Pursuit'' (2002)
}}
| radio =
| soundtracks =
| music = "[[The Pink Panther Theme]]"<br>"[[It Had Better Be Tonight (Meglio stasera)|Meglio stasera]]"
| toys =
| attractions =
| otherlabel1 =
| otherdata1 =
| otherlabel2 =
| otherdata2 =
| otherlabel3 =
| otherdata3 =
| website = [https://www.mgm.com/franchise/pinkpanther Pink Panther] on [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]
| footnotes =
}}
'''''The Pink Panther''''' is an American [[media franchise]] primarily focusing on a series of comedy-mystery films featuring an inept French police detective, [[Inspector Clouseau|Inspector Jacques Clouseau]]. The franchise began with the release of the [[The Pink Panther (1963 film)|classic ''Pink Panther'' film]] in 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, video games and animated series.

The first film in the series derives its name from a pink diamond that has enormous size and value. The diamond is called the "Pink Panther" because the flaw at its center, when viewed closely, is said to resemble a leaping pink [[Panthera|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 center 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. The jewel ultimately appeared in six of the 11 films.

The first film in the series had an animated opening sequence, created by [[DePatie–Freleng Enterprises]], featuring "[[The Pink Panther Theme]]" by Mancini, as well as the [[Pink Panther (character)|Pink Panther character]]. This character, designed by [[Hawley Pratt]] and [[Friz Freleng]], was subsequently the subject of his own [[List of The Pink Panther cartoons|series of theatrical cartoons]], beginning with ''[[The Pink Phink]]'' in 1964.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lenburg |first1=Jeff |title=The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons |date=1999 |publisher=Checkmark Books |isbn=0-8160-3831-7 |access-date=6 June 2020 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780816038312/page/118/mode/2up |pages=118–119}}</ref> The cartoon series gained its highest profile on television, aired on [[Saturday-morning cartoon|Saturday mornings]] as ''[[The Pink Panther Show]]''.

The character was featured in the opening of every Clouseau film except ''[[A Shot in the Dark (1964 film)|A Shot in the Dark]]'' and ''[[Inspector Clouseau (film)|Inspector Clouseau]]''.

==Original film series==
===''The Pink Panther'' (1963)===

''[[The Pink Panther (1963 film)|The Pink Panther]]'' (1963), the original film of the series, centered on the Phantom/Sir Charles Lytton, portrayed by [[David Niven]]. Set in the ski resort of [[Cortina d'Ampezzo]]. Peter Sellers's performance was so popular that the resulting series was built on the Clouseau character, rather than the Phantom character. Niven's and Sellers's co-stars included [[Capucine]], [[Robert Wagner]], and [[Claudia Cardinale]].

===''A Shot in the Dark'' (1964)===

''[[A Shot in the Dark (1964 film)|A Shot in the Dark]]'' (1964) was released less than a year after ''The Pink Panther'', and was the first to feature the Clouseau character as the protagonist of the film, investigating a murder. Set in a country mansion near Paris. This film marked the first appearance of many of the tropes and supporting characters long associated with the series, including Commissioner Dreyfus (portrayed by [[Herbert Lom]]), his assistant François (portrayed by [[André Maranne]]), and Clouseau's manservant, Cato (portrayed by [[Burt Kwouk]]). [[Elke Sommer]], [[George Sanders]], [[Graham Stark]], [[Tracy Reed (English actress)|Tracy Reed]] and [[Douglas Wilmer]] also appeared in the film.

===''Inspector Clouseau'' (1968)===

The 1968 film ''[[Inspector Clouseau (1968 film)|Inspector Clouseau]]'' stars [[Alan Arkin]] as Clouseau, and does not feature any other recurring characters from the rest of the series. Although it was produced by the Mirisch Corporation (who owned the rights to the Pink Panther and Clouseau characters), key people associated with the earlier films, such as Peter Sellers, Blake Edwards, and Henry Mancini, were not involved in the making of this film.

===''The Return of the Pink Panther'' (1975)===

More than a decade after his previous portrayal, Peter Sellers returned as Clouseau in 1975's ''[[The Return of the Pink Panther]]''. The film marked the return of the famous "Pink Panther" diamond as well as most of the creative team associated with the prior films, including director [[Blake Edwards]], composer [[Henry Mancini]], [[Herbert Lom]] as Dreyfus, [[Burt Kwouk]] as Cato and [[André Maranne]] as François. David Niven did not reprise the role of Sir Charles Lytton, who is portrayed in the film by [[Christopher Plummer]] instead. The film also co-starred [[Catherine Schell]], [[Peter Arne]], and [[Graham Stark]].

===''The Pink Panther Strikes Again'' (1976)===

In ''[[The Pink Panther Strikes Again]]'' (1976), Dreyfus' insanity reached its zenith, as he tried to blackmail the rest of the world into killing Clouseau. It co-starred [[Leonard Rossiter]], [[Lesley-Anne Down]], [[Michael Robbins]], [[Colin Blakely]], and featured an uncredited cameo by [[Omar Sharif]].

===''Revenge of the Pink Panther'' (1978)===

''[[Revenge of the Pink Panther]]'' (1978) pitted Clouseau against the [[French Connection]]. It is the last in which Sellers played Clouseau. He died two years after its release. It co-starred [[Dyan Cannon]], [[Robert Webber]], [[Robert Loggia]] and [[Graham Stark]].

===''Romance of the Pink Panther'' (abandoned)===
''Romance of the Pink Panther'' was to have been the seventh film in the franchise, and written by Peter Sellers and [[Jim Moloney]].<ref>[https://pinkpanthermania.com/blog/romance-of-the-pink-panther-the-never-released-pink-panther-movie/ PinkPantherMania.com, Romance of the Pink Panther - the Never Released Pink Panther Movie.]</ref> Due to a rift between Blake Edwards and Sellers, Edwards would not have directed the film. The basic plot was to involve Inspector Clouseau becoming smitten with a cat burglar called "the Frog", played by [[Pamela Stephenson]].<ref name="Bach">{{cite book |last1=Bach |first1=Steven |title=Final Cut: Dreams and Disaster in the Making of ''Heaven's Gate'' |date=1985 |publisher=New American Library |location=New York |isbn=0451400364 |page=[https://archive.org/details/finalcutdreamsdi00bach/page/262 262] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/finalcutdreamsdi00bach/page/262 }}</ref> Two drafts of the screenplay were written before Sellers' death, each with different endings.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}} Shortly after Sellers' death in July 1980, it was reported that [[Dudley Moore]] might play Clouseau, but Blake Edwards instead chose to introduce a new character in the series, rather than recast the role of Clouseau. Both [[Clive Donner]] and [[Sidney Poitier]] were reported at various times to be directing the movie, with Donner's name in that role on the cover sheet of the July 16, 1980 'final draft' script.

===''Trail of the Pink Panther'' (1982)===

''[[Trail of the Pink Panther]]'' (1982) was the first Pink Panther film made after Peter Sellers' death in 1980. Sellers' role is created by using scenes cut from ''Strikes Again'', as well as flashbacks from the previous ''Pink Panther'' films. This movie was intended as a tribute to Sellers, but after its release, Sellers' widow [[Lynne Frederick]] successfully sued Edwards and [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] for tarnishing her late husband's memory. David Niven and [[Capucine]] reprise their original roles from the first Pink Panther film. ''Trail'' was a critical and commercial failure.

===''Curse of the Pink Panther'' (1983)===

1983's ''[[Curse of the Pink Panther]]'' is the first to feature a different lead character, blundering American detective Sgt. Clifton Sleigh, portrayed by [[Ted Wass]]. Inspector Clouseau and the Pink Panther diamond, both of which had disappeared in ''Trail'', are pursued by Sleigh. Clouseau returns, after having plastic surgery to disguise his identity, in a cameo appearance by [[Roger Moore]] (who is credited as "Turk Thrust II"). Although intended to spawn a new series of misadventures for the inept Sergeant Sleigh, the film's dismal box-office performance and critical drubbing, along with a complicated series of lawsuits between Edwards and [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]], led to a decade-long hiatus of the series. The lawsuit was eventually settled out of court in 1988, around the time Edwards came up with one final film idea that would ultimately become the unofficial series finale.

===''Son of the Pink Panther'' (1993)===

In ''[[Son of the Pink Panther]]'' (1993), Blake Edwards made one final attempt to revive the ''Pink Panther'' series, this time by casting Italian actor [[Roberto Benigni]] as Gendarme Jacques Gambrelli, Inspector Clouseau's illegitimate son by Maria Gambrelli, the murder suspect from ''A Shot in the Dark'' (1964). Once again, regular ''Panther'' co-stars return – [[Herbert Lom]], [[Burt Kwouk]], and [[Graham Stark]], and a star of the original 1963 film, [[Claudia Cardinale]]. Although intended to relaunch the series with the blundering Jacques as a lead, ''Son'' failed both critically and commercially and became the final installment in the original Pink Panther series. It was also the final film for both retiring director Blake Edwards and composer Henry Mancini, who died in 1994.

==Reboot film series==
===''The Pink Panther'' (2006)===
{{Main|The Pink Panther (2006 film)}}
This reboot launches a new ''Pink Panther'' film series starring [[Steve Martin]] as Inspector Clouseau and [[Kevin Kline]] as Chief Inspector Dreyfus. Not a remake of the original film, it forms a new starting point for a contemporary series, introducing the Clouseau and Dreyfus characters along with the famous diamond to a new generation.

The film was panned by most critics, but was a financial success, grossing $164.1 million against an $80 million budget.

===''The Pink Panther 2'' (2009)===
{{Main|The Pink Panther 2}}
The [[sequel]] to Steve Martin's 2006 film. Martin reprises his role, but [[John Cleese]] replaces [[Kevin Kline]] as Chief Inspector Dreyfus.

This film received negative reviews and was also not as successful at the box office as its predecessor.

==Second reboot film==
On March 31, 2014, [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] announced plans to develop a new live-action/CGI hybrid feature film starring ''The Pink Panther'', which was to be directed by [[David Silverman (animator)|David Silverman]] (of ''[[The Simpsons|Simpsons]]'' fame) and produced by [[Walter Mirisch]] and [[Julie Andrews]] (who, in addition to her many career accomplishments, is Blake Edwards' widow). Unlike most previous films, this film will not be focused on Inspector Clouseau, but instead on the titular cartoon character himself.<ref>{{cite news|title=MGM To Make New Live-Action/CG 'Pink Panther' Movie|url=https://www.deadline.com/2014/03/pink-panther-movie-mgm-live-action-animated/|newspaper=deadline.com}}</ref> However, on November 19, 2020, a CGI animated / live-action hybrid ''Pink Panther'' film was officially announced with [[Jeff Fowler]] directing the feature instead of Silverman and Chris Bremner developing the script, though the film will still be produced by [[Julie Andrews]], [[Walter Mirisch]], and his son Lawrence Mirisch. It was also announced that the film will focus on both the Pink Panther himself and Inspector Clouseau. As of 2022, the film is still in development.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/11/mgm-pink-panther-sonic-the-hedgehogs-jeff-fowler-directing-1234618767/|title='Pink Panther': MGM Developing Live-Action/CGI Hybrid Movie With 'Sonic The Hedgehog's Jeff Fowler Directing|first=Justin|last=Kroll|date=November 19, 2020|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|access-date=November 20, 2020}}</ref>

==Development==

===20th-century film series===
Most of the films in the series starred Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau and were directed and co-written by [[Blake Edwards]]. As detailed in the director's commentary for the first film, the Inspector Clouseau character was originally conceived as a vehicle for [[David Niven]], but once written it was decided he should play the raconteur/thief. Then the role was offered to [[Peter Ustinov]], with [[Ava Gardner]] to play his wife. When Gardner dropped out, so did Ustinov, so the role of Clouseau went to Sellers. Apparently, the tone of the film changed after Edwards picked up Sellers from the airport, and during the ride to the hotel, they bonded over their mutual love of old film comedians like [[Harold Lloyd]], [[Buster Keaton]] and [[Laurel & Hardy]]. The role was then modified to include elements of slapstick. The jazz-based Pink Panther Theme was composed by [[Henry Mancini]]. In addition to the credits sequences, the theme often accompanies any suspenseful sequence in the first film and in most of the subsequent films featuring the character of Clouseau.

The "Pink Panther" of the title is a diamond supposedly containing a flaw that forms the image of a "leaping panther" which can be seen if held up to the light in a certain way. This is explained at the beginning of the first film, and the camera zooms in on the diamond to reveal the blurry flaw, which focuses on the cartoon Panther (though not actually leaping) to begin the opening credits sequence. (This is also done in ''[[The Return of the Pink Panther]]'' [1975].) The plot of the first film is based on the theft of this diamond. The diamond reappears in several later films in the series, ''[[The Return of the Pink Panther]]'' (1975), ''[[Trail of the Pink Panther]]'' (1982) and ''[[Curse of the Pink Panther]]'' (1983). It also appears in the revival of the Inspector Clouseau character in the [[Steve Martin]] reboot films ''[[The Pink Panther (2006 film)|The Pink Panther]]'' (2006), and its sequel ''[[The Pink Panther 2]]'' (2009). The name "the Pink Panther" became attached to Inspector Clouseau in much the same way that ''[[Frankenstein]]'' has been used in film titles to refer to [[Frankenstein's monster|Dr. Frankenstein's creation]], or ''[[The Thin Man (film)|The Thin Man]]'' was used in a series of detective films.

''[[A Shot in the Dark (1964 film)|A Shot in the Dark]]'', the second film in the series, was not originally intended to feature Clouseau and is the first of two films in the series (the other being ''Inspector Clouseau'') that features neither the diamond nor the distinctive animated Pink Panther character in the opening credits and ending. Many critics, including [[Leonard Maltin]], regard ''A Shot in the Dark'' as the best film in the series.

In the original film, released in 1963, the main focus was on [[David Niven]]'s role as Sir Charles Litton, the infamous jewel thief nicknamed "the Phantom", and his plan to steal the Pink Panther diamond. Inspector Clouseau was only a secondary character as Litton's incompetent antagonist and provided [[slapstick]] to an otherwise subtle, lighthearted [[Caper story|caper film]], a somewhat jarring contrast of styles which is typical of Edwards's films. The popularity of Clouseau caused him to become the main character in subsequent Pink Panther films, which were more straightforward slapstick comedies.

Mancini's theme, with variations in arrangement, is used at the start of all but the first two of the subsequent films. Mancini's other themes for the first film include an Italian-language set-piece called "''[[Meglio stasera]]''", whose purpose seems primarily to introduce young actress [[Fran Jeffries]]. Portions of an instrumental version also appear in the film's musical score several times. Other segments include "Shades of [[Mack Sennett|Sennett]]", a "[[honky-tonk]]" piano number introducing the film's climactic chase scene through the streets of [[Rome]]. Most of the remaining tracks on the soundtrack album are the early 1960s [[orchestral jazz]] pieces, matching the style of the era. Although variations of the main theme would reprise for many of the ''Pink Panther'' series entries, as well as the cartoon series, Mancini composed different theme music for ''A Shot in the Dark''; this theme was later adopted by the animated spin-off series ''[[The Inspector]]''.

Although official, the live-action film ''[[Inspector Clouseau (film)|Inspector Clouseau]]'' (1968) starring [[Alan Arkin]] as Clouseau, is generally not considered by fans to be part of the series [[Canon (fiction)|canon]], since it involved neither Sellers nor Edwards. However, some elements of Arkin's performance and costuming of Clouseau were retained when Peter Sellers resumed the role of ''Return'' in 1975. Despite speculation, Alan Arkin does not appear in ''[[Trail of the Pink Panther]]''.

===2000s film series===
The film that launched the second Pink Panther series, ''[[The Pink Panther (2006 film)|The Pink Panther]]'', starring Steve Martin as Clouseau, directed by [[Shawn Levy]] and produced by [[Robert Simonds]], was released in February 2006 by [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] and was co-produced with [[Columbia Pictures]]. It is set in the present day and introduces different main characters, therefore belonging to a different continuity. Martin also stars in the sequel, ''[[The Pink Panther 2]]'', released in 2009.

==Recurring characters==
{{main|List of The Pink Panther characters}}
{| class="wikitable" style= "width:99%"
|-
! rowspan="2" style="width:10%;"| Character
!Colspan="11" style="text-align:centre;"| Film
|-
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[The Pink Panther (1963 film)|The Pink Panther]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[A Shot in the Dark (1964 film)|A Shot in the Dark]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[Inspector Clouseau (film)|Inspector Clouseau]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[The Return of the Pink Panther]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[The Pink Panther Strikes Again]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[Revenge of the Pink Panther]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[Trail of the Pink Panther]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[Curse of the Pink Panther]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[Son of the Pink Panther]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[The Pink Panther (2006 film)|The Pink Panther]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[The Pink Panther 2]]''
|-
! [[Inspector Clouseau|Inspector Jacques Clouseau]]
| colspan= "2" | [[Peter Sellers]]
| [[Alan Arkin]]
| colspan ="3" | Peter Sellers
| Peter Sellers (outtakes from ''[[The Pink Panther Strikes Again]]'')
| [[Roger Moore]] (cameo)
| style="background: lightgrey;" |Peter Sellers
Picture cameo
| colspan="2" | [[Steve Martin]]
|-
! Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus
| style="background: lightgrey;" |
| [[Herbert Lom]]
| style="background: lightgrey;" |
| colspan="6" | Herbert Lom
| [[Kevin Kline]]
| [[John Cleese]]
|-
! Cato Fong
| style="background:lightgrey;" |
| [[Burt Kwouk]]
| style="background:lightgrey;" |
| colspan="6" | Burt Kwouk
| colspan="2" style="background: lightgrey;" |
|-
! Sergeant François Chevalier/François Duval
| style="background:lightgrey;" |
| [[André Maranne]]
| style="background:lightgrey;" |
| colspan="5" | André Maranne
| [[Dermot Crowley]]
| colspan="2" style="background:lightgrey;" |
|-
! Sir Charles Lytton/The Phantom
| [[David Niven]]
| colspan="2" style="background:lightgrey;" |
| [[Christopher Plummer]]
| colspan="2" style="background:lightgrey;" |
| colspan="2" | David Niven, [[Rich Little]] (voice)
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey" |
|-
! Professor Auguste Balls
| colspan="4" style="background:lightgrey;" |
| [[Harvey Korman]] (deleted scene)
| [[Graham Stark]]
| Harvey Korman (previously unseen footage)
| Harvey Korman
| Graham Stark
| colspan="2" style="background:lightgrey;" |
|-
! Simone Clouseau/Lady Simone Lytton
| [[Capucine]]
| colspan="5" style="background:lightgrey;" |
| colspan="2" | Capucine
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey;" |
|-
! George Lytton
| [[Robert Wagner]]
| colspan="6" style="background:lightgrey; |
| Robert Wagner
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey; |
|-
! Hercule LaJoy
| Style="background:lightgrey;" |
| Graham Stark
| colspan="4" style="background:lightgrey;" |
| Graham Stark
| colspan="4" style="background:lightgrey;" |
|-
! Maria Gambrelli
| style=background:lightgrey;" |
| [[Elke Sommer]]
| colspan="6" style="background:lightgrey;" |
| [[Claudia Cardinale]]
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey;" |
|-
! Gendarme Gilbert Ponton
| colspan="9" style="background:lightgrey;" |
| colspan="2" | [[Jean Reno]]
|-
! Nicole Durant
| colspan="9" style="background:lightgrey;" |
| colspan="2" | [[Emily Mortimer]]
|-
! Renard
| colspan="9" style="background:lightgrey;" |
| colspan="2" | Philip Goodwin
|}

==Response==
{{hatnote|For more details on the reception of each film, see the "Reception" section on each film's article.}}

===Box office and financial performance===
{| class="wikitable" width=80% border="1" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! rowspan="2" style="width:20%;"| Film
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Release date
! colspan="3" | Box office gross
! rowspan=2|Budget
! rowspan=2|{{Abbr|Ref.|References}}
|-
! North America
! Other territories
! Worldwide
|-
!''[[The Pink Panther (1963 film)|The Pink Panther]]''
| {{start date|df=yes|1963|12|18}}
| $10,878,107
| {{n/a}}
| $10,878,107
|style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0057413/?ref_=bo_se_r_2|title = The Pink Panther (1963 film)}}</ref>
|-
!''[[A Shot in the Dark (1964 film)|A Shot in the Dark]]''
| {{start date|df=yes|1964|6|23}}
| $12,368,234
| {{n/a}}
| $12,368,234
| style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0058586/?ref_=bo_se_r_9|title = A Shot in the Dark (1964 film) - Financial Information}}</ref>
|-
!''[[Inspector Clouseau (film)|Inspector Clouseau]]''
| {{start date|df=yes|1968|5|28}}
| $1,900,000
| {{n/a}}
| $1,900,000
|style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
|
|-
!''[[The Return of the Pink Panther]]''
| {{start date|df=yes|1975|5|21}}
| $41,833,347
| {{n/a}}
| $41,833,347
| $5 million
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0072081/?ref_=bo_se_r_6|title = The Return of the Pink Panther - Financial Information}}</ref>
|-
!''[[The Pink Panther Strikes Again]]''
|{{start date|df=yes|1976|12|15}}
| $33,833,201
| {{n/a}}
| $33,833,201
| $6 million
|<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0075066/?ref_=bo_se_r_4|title = The Pink Panther Strikes Again - Financial Information}}</ref>
|-
!''[[Revenge of the Pink Panther]]''
|{{start date|df=yes|1978|6|19}}
| $49,579,269
| {{n/a}}
| $49,579,269
| $12 million
| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0078163/?ref_=bo_se_r_5|title =
Revenge of the Pink Panther - Financial Information}}</ref>
|-
!''[[Trail of the Pink Panther]]''
|{{start date|df=yes|1982|12|17}}
| $9,056,073
| {{n/a}}
| $9,056,073
| $6 million
| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1131906561/weekend/|title =
Trail of the Pink Panther}}</ref>
|-
!''[[Curse of the Pink Panther]]''
|{{start date|df=yes|1983|8|12}}
| $4,491,986
| {{n/a}}
| $4,491,986
| $11 million
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3930949121/weekend/|title =
Curse of the Pink Panther}}</ref>
|-
!''[[Son of the Pink Panther]]''
|{{start date|df=yes|1993|8|27}}
| $2,438,031
| {{n/a}}
| $2,438,031
| $28 million
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0108187/?ref_=bo_se_r_8|title = Son of the Pink Panther}}</ref>
|-
! colspan="13" style="background:#ccf;" | Reboot series
|-
!''[[The Pink Panther (2006 film)|The Pink Panther]]''
| {{start date|df=yes|2006|2|9}}
| $82,226,474
| $81,889,423
| $164,115,897
| $80 million
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0383216/?ref_=bo_se_r_1|title = The Pink Panther(2006 film)}}</ref>
|-
!''[[The Pink Panther 2]]''
| {{start date|df=yes|2009|2|5}}
| $35,922,978
| $40,102,156
| $76,025,134
| $70 million
| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0838232/?ref_=bo_se_r_3|title = The Pink Panther 2}}</ref>
|-
! colspan="2" | Total
! $284,527,700
! $121,991,579
! $406,519,279
! ${{formatnum:{{#expr:70000000+80000000+28000000+11000000+12000000+6000000+6000000+5000000}}}}
|
|}

==Recurring cast members==
{| class="wikitable" style= "width: 99%"
|-
! rowspan="2" style="width:10%;"| Actor
!Colspan="11" style="text-align:centre;"| Film
|-
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[The Pink Panther (1963 film)|The Pink Panther]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[A Shot in the Dark (1964 film)|A Shot in the Dark]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[Inspector Clouseau (film)|Inspector Clouseau]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[The Return of the Pink Panther]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[The Pink Panther Strikes Again]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[Revenge of the Pink Panther]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[Trail of the Pink Panther]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[Curse of the Pink Panther]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[Son of the Pink Panther]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[The Pink Panther (2006 film)|The Pink Panther]]''
! style="text-align:center; width:12%;"|''[[The Pink Panther 2]]''
|-
! [[Graham Stark]]
| style="background:lightgrey;" |
| Hercule LaJoy
| style="background:lightgrey;" |
| Pepi
| Bavarian Innkeeper
| Prof. Auguste Balls
| Hercule LaJoy
| Waiter
| Prof. Auguste Balls
| colspan="2" style="background:lightgrey;" |
|-
! [[David Lodge (actor)|David Lodge]]
| style="background:lightgrey;" |
| Georges Duval
| style="background:lightgrey;" |
| Mac
| colspan="7" style="background:lightgrey;" |
|-
! [[Douglas Wilmer]]
| style="background:lightgrey;" |
| Henri LaFarge
| colspan="3" style=background:lightgrey;" |
| Police Commissioner
| colspan="5" style=background:lightgrey;" |
|-
! [[Claudia Cardinale]]
| Princess Dala
| colspan="7" style=background:lightgrey;" |
| Maria Gambrelli
| colspan="2" style=background:lightgrey;" |
|-
! [[Joanna Lumley]]
| colspan="6" style=background:lightgrey;" |
| Marie Jouvet
| Countess Chandra
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey;" |
|-
! [[Robert Loggia]]
| colspan="5" style="background:lightgrey;" |
| Al Marchione
| colspan="2" | Bruno Langois
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey;" |
|-
! [[Peter Arne]]
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey;" |
| Colonel Sharki
| colspan="2" style="background:lightgrey;" |
| colspan="2" | Colonel Bufoni
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey;" |
|-
! [[Julie Andrews]]
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey;" |
| Maid (deleted scene)
| Ainsley Jarvis (singing voice)
| style="background:lightgrey;" |
| Charwoman
| colspan="4" style="background:lightgrey;" |
|-
! [[Eric Pohlmann]]
| colspan="2" style="background:lightgrey;" |
| Bergesch
| The Fat Man
| colspan="7" style="background:lightgrey;" |
|-
! [[Geoffrey Bayldon]]
| colspan="2" style="background:lightgrey;" |
| Gutch
| style="background:lightgrey;" |
| Dr. Claude Duval
| colspan="10" style="background:lightgrey;" |
|-
! [[Tutte Lemkow]]
| colspan="1" style="background:lightgrey;" |
| Kazak dancer
| Frenchie LeBec
| colspan="10" style="background:lightgrey;" |
|-
! [[John Bluthal]]
| colspan="3" style=background:lightgrey; |
| Blind Beggar
| style=background:lightgrey; |
| Guard at Cemetery
| colspan="5" style=background:lightgrey; |
|-
! Herb Tanney
| colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey;" |
| Nice police chief
| Norwegian assassin
| Hong Kong police chief
| style=background:lightgrey; |
| Lugash secret policeman
| Jean Claude
| colspan="2" style="background:lightgrey;" |
|-
|}

==Crew==
{|class="wikitable" style="width:99%;"
!style="text-align:center;"|Film
!style="text-align:center;"|Producer
!style="text-align:center;"|Director
!style="text-align:center;"|Screenwriter
!style="text-align:center;"|Production Designer
!style="text-align:center;"|Cinematographer
!style="text-align:center;"|Editor
!style="text-align:center;"|Composer
|-
|''[[The Pink Panther (1963 film)|The Pink Panther]]''
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Martin Jurow]]
|rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|[[Blake Edwards]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Maurice Richlin]] & Blake Edwards
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Fernando Carrere]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Philip H. Lathrop]]
|rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|[[Ralph E. Winters]]
|rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|[[Henry Mancini]]
|-
|''[[A Shot in the Dark (1964 film)|A Shot in the Dark]]''
|style="text-align:center;"|Blake Edwards
|style="text-align:center;"|Blake Edwards & [[William Peter Blatty]]
|rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|[[Michael Stringer]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Christopher Challis]]
|-
|''[[Inspector Clouseau (film)|Inspector Clouseau]]''
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Lewis J. Rachmil]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Bud Yorkin]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Tom Waldman]] & [[Frank Waldman]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Arthur Ibbetson]]
|style="text-align:center;"|John Victor-Smith
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Ken Thorne]]
|-
|''[[The Return of the Pink Panther]]''
|rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;"|Blake Edwards & [[Tony Adams (producer)|Tony Adams]]
|rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;"|Blake Edwards
|rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Frank Waldman & Blake Edwards
|rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;"|Peter Mullins
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Geoffrey Unsworth]]
|rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;"|Alan Jones
|rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;"|Henry Mancini
|-
|''[[The Pink Panther Strikes Again]]''
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Harry Waxman]]
|-
|''[[Revenge of the Pink Panther]]''
|style="text-align:center;"|Frank Waldman & [[Ron Clark (writer)|Ron Clark]] & Blake Edwards
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Ernest Day]]
|-
|''[[Trail of the Pink Panther]]''
|style="text-align:center;"|Frank Waldman & Tom Waldman & Blake Edwards & Geoffrey Edwards
|rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|[[Dick Bush]]
|-
|''[[Curse of the Pink Panther]]''
|style="text-align:center;"|Blake Edwards & Geoffrey Edwards
|style="text-align:center;"|Ralph E. Winters
|-
|''[[Son of the Pink Panther]]''
|style="text-align:center;"|Blake Edwards & Madeline Sunshine & Steve Sunshine
|style="text-align:center;"|Robert Pergament
|-
|''[[The Pink Panther (2006 film)|The Pink Panther]]''
|rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|[[Robert Simonds]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Shawn Levy]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Len Blum]] & [[Steve Martin]] & Michael Saltzman
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Lilly Kilvert]]
|style="text-align:center;"|Jonathan Brown
|style="text-align:center;"|[[George Folsey, Jr.]]
|rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|[[Christophe Beck]]
|-
|''[[The Pink Panther 2]]''
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Harald Zwart]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Scott Neustadter]] & [[Michael H. Weber]] & Steve Martin
|style="text-align:center;"|Rusty Smith
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Denis Crossan]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Julia Wong (film editor)|Julia Wong]]
|}

==Statistics==
{|class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!Title
!Clouseau actor
!Release date
!Rotten Tomatoes
!Budget
!US/Canada gross
!Worldwide gross
!ref
|-
|''[[The Pink Panther (1963 film)|The Pink Panther]]''
|Peter Sellers
|December 18, 1963
|[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1016338-pink_panther/ 90%]
|N/A
| $10,878,107
|N/A
|<ref>{{mojo title|id=pinkpanther|title=The Pink Panther (1963)}}</ref>
|-
|''[[A Shot in the Dark (1964 film)|A Shot in the Dark]]''
|Peter Sellers
|June 23, 1964
|[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1018909-shot_in_the_dark/ 93%]
|N/A
|$12,368,234
|N/A
|<ref>{{mojo title|id=shotinthedark|title=A Shot in the Dark}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Inspector Clouseau (film)|Inspector Clouseau]]''
|Alan Arkin
|February 14, 1968
|N/A
|N/A
|$1,900,000
|N/A
|
|-
|''[[The Return of the Pink Panther]]''
|Peter Sellers
|May 21, 1975
|[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/return_of_the_pink_panther/ 89%]
|$5 million
|$41,833,347
|$75,000,000
|<ref>{{mojo title|id=returnofthepinkpanther|title=The Return of the Pink Panther}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=December 22, 1976|page=9|title=The Pink Panther Strikes Again (advertisement)}}</ref>
|-
|''[[The Pink Panther Strikes Again]]''
|Peter Sellers
|December 15, 1976
|[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pink_panther_strikes_again/ 83%]
|$6 million
|$33,833,201
|$75,000,000
|<ref>{{mojo title|id=pinkpantherstrikesagain|title=The Pink Panther Strikes Again}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=January 11, 1978|page=3|title=UA Film Rental Highlights of 1977}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=March 22, 1978|page=39|title=New 'Pink Panther,' Set For July Bow, Tops $7-Mil in Blind Bids}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Revenge of the Pink Panther]]''
|Peter Sellers
|July 19, 1978
|[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/revenge_of_the_pink_panther/ 78%]
|$12 million
|$49,579,269
|N/A
|<ref>{{mojo title|id=revengeofthepinkpanther|title=Revenge of the Pink Panther}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Trail of the Pink Panther]]''
|Peter Sellers (outtake footage)
|December 17, 1982
|[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/trail_of_the_pink_panther/# 25%]
|$6 million
|$9,056,073
|N/A
|<ref>{{mojo title|id=trailofthepinkpanther|title=Trail of the Pink Panther}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Curse of the Pink Panther]]''
|Ted Wass (as Sergeant Sleigh, an American bumbling detective)
|August 12, 1983
|[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/curse_of_the_pink_panther/ 29%]
|$11 million
|$4,491,986
|N/A
|<ref>{{mojo title|id=curseofthepinkpanther|title=Curse of the Pink Panther}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Son of the Pink Panther]]''
|Roberto Benigni (as Officer Gambrelli, Clouseau's illegitimate son)
|August 27, 1993
|[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/son_of_the_pink_panther/# 6%]
|$28 million
|$2,438,031
|$20,000,000
|<ref>{{mojo title|id=sonofthepinkpanther|title=Son of the Pink Panther}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=November 14, 1994|page=14|title='Lion King' conquers French B.O.|last=Groves|first=Don|quote=made $18 million [in Italy]}}</ref>
|-
|''[[The Pink Panther (2006 film)|The Pink Panther]]''
|Steve Martin
|February 10, 2006
|[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pink_panther/ 21%]
|$80 million
|$82,226,474
|$164,115,897
|<ref>{{mojo title|id=pinkpanther05|title=The Pink Panther (2006)}}</ref>
|-
|''[[The Pink Panther 2]]''
|Steve Martin
|February 6, 2009
|[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pink_panther_2/ 12%]
|$70 million
|$35,922,978
|$76,025,134
|<ref>{{mojo title|id=pinkpanther2|title=The Pink Panther 2}}</ref>
|}

==Cartoons==
{{main|Pink Panther (character)|List of The Pink Panther cartoons}}
{{Expand section|date=September 2016}}
The opening title sequence in the original 1963 ''The Pink Panther'' film was such a success with the United Artists executives that they decided to adapt the title sequence into [[List of The Pink Panther cartoons|a series of theatrical animated shorts]]. [[DePatie–Freleng Enterprises]], run by former [[Warner Bros. Cartoons]] creators [[David H. DePatie]] and [[Friz Freleng|Isadore "Friz" Freleng]], produced the opening sequences, with Freleng as director. United Artists commissioned a long series of ''The Pink Panther'' shorts, the first of which, 1964's ''[[The Pink Phink]],'' won the 1964 [[Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film|Academy Award for Animated Short Film]]. This was the first (and to date only) time a studio's first work won an Oscar.<ref name=bcdb>"[http://www.bcdb.com/cartoon/10259-Pink_Phink.html The Pink Phink]." ''www.bcdb.com,'' April 13, 2013.</ref>

By the autumn of 1969, the shorts were being broadcast on [[NBC]]<ref name=bcdb1>"[http://www.bcdb.com/cartoons/Other_Studios/D/DePatie-Freleng_Enterprises/The_Pink_Panther_Show/index.html The Pink Panther Show]." ''www.bcdb.com,'' April 14, 2014.</ref> during [[Saturday morning cartoon|Saturday mornings]] on ''[[The Pink Panther Show]];'' after 1969, new shorts were produced for both television broadcast and theatrical release. A number of sister series also joined the Pink Panther character on movie screens and on the airwaves, including ''[[The Inspector]],'' featuring a comical French police officer based on the [[Inspector Clouseau|Jacques Clouseau]] character.

Traditionally mute, the Pink Panther was given the voice of actor [[Matt Frewer]] for a [[The Pink Panther (TV series)|1993-1996 animated TV series]].

The animated Pink Panther character has also appeared in computer and console video games, as well as advertising campaigns for several companies, most notably for [[Owens Corning]] [[Fiberglass]] insulation. There was also a short-lived animated series called ''[[Pink Panther and Pals]]'' (2010) which is aimed at younger children. In 2014, MGM announced (see above) that it was planning an animation / live-action hybrid film reboot of the franchise,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.totalfilm.com/news/pink-panther-getting-animated-reboot|title=Pink Panther getting animated reboot|author=George Wales|date=2 April 2014|work=Total Film|access-date=30 September 2014}}</ref> to be directed by [[David Silverman (animator)|David Silverman]] and produced by [[Walter Mirisch]] and [[Julie Andrews]].<ref name=cartoon>{{cite news|url=http://blog.bcdb.com/pink-turns-50-celebrate-7042/|title=Pink Turns 50! Let's Celebrate!|first=Dave|last=Koch|publisher=Big Cartoon News|date=April 14, 2014|access-date=April 14, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140415030933/http://blog.bcdb.com/pink-turns-50-celebrate-7042/|archive-date=April 15, 2014}}</ref> But in November 2020, it was later announced that [[Jeff Fowler]] will direct the movie instead with Mirisch and Andrews still producing.
The animated Pink Panther character also appeared in a short animated segment on the educational TV series ''[[Sesame Street]]'', demonstrating his karate skills to carve the letter K out of a block of stone, only for it to crumble quickly afterward.

==See also==
* "[[Pink Panthers]]", which was the name given by [[Interpol]] to a group of Montenegrin thieves who successfully executed several jewel heists starting in 1993.
* '[[The Pink Panthers]]', a name used for several different [[LGBT rights by country or territory|LGBT rights]] organizations in North America since the 1970s.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commonscat|Pink Panther}}
* [https://www.mgm.com/franchise/pinkpanther The Pink Panther] via [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]'s website
* {{Wikiquote-inline}}

{{Pink Panther}}
{{Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Cartoons}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pink Panther, The}}
[[Category:The Pink Panther| ]]
[[Category:Amazon (company) franchises]]
[[Category:Film series introduced in 1963]]
[[Category:Film series]]
[[Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer franchises]]
[[Category:Windows games]]

The Goon Show Depository - User contributions [en]

The Pink Panther