The original Pink Panther movie (1963) proved popular enough to spawn eight sequels. The films also inspired an animated TV series based on the pink panther cartoon character that appeared in the film’s credit sequences. There were also spin-off toys, games, clothes, even breakfast cereal. In the 2000s, comedy legend Steve Martin twice stepped into the role of Inspector Clouseau.
But behind the laughs, there was madness and darkness, and at the series’ heart was one of cinema’s most tragic figures: Peter Sellers. A comedic genius, Sellers could be temperamental, unprofessional, and unpredictable. Add to that a heart problem Sellers feared could kill him at any moment.
This book reveals many of the Pink Panther’s secrets for the first time, shining a spotlight behind the scenes at the making of some of the most beloved comedies of all time, and the extraordinary personalities that brought them to life.
The Real Pink Panther: Stories Behind the Classic Films by Robert Sellers will be published on January 30, 2025. Pen and Sword provided an early galley for review.
As a kid in the 70's, I discovered this series with the fourth film, 1975's The Return of the Pink Panther and have been a fan since. Something about this style of comedy combined with the flair for international espionage is just such a joy.
Books like this one pull back the curtain behind the film industry, providing a detailed glimpse into the making of the movies and the people involved in the process. I remembered this franchise being popular, but the details provided here point out how important it was to the United Artists studio and how rich it made both Peter Sellers and Blake Edwards (despite how contested their working relationship continued to become as each film was made).
Even after Sellers' death in July of 1980, the film franchise continued on. The first (1982's Trail of the Pink Panther was a framework of a story built to utilize former footage of Sellers as Clouseau and to bring back former side characters to fill out the narrative. The storyline of this one led into the next (1983's The Curse of the Pink Panther) with Ted Wass (known then for his role of "Danny" on the sitcom Soap) taking the lead as a new detective named Clifton Sleigh. I remember these two movies and the derailing effect, as the author rightly points out, they had on things. Unlike a James Bond or a Doctor Who, sometimes moving on with a change in the lead just isn't possible.
The included photo-gallery with the book is also a very nice touch.
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