A look back at "Pink Panther"

Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau in "The Pink Panthers." United Artists

"Pink Panther" fans mourned the loss of Burt Kwouk, who died on Tuesday. The character actor played martial arts expert Cato in the "Pink Panther" movies.

The "Pink Panther" franchise started in 1963. The original movie was centered on the character of the Phantom/Sir Charles Lytton, but actor Peter Sellers was so popular as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau that future movies focused on Clouseau instead. Click through to see how the movies evolved.

"A Shot in the Dark," 1964

Cato, the martial arts expert played by Burt Kwouk, was introduced in "A Shot in the Dark." United Artists

Inspector Clouseau (Peter Sellers) was such a hit he came back to the big screen within a year in "A Shot in the Dark." The movie focused on a murder investigation, and introduced the characters of Charles Dreyfus (Herbert Lom) and Cato (Burt Kwouk).

"Inspector Clouseau," 1968

Alan Arkin in "Inspector Clouseau." United Artists

Alan Arkin stepped in as Inspector Clouseau in the eponymous movie.

"Inspector Clouseau" tanked in comparison to the first two "Pink Panther" movies, at least in part due to the fact that Peter Sellers, director Blake Edwards and composer Henry Mancini were not involved.

"The Return of the Pink Panther," 1975

Christopher Plummer in "The Return of the Pink Panther." United Artists

"The Return of the Pink Panther" also marked the return of Peter Sellers, star of the original "Pink Panther," director Blake Edwards and composer Henry Mancini. Christopher Plummer stepped in as Sir Charles Litton, replacing David Niven, who was in the first "Pink Panther" film.

"The Pink Panther Strikes Again," 1976

Peter Sellers in "The Pink Panther Strikes Again." United Artists

Former chief inspector Charles Dreyfus (Herbert Lom) goes insane again, and tries to kill Inspector Clouseau (Peter Sellers).

"Revenge of the Pink Panther," 1978

Peter Sellers in "Revenge of the Pink Panther." United Artists

"Revenge of the Pink Panther" was Peter Sellers' last movie as Inspector Clouseau before his death in 1980. In this film, Clouseau takes on the French Connection.

"Trail of the Pink Panther," 1982

Peter Sellers in "Trail of the Pink Panther." MGM/United Artists

"Trail of the Pink Panther" took unused footage of Peter Sellers after he died in addition to stand-ins. The movie was mired in controversy after Sellers' widow successfully sued director Blake Edwards and the studio, and the film bombed.

"Curse of the Pink Panther," 1983

Roger Moore (left) in "Curse of the Pink Panther." MGM/United Artists

"Curse of the Pink Panther" centered around not Inspector Clouseau, but American detective Clifton Sleigh (Ted Wass), who is searching for Clouseau. Roger Moore stood in as himself, but also as a post-plastic surgery Inspector Clouseau in disguise.

"Son of the Pink Panther," 1993

Roberto Benigni in "Son of the Pink Panther." MGM/United Artists

"Son of the Pink Panther," starring Roberto Benigni as Gendarme Jacques Gambrelli, Inspector Clouseau's illegitimate son, was the final installment of the original "Pink Panther" series. The film included several actors from the first movies, including Herbert Lom, Burt Kwouk and Graham Stark.

"The Pink Panther," 2006

Steve Martin in "The Pink Panther." Columbia Pictures

Steve Martin starred in the modern reboot of "The Pink Panther." The movie was not a continuation of the original series but was intended as a standalone reimagining of the series. Kevin Kline played Chief Inspector Dreyfus, and Beyonce played pop star Xania.

"The Pink Panther 2," 2009

Steve Martin in "The Pink Panther 2." Columbia/20th Century Fox

Steve Martin returned as Inspector Clouseau in "The Pink Panther 2," though John Cleese replaced Kevin Kline as Chief Inspector Dreyfus. In this installment, Clouseau and his crew attempt to thwart the famous thief "The Tornado."

f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.