The Pink Panther

The first in what became a massively popular comedy series directed by Blake Edwards, The Pink Panther (named after a stolen diamond rather than the cartoon panther who adopted the name) introduced us not only to Sir Charles Lytton (David Niven, in what was meant to be the leading role), but more importantly to Inspector Jacques Clouseau, who took over the film and the series and was surely Peter Sellers’ most memorable creation.

Original cinema movie advertising posters for all the Pink Panther films are popular, but material from this first outing are the hardest to come by.  This is US Lobby Card #7 from the set of 8 produced for the film’s first release in 1964, and features David Niven, Robert Wagner and Claudia Cardinale (as the Princess).