The first of a long-running series of movies based on the character of Inspector Jacques Clouseau, “The Pink Panther,” released in 1963, will be shown at the Tryon Fine Arts Center at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 18.

Eleven films, the latest released in 2009, have been based on the original story co-written by Blake Edwards and Maurice Richlin. Peter Sellers also had a hand in writing the part he played, as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau. The cartoon character the Pink Panther also made his debut in this film and went on to fame and fortune in the years to come. Henry Mancini wrote the iconic theme music, which was later usurped by the cartoon character.

One online reviewer of the film succinctly summed up the film by writing: “The one that started it all and set Clouseau on the path to becoming Chief Inspector, The Pink Panther, directed by Blake Edwards, stars David Niven and Peter Sellers. This film is memorable for a number of reasons, primarily for being the first in a tremendously successful (and funny) series, which would ultimately showcase one of the world’s favorite cinematic policemen, the bumbling Jacques Clouseau (Sellers). it also introduced His Royal Pinkness, the Panther himself, to the format of the feature length motion picture. And can anyone remember a time before Henry Mancini’s familiar theme existed?”

In addition to Sellers and Niven, the film had a large and varied cast of actors, including a very young Robert Wagner, the glamorous Capucine and Claudia Cardinale, British character actors Colin Gordon, Brenda De Banzie, John Le Mesurier and Michael Trubshawe and American singer and dancer, Fran Jeffries. Cars were also featured in the film’s numerous chase and traffic scenes in Paris and Rome, including several minute Fiats, a cute pink Autobianchi Bianchina Cabriolet, two Alfa Romeos, a Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet and a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, all from around 1960.

The film also has local connections: David Niven, who plays the character Sir Charles Litton (The Phantom) visited Tryon on numerous occasions in the 1930s and early 1940s. Robert Wagner (George Litton) and his family visited relatives in Tryon several times in the 1970s and 1980s and Peter Sellers was later to star in the movie “Being There,” which was filmed at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville.

The film is one of the current comedy series playing at TFAC (the final film in the series will be “The Odd Couple” (1968) on December 2). Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for drinks and refreshments. For more information, visit www.tryonarts.org or call 828-859-8322.

Tryon Fine Arts Center (TFAC), opened in 1969, is a nonprofit organization that operates and programs a 300 seat auditorium and a150 seat amphitheater for music, opera, theatre, film, exhibits and dance on Melrose Avenue in Tryon.

 

– Article submitted 

by Frances Flynn