The Pink Panther 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. This character, designed by Hawley Pratt and Friz Freleng, was subsequently the subject of his own series of animated cartoons which gained its highest profile when aired on Saturday mornings as "The Pink Panther Show." The character would be featured in the opening of every film in the movie series except "A Shot in the Dark" and "Inspector Clouseau". Although the original film was actually centred on the Phantom/Sir Charles Lytton,
The Pink Panther Strikes Again bad shape, and Edwards commented on the actor's mental state: "If you went to an asylum and you described the first inmate you saw, that's what Peter had become. He was certifiable." The original cut of the film ran for 124 minutes, but it was trimmed down to 103 minutes for theatrical release. Some of the excised footage was later used in "Trail of the Pink Panther". "Strikes Again" was marketed with the tagline "Why are the world's chief assassins after Inspector Clouseau? Why not? Everybody else is." Like its predecessor and subsequent sequel, the film was a box office