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 2 in fact, kept the real Pink Panther in his possession, having switched them at the museum before he was about to leave France. The Tornado, an expert on gems, would have recognized the Pink Panther to be a fake; therefore, his suicide note was forged, and he was murdered. He reveals that he had given Sonia's car a ticket two days before the Pink Panther was stolen, contradicting her alibi of having been delayed to the crime scene because of her flight, which revealed to him that Sonia was the culprit. Dreyfus tries to claim credit for having appointed Clouseau