The Pink Panther Theme States) in 1964; the single reached the Top 10 on the U.S. "Billboard" adult contemporary chart and won three Grammy Awards. Various recordings of the composition appeared in the opening credits of all "The Pink Panther" films except "A Shot in the Dark" and "Inspector Clouseau". It has also been used in countless works in which the animated Pink Panther appears. "The Pink Panther Theme", composed in the key of E minor, is unusual for Mancini's extensive use of chromaticism. In his autobiography "Did They Mention the Music?" Mancini talked about how he composed the theme music: From 1976 to
Henry Mancini Came from Outer Space", "Tarantula", "This Island Earth", "The Glenn Miller Story" (for which he received his first Academy Award nomination), "The Benny Goodman Story" and Orson Welles' "Touch of Evil". During this time, he also wrote some popular songs. His first hit was a single by Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians titled "I Won't Let You Out of My Heart". Mancini left Universal-International to work as an independent composer/arranger in 1958. Soon afterward, he scored the television series "Peter Gunn" for writer/producer Blake Edwards. This was the genesis of a relationship in which Edwards and Mancini collaborated on