The Return of the Pink Panther The Return of the Pink Panther The Return of the Pink Panther is a 1975 comedy film and the fourth film in The Pink Panther series. The film stars Peter Sellers, returning to the role of Inspector Clouseau, for the first time since "A Shot in the Dark" (1964), after having declined to reprise the role in "Inspector Clouseau" (1968). The film was a commercial hit and revived the previously dormant series. Herbert Lom reprises his role as Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus from "A Shot in the Dark"; he remained a regular thereafter. The character of Sir Charles Lytton, the
Inspector Clouseau a supporting role as Lytton's incompetent antagonist, and provides slapstick comic relief. In this film, Clouseau's wife Simone (Capucine), is secretly Sir Charles's lover and accomplice, and departs with him at the end of the film after they have framed Clouseau for the theft of the Pink Panther, although Lytton notes that he will clear Clouseau's name when the Phantom's next crime is committed. "A Shot in the Dark" (1964) was based upon a stage play that originally did not include the Clouseau character. In this film, Sellers began to develop the exaggerated French accent that later became a hallmark