The Pink Panther portrayed by David Niven, Peter Sellers's performance was so popular that the resulting series was built on the Clouseau character, rather than the Phantom character. Niven's and Sellers's co-stars included Capucine, Robert Wagner, and Claudia Cardinale. Released less than a year after "The Pink Panther". Clouseau returns to muddle his way through a murder investigation. This marks the first appearance of Herbert Lom's Commissioner Dreyfus, his assistant François (portrayed by André Maranne), and Clouseau's manservant, Cato (portrayed by Burt Kwouk). Co-starring Elke Sommer, George Sanders, Graham Stark and Tracy Reed. This film stars Alan Arkin as Clouseau, and does not
Revenge of the Pink Panther very little that Mr. Edwards and Mr. Sellers could do that would make you find the movie disappointing." "Romance of the Pink Panther" was a "Pink Panther" film that Sellers was working on—and willing to make without Edwards—before Sellers' fatal heart attack in July 1980. UA considered recasting the role before convincing Blake Edwards to return to the series. Edwards chose to replace Clouseau with a new character rather than replace Sellers as Clouseau and to utilize outtakes from "The Pink Panther Strikes Again" to set up a transitional film ("Trail of the Pink Panther") with new linking footage shot