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
The Pink Panther Strikes Again success. During the film's title sequence, there are references to television's "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" and "Batman", also the films "King Kong", "The Sound of Music" (which starred Blake Edwards's wife, Julie Andrews), "Dracula A.D. 1972", "Singin' in the Rain", "Steamboat Bill, Jr." and "Sweet Charity", putting the Pink Panther character and the animated persona of Inspector Clouseau into recognizable events from said movies. There is also a reference to "Jaws" in the ending credits sequence. The scene in which Clouseau impersonates a dentist and the use of laughing gas and pulling the wrong tooth are clearly inspired by Bob Hope