The man who gave us the one true “Pink Panther” movies has passed away at the age of 88.
One of Hollywood’s most successful specialists in comedy, Edwards was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1922 and started out as an actor.
After appearing in about 30 films, he worked as a TV scriptwriter before becoming a director. His first significant success came with the 1959 film, Operation Petticoat, starring Cary Grant and Tony Curtis.
He then charmed audiences with his adaptation of Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which gave Audrey Hepburn one of her most memorable roles.
In 1963, Edwards created one of film comedy’s classic characters. After Peter Ustinov dropped out before production, Edwards persuaded Peter Sellers to play the accident-prone Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther.
Mere words cannot adequately convey how much I love the Pink Panther movies. I simply refuse to acknowledge the recent remakes, which are abominations before God and man. Here’s a highlight clip to give you a small taste of what Inspector Clouseau is supposed to be like:
For hiring Peter Sellers to play this role, the world owes a debt to Blake Edwards that it can never repay. Rest in peace, Blake Edwards.
Add one more: hiring Henry Mancini to score those movies.