The First Film in the Series
The Pink Panther series began with the release of 1963’s The Pink Panther. Written by Maurice Richlin and Blake Edwards, with Edwards in the director’s chair, the film follows French inspector Jacques Clouseau on the hunt for a jewel thief called “The Phantom.”
Photo by Sunset Boulevard, Corbis, Getty Images / Art Zelin, Getty Images
The titular Pink Panther is the name of a priceless diamond that The Phantom has stolen, and the film was very well-received, with several impressive reviews and earning $10.9 million at the North American box office, with an estimated total of $6 million in rentals.