Pink Panther
No matter where you are in the world, if you hear the very familiar sound of Henry Mancini’s most famous tune, you immediately conjure up an image of that languid, cool, cartoon character, the Pink Panther.
That funky feline and the music are so inexorably linked one with the other. Yet, amazing though it now seems, Mancini had not specifically written that tune as a theme for the Pink Panther.
As animation historian and Pink Panther expert Jerry Beck reveals, it was almost by accident that the music, which received an Academy Award nomination and reached the Billboard charts top ten, became the Pink Panther’s personal musical signature.
Jerry Beck, who has written many books on animation and is the author of Pink Panther: The Ultimate Guide, describes the power of the link between the music and the animated character as unique.
"When you hear the Henry Mancini music you think of the Pink Panther character, it really is so connected and I don’t know if there is anything else quite like that," he says.
"Yet Henry Mancini said that originally that music was supposed to be the villain’s theme in the movie."
But as they were working on The Pink Panther, the original 1963 move that starred Peter Sellers, the filmmakers needed a track to use with the film’s animated opening title sequence.
And this, as Beck reveals, is where fate took a hand in deciding what was to become part of movie history.
"Mancini just pulled it [the tune] out and gave it to them and they made the titles based around that music and it has now become the theme," says the animation historian.
"Yet he did not write the music to fit the cartoon; it was music he was already working on for the movie."
Jerry Beck’s introduction to the Pink Panther happened when, as a youngster he went to see the 1963 movie. From that moment he, and millions throughout the world, was hooked on the character that he hailed as ‘the coolest cat in town.’
"I love the Pink Panther," he says. "The Pink Panther was the first cartoon that I ever saw in a movie theatre. I saw The Pink Panther movie when it first came out and I was fascinated by the character."
Beck sings the praises of this svelte cartoon figure because he reckons that the Pink Panther is an iconic figure who has not fully received the credit that he deserves.
"The Pink Panther is loved by a lot of people but among the cartoon buffs he is not up there with Bugs Bunny and Donald Duck and I wanted to right that wrong," he explains.
"The Pink Panther had always been like a foot note to the career of Fritz Freleng, who created him, and I guess I wanted to put some balance into that and make it clear that the character is one of the major cartoon superstars that ever was. He was the most popular cartoon character in the 1960s, which is something that people forget."
Beck calls him a cool cat because he believes that the Pink Panther is a reminder of the era in which he was born a time when global iconic figures included The Beatles, the Rat Pack and JFK.
"He reflects those times. In the beginning, the early versions have him using a cigarette holder. That was supposed to add extra elegance. And the character simply exudes cool, it oozes out of him."
Beck also suggests that the Pink Panther might even be described as having been years ahead of his time. "It is a male character who is so comfortable in his pink fur. You might say he is metro-sexual and I think the Pink Panther might be the first character of that type."
The Pink Panther first strutted his stuff on screen when, as Beck reminds us, during the waning days of the old theatrical Hollywood cartoon.
"So the arrival of the Pink Panther was such a treat. It was magical, special," suggests the film historian. "It was this very special cartoon that was shown at the beginning of this very funny movie and the fact that it became a classic was the icing on the cake.
"It certainly did make an impact with audiences and everyone at the studio realised they had to make cartoons with this character."
He says a significant reason why audiences took to the Pink Panther right from the get go was that even though this was a cartoon character we responded to it.
"Human beings react to animated forms if there is something we can relate to in them, if we can feel the character and the personality. That is true with the Pink Panther. We can relate to him. He represents us," says Beck.
"The other reason that it clicked with audiences is artistic. He is an unusual character who grabbed our attention. The look was different too. It was one that marched to its own drummer."
Time that PP had his on star on H Walk Of Fame?
Beck’s take is that the Pink Panther and Yellow Submarine the only two landmarks in animation during the 1960s. He says both were revolutionary.
"But as ground-breaking as Yellow Submarine was, it didn’t immediately spawn follow-ups. Whereas with the Pink Panther there were sequels to the movies and by the end of the decade the character started appearing on TV. His legacy lasted a lot longer.
"And not only did he inspire the spin-offs from the Pink Panther movies but he also inspired a whole spate of animated titles in movies. It was the in-thing to do after the Pink Panther."
The historian is surprised that to date there has not been a full length Pink Panther cartoon feature. "It is a great idea and I’m sure they will figure it out one of these days."
One of the secrets of the Pink Panther achieving international success and being a timeless treat is the fact that the cartoon character is a silent character.
"It was a wonderful thing that they did in not having the Pink Panther character talk because it means it is a truly international cartoon," aggress Beck.
Not surprising Pink Panther fan Jerry Beck is convinced that it is time that this chic cartoon character had its own star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
"Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse have their star. So of course the Pink Panther should have his star," he says. "There are a handful of classic cartoon characters and the Pink Panther is definitely a movie star; he opens movies and he should have his star."
The Pink Panther (1963) Blu-ray Special Edition is Available on 9 February 2009 from MGM and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
No matter where you are in the world, if you hear the very familiar sound of Henry Mancini’s most famous tune, you immediately conjure up an image of that languid, cool, cartoon character, the Pink Panther.
That funky feline and the music are so inexorably linked one with the other. Yet, amazing though it now seems, Mancini had not specifically written that tune as a theme for the Pink Panther.
As animation historian and Pink Panther expert Jerry Beck reveals, it was almost by accident that the music, which received an Academy Award nomination and reached the Billboard charts top ten, became the Pink Panther’s personal musical signature.
Jerry Beck, who has written many books on animation and is the author of Pink Panther: The Ultimate Guide, describes the power of the link between the music and the animated character as unique.
"When you hear the Henry Mancini music you think of the Pink Panther character, it really is so connected and I don’t know if there is anything else quite like that," he says.
"Yet Henry Mancini said that originally that music was supposed to be the villain’s theme in the movie."
But as they were working on The Pink Panther, the original 1963 move that starred Peter Sellers, the filmmakers needed a track to use with the film’s animated opening title sequence.
And this, as Beck reveals, is where fate took a hand in deciding what was to become part of movie history.
"Mancini just pulled it [the tune] out and gave it to them and they made the titles based around that music and it has now become the theme," says the animation historian.
"Yet he did not write the music to fit the cartoon; it was music he was already working on for the movie."
Jerry Beck’s introduction to the Pink Panther happened when, as a youngster he went to see the 1963 movie. From that moment he, and millions throughout the world, was hooked on the character that he hailed as ‘the coolest cat in town.’
"I love the Pink Panther," he says. "The Pink Panther was the first cartoon that I ever saw in a movie theatre. I saw The Pink Panther movie when it first came out and I was fascinated by the character."
Beck sings the praises of this svelte cartoon figure because he reckons that the Pink Panther is an iconic figure who has not fully received the credit that he deserves.
"The Pink Panther is loved by a lot of people but among the cartoon buffs he is not up there with Bugs Bunny and Donald Duck and I wanted to right that wrong," he explains.
"The Pink Panther had always been like a foot note to the career of Fritz Freleng, who created him, and I guess I wanted to put some balance into that and make it clear that the character is one of the major cartoon superstars that ever was. He was the most popular cartoon character in the 1960s, which is something that people forget."
Beck calls him a cool cat because he believes that the Pink Panther is a reminder of the era in which he was born a time when global iconic figures included The Beatles, the Rat Pack and JFK.
"He reflects those times. In the beginning, the early versions have him using a cigarette holder. That was supposed to add extra elegance. And the character simply exudes cool, it oozes out of him."
Beck also suggests that the Pink Panther might even be described as having been years ahead of his time. "It is a male character who is so comfortable in his pink fur. You might say he is metro-sexual and I think the Pink Panther might be the first character of that type."
The Pink Panther first strutted his stuff on screen when, as Beck reminds us, during the waning days of the old theatrical Hollywood cartoon.
"So the arrival of the Pink Panther was such a treat. It was magical, special," suggests the film historian. "It was this very special cartoon that was shown at the beginning of this very funny movie and the fact that it became a classic was the icing on the cake.
"It certainly did make an impact with audiences and everyone at the studio realised they had to make cartoons with this character."
He says a significant reason why audiences took to the Pink Panther right from the get go was that even though this was a cartoon character we responded to it.