The Pink Panther Show

The Pink Panther Show
Title card from the syndicated 1980 The Pink Panther Show
Format	Animated Comedy
Created by	David H. DePatie Friz Freleng
Starring	Rich Little Daws Butler John Byner Don Diamond Pat Harrington, Jr. Tom Holland Bob Holt Arte Johnson Larry D. Mann Bob Ogle Arnold Stang Lennie Weinrib Frank Welker Paul Winchell
Narrated by	Marvin Miller
Composer(s)	Henry Mancini Doug Goodwin Walter Greene
Country of origin	United States
Language(s)	English
No. of episodes	Three 6-minute shorts + bumpers per half hour
Production
Producer(s)	David H. DePatie Friz Freleng Jim Foss Bill Orcutt Harry Love
Running time	30 minutes
Production company(s)	Mirisch Films DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
Distributor	United Artists Television MGM Television
Broadcast
Original channel	NBC ABC
Original run	September 6, 1969 – September 1, 1980
Chronology
Followed by	Pink Panther and Sons

The Pink Panther Show is a showcase of cartoon shorts produced by David H. DePatie and Friz Freleng between 1969 and 1979. The television series was produced by Mirisch Films and DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, and was broadcast on two American TV networks:

• September 6, 1969 — September 2, 1978: NBC
• September 9, 1978 — September 1, 1980: ABC (as The All New Pink Panther Show)

History

Format

When The Pink Panther Show first aired in 1969, it consisted of one cartoon featuring The Inspector, sandwiched by two Pink Panther entries. The 30-minute show was then connected via bumper sequences featuring both the panther and Inspector together, as well announcer Marvin Miller acting as an off-camera narrator talking to the panther. Bumper sequences consisted of newly animated segments as well as recycled footage from existing cartoons (We Give Pink Stamps, Reel Pink, Pink Outs, Pink Posies, Super Pink) with new incidental music and voice-over work from Miller.

Pink Panther shorts made after 1969 when The Pink Panther Show began airing were produced for both broadcast and film release, typically appearing on television first, and released to theatres by United Artists. A number of new series were created, including the very popular The Ant and the Aardvark, Tijuana Toads (a.k.a. Texas Toads), Hoot Kloot, Misterjaw, Roland and Rattfink, The Dogfather (a Godfather pastiche with a canine Corleone family), and two Tijuana Toads spinoffs: The Blue Racer and Crazylegs Crane. The New Pink Panther Show and later shows featured newly animated segments involving the Panther, the Ant and the Aardvark and the Tijuana/Texas Toads.

In 1976, the half-hour series was revamped into a 90-minute format, as The Pink Panther Laugh and a Half Hour and a Half Show; this version included a live-action segment, where comedian Lenny Schultz would read letters and jokes from viewers. This version did not do well, and eventually reverted to the original 30-minute version in 1977.

After nine years on NBC, the Pink Panther moved to ABC in 1978 and was retitled The All New Pink Panther Show, where it lasted one season before leaving the network realm entirely. The ABC version of the series featured sixteen episodes with 32 new Pink Panther cartoons, and 16 featuring Crazylegs Crane: no bumpers were produced for The All New Pink Panther Show, but 10-15 second "Stay tuned..." snippets explaining an upcoming entry were produced for the first few episodes. The 32 new Pink Panther cartoons were eventually released to theatres by United Artists.

The Pink Panther nods in approval at a comment made (offscreen) by narrator Marvin Miller in a bumper sequence on The Pink Panther Show.

Theme music

Henry Mancini composed the Pink Panther theme for the live action films, which was also used in the animation show. Doug Goodwin composed the show's theme music. For the first season (1969-1970), the show was "hosted" by The Pink Panther and The Inspector. The opening sequence showed a boy driving the Panthermobile from the countryside to Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, and then letting out the Pink Panther and the Inspector. In the ending credits, the Inspector goes back in and the boy drives off but leaves the Pink Panther behind.

Laugh track

Like most Saturday morning animated series of the era, The Pink Panther Show contained a laugh track during its original run. Later syndicated versions of the show would be broadcast with or without the laugh track, depending on which version the particular television station would choose to air. Current incarnations of the show feature both. The U.S.-based Boomerang occasionally airs versions with the laugh track intact, though the laugh-tracked versions of the show are more commonly found outside of the U.S., like the Spanish language and Portuguese language Boomerangs, the France-based Gulli, and Poland channels TV 4 and TV 6.

Incarnations

Over its 11 years on various television networks, The Pink Panther Show had a variety of names:

• The Pink Panther Show (1969–1970, also considered the umbrella title of the series)
• The Pink Panther Meets the Ant and the Aardvark (1970–1971)
• The New Pink Panther Show (1971–1974)
• The Pink Panther and Friends (1974–1976)
• The Pink Panther Laugh and a Half Hour and a Half Show (1976–1977)
• Think Pink Panther (1977–1978)
• The All New Pink Panther Show (1978–1980, 32 new made-for-television shorts were created for this run of the series)

MGM/UA Television syndicated a weekday half-hour Pink Panther show in 1980, complete with bumpers and laugh-tracked versions of the shorts. A new opening sequence preceding the show featured Henry Mancini's "Pink Panther Theme" played under a segment of the Pink Panther folding the background into a square to be eaten lifted from Pink Outs. The closer featured the last few seconds of the theme played under a scene of the panther water skiing, lifted from Reel Pink. This version of The Pink Panther Show was notable in that it marked the first time the cartoons aired on television with full titles and credits, as seen in theatres. Beginning in 1982, MGM/UA began syndicating some individual cartoons to local stations to air them as they saw fit. This format did not contain the series' bumpers nor the laugh track.

The following series were included in MGM/UA Television's syndication package:

• The Pink Panther
• The Inspector
• The Ant and the Aardvark
• Tijuana Toads/Texas Toads
• Misterjaw (made-for-television series)

The following series were not included in MGM/UA Television's syndication package:

• Hoot Kloot
• Roland and Rattfink
• The Blue Racer
• Crazylegs Crane (made-for-television series)
• The Dogfather

Most television stations aired the later package released in 1982, featuring the cartoon shorts by themselves, ostracized from the show's original bumpers sequences. The laugh track was also silenced on all entries expect for Misterjaw. Chicago-based WGN-TV was one of the few stations to air the 1980 The Pink Panther Show syndication package. Conversely, New York City-based WPIX featured a stripped-down version of the shorts, airing the entries without the theatrical opening and closing credits.

Reruns

The Pink Panther Show was remastered and currently airs in its entirety (including bumpers and laugh track) on BBC Two in the United Kingdom.

The show is also rerun in Canada on Teletoon Retro weekday mornings at 8:00 AM. The laugh track is muted for most entries.

A "no-frills" version airs on Boomerang five days a week at 5:30 AM, 10 AM and 2:30 PM; the Boomerang version includes four shorts and no bumpers in each half-hour episode, in the style of its other theatrical-short compilation shows. Boomerang only features shorts from The Pink Panther, The Ant and the Aardvark, and The Inspector. The laugh track is present on a great many entries.

The show previously aired in its original format on This TV on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:30 AM Eastern time (as part of its Cookie Jar Toons programming block) until September 22, 2011,

A kit of the Panthermobile, which appeared during the 1969-1970 season

Overall cast

• Rich Little – Pink Panther
• Daws Butler – Pug, Louie
• John Byner – Charlie Ant, Blue Aardvark
• Don Diamond – Toro
• Pat Harrington, Jr. – The Inspector, Sergeant Deux-Deux
• Tom Holland – Pancho
• Bob Holt – Mr. Kloot, Mr. Kloot's Horse, Dogfather
• Arte Johnson – Misterjaw
• Larry D. Mann – Blue Racer, Crazylegs Crane
• Bob Ogle – Harry Halibut
• Arnold Stang – Catfish
• Lennie Weinrib – Roland, Rattfink
• Frank Welker – Crazylegs Crane Jr., Dragonfly
• Paul Winchell – Fearless Freddy

Credits

• Pink Panther theme: Henry Mancini
• Direction: Hawley Pratt, Gerry Chiniquy, Robert McKimson, George Singer
• Stories: John W. Dunn, Tony Benedict, Don Jurwich, Bob Kurtz, Jack Miller, Michael O'Connor, Jim Ryan
• Layouts: Dick Ung, Tom Yakutis, Corny Cole, Jack Miller, Lin Larsen, Jacques Rupp
• Backgrounds: Tom O'Loughlin, Pete Alvarado, Corny Cole
• Panthermobile designer: Bob Reisner
• Animation: Art Leonardi, Manny Gould, Manny Perez, Don Williams, Warren Batchelder, Chuck Downs, George Grandpré, Norm McCabe, Herman Cohen, Ed Love, Dale Case, Bob Matz, Laverne Harding, Tom Ray, Ed DeMattia, Ted Bonnicksen, John Gibbs, Virgil Raddatz
• Voices: Rich Little, Mel Blanc, June Foray, Dave Barry, Paul Frees, Helen Gerald, Joan Gerber, Ralph James, Pat Harrington, Jr., Athena Lorde, Marvin Miller, Laura Olsher, Hal Smith, Larry Storch
• Music: Doug Goodwin, Walter Greene, William Lava
• Title song "Panther Pink Panther from Head to Toes": Doug Goodwin
• Film editing supervisor: Lee Gunther
• Film editors: Treg Brown, Roger Donley, Eugene Marks, Chuck McCann, Allen Potter
• Camera: John Burton, Jr.
• Production supervision: Jim Foss, Bill Orcutt
• Production coordinator: Harry Love
• Producers: David H. DePatie, Friz Freleng

Episode List

The Pink Panther Show (1969-1970)

The first season of The Pink Panther Show (1969-1970) consisted of one The Inspector entry sandwiched by two Pink Panther entries. On occasion (episodes #021 and #032), the scenario would be reversed, with a Pink Panther entry sandwiched by two Inspector entries.

Episode No.	1st Cartoon	2nd Cartoon	3rd Cartoon
#001	The Pink Blueprint	Bomb Voyage	The Pink Tail Fly
#002	Pinto Pink	Le Pig-Al Patrol	In the Pink
#003	Jet Pink	The Pique Poquette of Paris	Tickled Pink
#004	The Pink Pill	Plastered In Paris	Pink Pistons
#005	Rock A Bye Pinky	Toulouse La Trick	Sink Pink
#006	Prehistoric Pink	Reaux, Reaux, Reaux Your Boat	Come On In! The Water's Pink
#007	Pink Pest Control	Tour de Farce	Pink-A-Boo
#008	Pink Panic	Transylvania Mania	An Ounce of Pink
#009	Prefabricated Pink	Le Bowser Bagger	Sky Blue Pink
#010	Dial "P" for Pink	Napoleon Blown-Aparte	Bully for Pink
#011	Pink Sphinx	Cock-A-Doodle Deux Deux	The Pink Phink (Pilot)
#012	Pink of the Litter	The Great DeGaulle Stone Operation (Pilot)	Shocking Pink
#013	Pink Valiant	Le Quiet Squad	The Hand Is Pinker Than the Eye
#014	Reel Pink	Les Miserobots	Smile Pretty, Say Pink
#015	Put-Put, Pink	French Freud	Pink is a Many Splintered Thing
#016	Extinct Pink	Le Great Dane Robbery	The Pink Quarterback
#017	Genie with the Light Pink Fur	Cherche Le Phantom	Pinknic
#018	G.I. Pink	Carte Blanched	Pinkadilly Circus
#019	Lucky Pink	The Shooting of Caribou Lou	Pink in the Clink
#020	Little Beaux Pink	Bear de Guerre	The Pink Package Plot
#021	Pierre and Cottage Cheese	Pinkcome Tax	Cirrhosis of the Louvre
#022	Pink Pajamas	Sicque! Sicque! Sicque!	Pink Ice
#023	Pickled Pink	Ape Suzette	Pinkfinger
#024	Pink Punch	Unsafe and Seine	Vitamin Pink
#025	Pink, Plunk, Plink	That's No Lady - That's Notre Dame	Pink Outs
#026	Pink Paradise	Sacre Bleu Cross	Congratulations It's Pink
#027	Psychedelic Pink	Le Escape Goat	Pink Posies
#028	Super Pink	Le Cop on the Rocks	Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Pink
#029	Slink Pink	Canadian Can-Can	Pink-A-Rella
#030	In the Pink of the Night	London Derriere	Think Before You Pink
#031	Pink Panzer	La Feet's Defeat	Pink on the Cob
#032	Le Ball and Chain Gang	We Give Pink Stamps	Crow de Guerre

The New Pink Panther Show (1971-1974)

The New Pink Panther Show (1971-1974) aired the same half-hour format of the show, but with The Inspector replaced by The Ant and the Aardvark, and a new opening/closing sequence and theme song. Some Pink Panther cartoons were repeated from the previous shows.

Episode No.	The Pink Panther	The Ant and the Aardvark	The Pink Panther
#001	In the Pink of the Night	Technology, Phooey	Super Pink
#002	Think Before You Pink	Ants in the Pantry	Pink-a-Rella
#003	Twinkle Twinkle Little Pink	Isle of Caprice	Pink Punch
#004	Pink on the Cob	Rough Brunch	Congratulations It's Pink
#005	Pink Outs	Scratch a Tiger	Pink, Plunk, Plink
#006	Extinct Pink	Science Friction	Pink Paradise
#007	A Fly in the Pink	The Ant From Uncle	Pinkfinger
#008	Pink Blue Plate	The Froze Nose Knows	Little Beaux Pink
#009	Pink Tuba-Dore	Dune Bug	Sink Pink
#010	Pink-In	Don't Hustle an Ant with Muscle	The Pink Tail Fly
#011	Psst Pink	Never Bug an Ant	The Pink Blueprint
#012	Psychedelic Pink	The Ant and the Aardvark (pilot)	Gong with the Pink
#013	Pink Pranks	Hasty But Tasty	In the Pink
#014	The Pink Flea	I've Got Ants in My Plans	Pinto Pink
#015	Slink Pink	Odd Ant Out	Tickled Pink
#016	Pinkadilly Circus	From Bed to Worse	Pinkcome Tax
#017	We Give Pink Stamps	Mumbo Jumbo	Lucky Pink

Another series aired afterwards under the same title of The Pink Panther Show, but mirroring the format as The New Pink Panther Show. Some Pink Panther shorts were broadcast for the first time, while older entries were repeated. Bumpers featuring The Inspector and the Ant and the Aardvark connected the three entries.

Episode No.	The Pink Panther	The Ant and the Aardvark	The Pink Panther
#001	Salmon Pink	The Ant and the Aardvark (pilot)	The Pink Phink (pilot)
#002	Pink Streaker	Never Bug an Ant	Reel Pink
#003	Pink Plasma	The Ant from Uncle	The Pink Tail Fly
#004	Pink Campaign	Technology Phooey	Smile Pretty Say Pink
#005	Pink Piper	Hasty But Tasty	The Pink Blueprint
#006	Bobolink Pink	Isle of Caprice	Pink-a-boo
#007	Trail of the Lonesome Pink	Dune Bug	Pink, Plunk, Plink
#008	Pink Aye	Ants in the Pantry	Genie with the Light Pink Fur
#009	Keep Our Forests Pink	Science Friction	Super Pink
#010	Pink DaVinci	Odd Ant Out	Prefabricated Pink
#011	Forty Pink Winks	Rough Brunch	Pink Outs
#012	Sherlock Pink	I've Got Ants in My Plans	Pinkadilly Circus
#013	Therapeutic Pink	Don't Hustle an Ant with Muscle	Come On In! The Water's Pink
#014	Pink Elephant	Scratch a Tiger	Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Pink
#015	It's Pink But Is It Mink?	The Froze Nose Knows	Pink Pest Control
#016	The Scarlet Pinkernel	Mumbo Jumbo	Slink Pink
#017	Mystic Pink	From Bed to Worse	In the Pink of the Night

The All New Pink Panther Show (1978-1980)

The All New Pink Panther Show (1978-1980) was a new series that commenced after NBC cancelled the long-running Pink Panther Show (1969-1978). ABC-TV picked up the series, and requested 32 brand new made-for-television Pink Panther shorts, along with 16 entries for the new Crazylegs Crane segment. A newly recorded theme song was featured during the opening and closing credits, and no bumpers were produced.

Episode No.	The Pink Panther	Crazylegs Crane	The Pink Panther	Original Air Date
#001	Pink Bananas	Crane Brained	Pinktails for Two	September 9, 1978
#002	Pink Arcade	Life With Feather (pilot)	Pink S.W.A.T.	September 16, 1978
#003	Pink Suds	King Of The Swamp	Pink Pull	September 23, 1978
#004	Toro Pink	Winter Blunderland	Pink in the Woods	September 30, 1978
#005	Spark Plug Pink	Sonic Broom	Pink Breakfast	October 7, 1978
#006	Pink Lightning	Storky and Hatch	Pink in the Drink	October 14, 1978
#007	Doctor Pink	Bug Off	Pink Pictures	October 21, 1978
#008	Supermarket Pink	Animal Crackups	String Along in Pink	October 28, 1978
#009	Pink Lemonade	Fly-by-Knight	Pink Trumpet	November 4, 1978
#010	Dietetic Pink	Sneaker Snack	Sprinkle Me Pink	November 11, 1978
#011	Pink Daddy	Barnacle Bird	Cat and the Pinkstalk	November 18, 1978
#012	Pink Quackers	Jet Feathers	Pink and Shovel	November 25, 1978
#013	Yankee Doodle Pink	Beach Bummer	Pinkologist	December 2, 1978
#014	Pet Pink Pebbles	Nest Quest	The Pink of Bagdad	December 9, 1978
#015	Pink Press	Flower Power	Pink U.F.O.	December 16, 1978
#016	Pink Z-Z-Z	Trail of the Lonesome Mine	Star Pink	December 23, 1978

Spanish versions

Other versions of The Pink Panther Show have been seen and aired only in Spanish.

Episode No.	The Pink Panther	Hoot Kloot	The Pink Panther
#001	Pinky Doodle	Apache on the County Seat	Pink Pajamas
#002	Pink 8 Ball	Pay Your Bufallo Bill	The Pink Pro
#003	Bobolink Pink	The Badge and the Beautiful	Dial "P" for Pink
#004	Salmon Pink	Ten Miles to the Gallop	Pink Streaker
#005	Rocky Pink	As the Tumbleweed Turns	Pickled Pink
#006	Mystic Pink	By Hoot or by Crook	Pink Panzer
#007	Trail of the Lonesome Pink	Strange on the Range	Pink Aye
#008	The Scarlet Pinkernel	A Self-Winding Sidewinde	Vitamin Pink
#009	The Pink of Arabee	Stirrups and Hiccups	Rock A Bye Pinky
#010	Pink Campaign	Phony Express	The Hand Is Pinker Than the Eye
#011	Sherlock Pink	Kloot's Kounty (pilot)	G.I Pink
#012	Pink Piper	Giddy Up Woe	Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Pink
#013	Pink DaVinci	The Shoe Must Go On	Forty Pink Winks
#014	Therapeutic Pink	Mesa Trouble	Pink in the Clink
#015	Pink Elephant	Big Beef at the O.K. Corral	Pink Sphinx
#016	Pink Plasma	Gold Struck	Pink Pest Control
#017	It's Pink But Is It Mink?	Saddle Soap Opera	Pink Slink

See also

• List of The Pink Panther cartoons

External links

• The Pink Panther Show at the Internet Movie Database
• Charles Brubaker's DePatie-Freleng Website

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