Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

For Pink Panther fans everywhere. This excellent sneak peek into the world famous and beloved character is a great and insightful read.

NetGalley, Kim Byrne

Exceptional book on the genius/madness of Peter Sellers and the difficulties in producing a legacy of successful slapstick.

NetGalley, kevin smith

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

All in all, Peter Sellers pleased generations. This book reminds us what a great actor he was. There are lots of laughs in it, including many quotes from Clouseau himself, such as my personal favorite referencing “ Sir Charles Phantom, the notorious Lytton.“ I laughed through the whole book, and understand the changes in disposition , moods and personality.

NetGalley, Nancy Frank

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I am a huge fan of Peter Sellers and the Pink Panther movies and this book gave me so much background information. I enjoyed all the quotes from actors, movie people, and others that knew Peter Sellers. A very well researched book that I honestly couldn’t put down. Peter Sellers was such a comedic genius and I truly hope he is resting in peace.

NetGalley, Christina D.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Well over sixty years ago, the collective talents of director, Blake Edwards and comedy genius, Peter Sellers came together and created the Pink Panther films. The original 1963 film stared David Niven as the debonair thief of the titular diamond, but, in fact, it was Sellers who (as Niven ruefully acknowledged) committed the greatest crime of all: stealing the whole film with his winning comic performance as the bumbling French sleuth, Inspector Clouseau..
Thereafter, the films were all about Clouseau and his ingenious disguises, increasingly bizarre mispronunciations and occasional battles with his assistant, Cato (Burt Kwouk). One other pleasant, unexpected by-product was the creation of the successful Pink Panther cartoon series which arose from the popular animated sequences which accompanied Henry Mancini's memorable theme during the films' opening titles.
In time, the initial magic between Edwards and Sellers would fade, as the actor gradually revealed himself to have been one of the most difficult and temperamental leading men to have ever stepped in front of a camera. This thorough book also covers the later versions of the films starring Roberto Benigni and Steve Martin.

NetGalley, Chris Hallam

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I recently bought a boxed set of Pink Panther films; I saw a couple years ago and wondered how they’ve fared years later. Surprisingly well is the answer. They’re timeless and the insight into the films and stories behind all the titles in The Real Pink Panther is a really timely bonus. I’ve enjoyed every page of Robert Sellers book ( he’s no relation to Peter, as far as I’m aware,, but he has written film industry related books and biographies). Meticulous research, with resources noted and a short bibliography are helpful for further reading. At the end of the book there’s a stunning montage of photo clips, all of which were new to me. I suspect on paper in colour they’d be even more amazing; I read the book on kindle.

I’m not a big Sellers fan. I think he had moments of genius but he was clearly a troubled individual and had a darker side. The book details how the association between Blake Edward’s and Sellers came about along with quite a detailed history of his other studio works. I found it interesting that Sellers was not first choice for the role; days before the first shoot, Ustinov walked away from the production and Edward’s had to find a replacement at short notice. It’s difficult to imagine anyone else playing the Clouseau role which was almost written for Sellars offbeat interpretation and delivery. He inhabited the role of the hapless detective and the working relationship between Edward’s and Sellars got off to a good start. Both loved slapstick and initially, there was a lot of improvisation during filming. These insights prove invaluable when looking at early and later films, where the Clouseau character subtly develops and changes.

Each film is detailed in full along with on and off set stories about actors, incidents and how filming was conducted. This is a book that will appeal to any film fan as there’s a mountain of film and production related trivia. Really well written, I’d say this is the definitive Pink Panther guide. The author is even handed in his observations and comments about Sellars and doesn’t flinch from showing a more difficult side. Really enjoyed this.

NetGalley, Anita Wallas

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I really enjoyed reading this book. I enjoyed the book almost as much as I enjoyed watching the movies. Anyone who liked the Pink Panther movies will love this book.

NetGalley, Mike Michelsen

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I loved this book; a fitting tribute to a franchise I very much enjoyed. The writing was great and well-paced. I thought that the content was very even-handed and fair, showing the high points and the low, including personalities and business issues.

NetGalley, Stephen Goldberg

As a kid in the 70's, I discovered this series with the fourth film, 1975's The Return of the Pink Panther and have been a fan since. Something about this style of comedy combined with the flair for international espionage is just such a joy.

Books like this one pull back the curtain behind the film industry, providing a detailed glimpse into the making of the movies and the people involved in the process. I remembered this franchise being popular, but the details provided here point out how important it was to the United Artists studio and how rich it made both Peter Sellers and Blake Edwards (despite how contested their working relationship continued to become as each film was made).

Even after Sellers' death in July of 1980, the film franchise continued on. The first (1982's Trail of the Pink Panther was a framework of a story built to utilize former footage of Sellers as Clouseau and to bring back former side characters to fill out the narrative. The storyline of this one led into the next (1983's The Curse of the Pink Panther) with Ted Wass (known then for his role of "Danny" on the sitcom Soap) taking the lead as a new detective named Clifton Sleigh. I remember these two movies and the derailing effect, as the author rightly points out, they had on things. Unlike a James Bond or a Doctor Who, sometimes moving on with a change in the lead just isn't possible.

The included photo-gallery with the book is also a very nice touch.

NetGalley, Martin Maenza