Everyone has Henry Mancini's iconic tune burned into our brains and recognizes the famous cartoon character but do you know the famous actor that started it all? Peter Sellers emerged in the comedy world in 1950 but graced the screen with his most notable comedic performance in 1963 in The Pink Panther. Introducing the world to the bumbling French Police Inspector Clouseau and his innate ability to solve the mystery ass-backwards, Sellers used his comedic timing and racist tendencies to poke fun at stereotypes and everyday banality. Audiences weren't new to physical comedy, the great Charlie Chaplin and Jerry Lewis preceded him, but Sellers use of Bond references and fearlessness of costumes brought out his ingenuity and spirit.

Sellers was not only born into privledge, he was born in to an acting family with his mother and father working at the acting company his grandmother owned. His first career wasn't acting but as a member of the Royal Air Force in World War II. Once the war was over Sellers jumped into show business with voice roles and smaller on screen appearances. Sellers revived his role as Inspector Jacques Clouseau in five films throughout a period of 15 years and with a hiatus of 11 years before reprising the role for the last three films in the series. The Pink Panther, A Shot in the Dark, The Return of the Pink Panther, The Pink Panther Strikes Again and Revenge of the Pink Panther were all crtically acclaimed films.

These films brought stardom to Sellers and laughter to audiences across the world with some of the most memorable scenes in comedic film history like Does Your Dog Bite?, Do You Have For Me The Message?, The Seeing Eye Monkey, the hotel cleaner, and too many others to name. If you are interested in a night of laughing so hard your stomach hurts or appreciating the late great Sellers check out his films in the name Movie Madness month.