The Pink Panther Show facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Pink Panther Show
Title card from the 1980 syndicated version of The Pink Panther Show
Created by	David H. DePatie Friz Freleng
Starring	Daws Butler John Byner Don Diamond Pat Harrington, Jr. Paul Frees Bob Holt Arte Johnson Rich Little Diana Maddox 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 Steve DePatie William Lava
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	11
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	6–7 minutes
Production company(s)	Mirisch Films DePatie–Freleng Enterprises
Distributor	United Artists Television
Release
Original network	NBC (1969–1978) ABC (1978–1980)
Original release	September 6, 1969 (1969-09-06) – August 30, 1980 (1980-08-30)
Chronology
Followed by	Pink Panther and Sons

The Pink Panther Show is a showcase of animated shorts produced by David H. DePatie and Friz Freleng between 1969 and 1978, starring the animated Pink Panther character from the opening credits of the live-action films. The series was produced by Mirisch Films and DePatie–Freleng Enterprises, and was broadcast on two American television networks: from September 6, 1969, to September 2, 1978, on NBC; and from September 9, 1978, to August 30, 1980, on ABC.

Syndication

United Artists Television syndicated The Pink Panther Show in 1980, complete with bumpers and laugh-tracked versions of the shorts. By 1982, MGM Television 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 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 the MGM Television distribution package:

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

Most television stations aired the later package released in 1982, featuring the cartoon shorts by themselves, isolated from the show's original bumpers sequences. The laugh track was also silenced on all entries except 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 laugh track, bumpers, or theatrical opening/closing credits.

Reruns

The Pink Panther Show (1969–1971) and The New Pink Panther Show (1971–1974) has been remastered in its original format. It was previously shown on BBC Two, UK Gold, BBC One, Boomerang (2000–2009) and Cartoon Network (1993–2002). In the late 2000s, it aired in Canada on Teletoon Retro weekday mornings at 8:00 am. Teletoon Retro showed all 32 episodes of The Pink Panther Show with the panther and the Inspector, all 17 episodes of The New Pink Panther Show with the panther and the Ant and the Aardvark, and select episodes of the first syndicated Pink Panther Show series (only those episodes with the middle cartoon being an Ant and Aardvark). Teletoon Retro then showed all 16 episodes of The All New Pink Panther Show, with the panther and Crazylegs Crane. The laugh track is muted for most entries.

The episodes shown on Teletoon Retro also featured remastered versions, while the wrap-around content was in rougher condition. The Inspector cartoon, Tour de Farce, had the wrong title card, that for Reaux, Reaux, Reaux Your Boat.

Cartoon Network reran The Pink Panther Show from 1997 to 1999, and intermittently in 2006, 2009, and 2012. A "no-frills" version aired on Boomerang five days a week at 5:30 am, 10 am and 2:30 pm;; the Boomerang version included four shorts and no bumpers, in the style of its other theatrical-short compilation shows. Until August 2009, Boomerang only featured shorts from The Pink Panther, The Ant and the Aardvark and The Inspector. The laugh track was present on several entries. Currently, the show remains intact on the Spanish Language Boomerang TV channel with most entries containing their original laugh track. The Pink Panther show aired on Boomerang from 2005 to 2012. In the Arab world, it was shown on Spacetoon from 2014 to 2017, due to Spacetoon airing The Pink Panther and low reception from Spacetoon viewers.

The show also 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. The digital broadcast network Light TV ran the series when the network launched Christmas weekend 2016 until September 29, 2019. Currently, the show aired on Galavisión as this show dubbed in Spanish, it aired on Monday thru Fridays at 7:30 am ET/6:30 am CT, 1:00 pm ET/noon CT, 1:30 pm ET/ 12:30 pm CT, and 11:00 pm ET/10:00 pm CT.

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
• Larry D. Mann – Blue Racer, Crazylegs Crane
• Frank Welker – Crazylegs Crane Jr., Dragonfly
• Paul Frees – Narrator, American hunter
• Don Diamond – Toro
• Pat Harrington, Jr. – The Inspector
• Tom Holland – Pancho
• Bob Holt – Hoot Kloot, Hoot Kloot's Horse, Dogfather
• Arte Johnson – Misterjaw
• Bob Ogle – Harry Halibut
• Arnold Stang – Catfish
• Lennie Weinrib – Roland, Rattfink
• Paul Winchell – Fearless Freddy
• Don Messick – Sergeant Deux-Deux

Series overview

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. The show was "hosted" by The Pink Panther and The Inspector, seen during the opening sequence, which showed a boy driving the Panthermobile from the countryside to Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. During the journey, images of animals mentioned in the song (rhinoceros, tiger, cats, American mink) are seen alongside clips of the panther from Reel Pink, Come On In! The Water's Pink and Put Put Pink. Upon arrival, the Pink Panther and the Inspector then disembark from the Panthermobile and enter the famous theatre. In the ending credits, the Inspector climbs back into the Panthermobile, but leaves the Pink Panther behind, who is seen chasing after the car.

The entries utilized for the second season featured complete original theatrical titles. With only two exceptions, the first and third cartoons of each episode were Pink Panthers, and second was an Inspector. In the two exceptions, the first and third cartoons were Inspectors, and the middle one was a Pink Panther. Unlike Season 1, a full laugh track was not used but rather an abridged version using isolated laughs from Season 1 edited onto the soundtrack by DFE (these inferior versions currently in circulation are marked with †). Seasons 1 and 2 were repackaged as a single Season 1 in the 2000s.

Season 1 (1969–1970)

Season 2 (1970)

The New Pink Panther Show (1971–1974)

The New Pink Panther Show (1971–1974) featured a new opening and closing sequence and theme song, pitting the attention-seeking Aardvark against the panther. The show's new title song, "Pantherly Pride", was written by Doug Goodwin and played over the opening sequence.

This incarnation aired The Ant and the Aardvark during the 1971–1972 season. Later seasons swapped The Ant and the Aardvark with theatrical series' Roland and Rattfink, Hoot Kloot or The Blue Racer, as well as reruns of The Inspector. Only eight new Pink Panther cartoons were produced over this three-year period (in Bold).

The Pink Panther and Friends (1974–1976)

The Pink Panther and Friends (1974–1976) followed the same format as The New Pink Panther Show. The first Pink Panther entry was a new episode, while the second was a repeat of an old entry. Bumpers featuring The Inspector and The Ant and the Aardvark connected the three entries. New series The Dogfather (originally produced for theatrical release) was also added to broadcasts, in addition to The Blue Racer or Hoot Kloot.

It's the All New Pink Panther Laugh-and-a-Half Hour-and-a-Half Show Introducing Misterjaw (1976–1977)

It's the All New Pink Panther Laugh-and-a-Half Hour-and-a-Half Show Introducing Misterjaw (also known as It's the All New Pink Panther Laugh-and-a-Half Hour-and-a-Half Show) was an attempt by DFE to revamp the traditional format of three entries airing in a 30-minute format. The show was expanded to 90 minutes, and included a live-action segment featuring comedian Lenny Schultz reading letters and jokes from viewers. The show also featured two new made-for-television series, a first for the franchise: the Texas Toads (a redubbed version of the theatrical Tijuana Toads series), and Misterjaw. New bumper sequences featuring both the Texas Toads and Misterjaw were created for the series. These new entries were aired in combination with repeats of The Pink Panther, The Inspector and The Ant and the Aardvark.

It's the All New Pink Panther Laugh-and-a-Half Hour-and-a-Half Show Introducing Misterjaw did not do well in the ratings, and lasted only one season.

Think Pink Panther (1977–1978)

The final series broadcast on NBC, Think Pink Panther reverted to the traditional 30-minute format and consisted of repeats. No new cartoons were created for this show.

The All New Pink Panther Show (1978–1979)

The All New Pink Panther Show (1978–1979) was a new version of the series commenced after NBC's broadcast of the series ended its nine-year run. For its tenth season, ABC picked up the series and requested 32 new made-for-television Pink Panther shorts, along with 16 entries for the new Crazylegs Crane segment. A disco-flavored rendition of Henry Mancini's "Pink Panther Theme" was used for the opening and closing credits, with the closing credits featuring a disco-dancing panther. "Stay Tuned" bumpers were produced for seven episodes as well.

Pink Panther Encore (1979–1980)

For its 11th and final season, DFE repackaged pre-1978 entries for a total of 52 episodes. No new cartoons were created for this show.

The Pink Panther Show (1980, syndicated)

MGM/UA Television syndicated a weekday 30-minute 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 from Pink Outs featuring the Pink Panther folding the backdrop into a square to be eaten. The closer featured the last few seconds of the theme played under a scene from Reel Pink featuring the panther water skiing.

MGM/UA created two versions of the syndication package. The first consisted of The Pink Panther, Inspector, The Ant and the Aardvark and Texas Toads entries sourced from film elements utilized during the program's original network run.

The second version consisted of The Pink Panther, The Ant and the Aardvark and Misterjaw entries sourced from new prints of the original film negatives and transferred to videotape, resulting in sharper images. As The Pink Panther and The Ant and the Aardvark entries were sourced using theatrical prints (sans laugh track), a new, less invasive laugh track being employed on sitcoms at the time was added to the soundtrack for consistency to match the made-for-television Misterjaw entries and bumper sequences that retained their respective laugh-tracked soundtracks.

The second version also incorporated several of the made-for-television Pink Panther entries from The All New Pink Panther Show. Pre-1978 Pink Panther and Ant and the Aardvark entries featured shorter opening titles with introduction music from either The New Pink Panther Show (1971–1974) or The All New Pink Panther Show (1978–1979). Closing credits featuring the Pink Panther disco dancing from The All New Pink Panther Show closed out the episodes.

Version 1

Version 2

Spanish versions

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

See also

In Spanish: La pantera rosa (serie animada) para niños