Post by Clouseau on May 22, 2006 17:45:22 GMT
i've posted this elsewhere on the Net before, but i thought perhaps it'd be a good idea to share it here, as well... 
now most people wouldn't think of Inspector Clouseau and James Bond as being too similar, but i recently noticed several striking similarities between the two characters and between the two franchises...
for instance: 
if anyone can come up with more, lemme know!
now most people wouldn't think of Inspector Clouseau and James Bond as being too similar, but i recently noticed several striking similarities between the two characters and between the two franchises...
for instance:
- Both Clouseau and Bond are examples of men who have supreme confidence in their own abilities to do their jobs.
- Commissioner/Chief Inspector Dreyfus is Clouseau’s equivalent to Bond’s M. Either agent gets his orders from his boss, but often upsets the boss in the course of carrying out what he perceives to as be his duty.
- Kato/Cato and Professor Auguste Balls are Clouseau’s equivalent to Bond’s Q: Kato/Cato training him for the field, and Balls providing him with disguises, etc.
- Sgt. François Chevalier (later Sgt. Francois Duval) is like a plutonic version of Moneypenny, being Dreyfus’s main assistant. Francois was replaced in the newest movie by Nicole, who flirts with Clouseau, increasing the similarity to Moneypenny.
- “The Phantom” is Clouseau’s equivalent to Bond’s Blofeld, being the oft recurring nemesis who never seems to be completely defeated.
- Both James Bond and Inspector Clouseau were married briefly in the '60s, but the lead characters' major nemesis (Blofeld; The Phantom) was instrumental in destroying the characters' marriages.
- Despite having their marriages broken up, both Bond and Clouseau can be seen wooing women in their very next respective films, so neither apparently mourned their losses for an extended period of time.
- Although Clouseau is only a police inspector (Chief Inspector at times), and thus not an “international spy” like 007, he still often ends up traveling to countries around the world in order to solve his cases.
- In both series, fans widely acknowledge the first actor to play the lead role (Sean Connery as Bond, and Peter Sellers as Clouseau) as the mark by which all future actors playing the role are measured.
- In both series, the second actor to play the lead role (George Lazenby as Bond, and Alan Arkin as Clouseau) played only in one film before the first actor (Connery/Sellers) returned to the role.
- Roger Moore had a cameo as Clouseau in COTPP (1982) (Moore’s scenes were filmed while on a break from the filming of Octopussy). Interestingly enough, Moore, who was the 3rd person to play Bond in the official series, was also the 3rd person to portray Clouseau on film; additionally, Moore’s portrayal of Clouseau was in the 8th Clouseau film made, and his first appearance as Bond was also in the 8th Bond film made (Live and Let Die).
- Steve Martin is to Clouseau as Daniel Craig is to Bond. That is, both appear(ed) in films for their respective franchises in 2006; Craig is the 6th person to play Bond in the Bond series (Connery, Lazenby, Moore, Dalton, Brosnan, Craig), while Martin is the 6th person to play a Clouseau-esque character in the PP series (Sellers, Arkin, Moore, Wass, Benigni, Martin); and both Craig and Martin have received a lot of negative press since being cast in their roles.
- For both series, the films released in 2006 were seen more or less as reboots for their respective franchises.
- In TPPSA (1976), the villain is a good parody of a Bond villain. Oddly enough, his dress reminds me somewhat of Stromberg's in The Spy Who Loved Me, though TSWLM came out approx. 7 months later.
- Peter Sellers, the original Clouseau, did a send-up to James Bond in Casino Royale (1967). In 2006’s Pink Panther movie, Clive Owen did a send-up to Bond, playing “Agent 006”. Ironically, Owen’s cameo could be considered as a nod not only to Sellers’ CR appearance, but also to the fact that many fans wanted him to play James Bond in Casino Royale (2006).
- David Niven also appeared in both Casino Royale (1967) and multiple Pink Panther movies. Other actors who appeared in both CR ’67 and one or more Pink Panther movies include Geoffrey Bayldon, John Bluthal, Tracey Crisp, Colin Gordon, Burt Kwouk, John LeMesurier, Tracy Reed, Milton Reid, and Graham Stark.
- Steve Martin (following in Sellers' shoes?), who played Clouseau in TPP06, also played James Bond in a send-up featured on an episode of Saturday Night Live (the scene can be seen on the "Saturday Night Live - the Best of Steve Martin" DVD).
- 1964 saw the release of one of the most popular films of each franchise: Goldfinger for the Bond series, and A Shot in the Dark for the Pink Panther series.
- In 1965, while Goldfinger was still at the height of its popularity, the Pink Panther cartoon character appeared in a short film called Pinkfinger, wherein the panther tries to become a spy.
- In 1965, Tom Jones sang "Thunderball" for the fourth Bond film to star the original Bond, Sean Connery; then in 1976, Tom Jones sang "Come To Me" for the fourth Pink Panther film to star the original Clouseau, Peter Sellers.
- Yashaw Adem played a museum guide in ReOTPP (1975), and he played one of Stromberg’s crewmen in TSWLM.
- Anthony Ainley played a Hong Kong policeman in You Only Live Twice, and he played Bomber LeBec in IC (1968).
- Irvin Allen played Che Che in On Her Majesty's Secret Service and one of Stromberg’s crewmen in TSWLM, and he played “Haig & Haig guy #1” in RevOTPP (1978).
- Alfie Bass played Fernet in RevOTPP (1978), and he played “Venice Coffin Spotter” in Moonraker.
- David Bauer played Police Chief Geffrion in IC (1968), and he played Mr. Slumber in Diamonds Are Forever.
- Reginald Beckwith played Charlie in ASITD (1964) and he played Kenniston in Thunderball.
- In 1964, Martin Benson appeared in both Goldfinger (playing Mr. Solo) and A Shot in the Dark (playing Maurice).
- Peter Brace performed stunts in Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, and You Only Live Twice, and he played a kidnapper in TPPSA (1976) and one of Bruno’s cronies in CotPP (1983).
- Cyd Child played “Bruno the Bouncer” in TPPSA (1976), and she performed stunts in For Your Eyes Only.
- Anthony Chinn played a Taiwanese tycoon in A View To A Kill and uncredited roles in DN, GF, and YOLT, and he played a Chinese assassin in TPPSA (1976) and Benson in RevOTPP (1978).
- Jack Cooper doubled for Robert Shaw in FRWL and performed stunts in CR ’67, YOLT, LALD, TSWLM, MR, and AVTAK. He also performed stunts in RetOTPP (1975) and played a repair man in deleted scenes from TPPSA (1976).
- Dick Crockett played the crane operator in DAF, and he played President Gerald Ford in TPPSA (1976).
- Dermot Crowley played Kamp in Octopussy, and he played Sgt. Francois Duval in SotPP (1993).
- Bill Cummings performed stunts in DN, FRWL, GF, YOLT, OHMSS, DAF, LALD, The Man with the Golden Gun, TSWLM, and FYEO, played Quist in Thunderball, and he played "Hindo Harry" in TPPSA (1976).
- Robert Davi played Franz Sanchez in Licence to Kill, and he played Hans Zarba in SotPP (1993).
- Joanna Dickens played a fat lady in deleted scenes from TPPSA (1976), and she played a cook at Shrublands in Never Say Never Again.
- Martin Grace was Roger Moore’s stunt double in LALD, TMWTGG, TSWLM, MR, FYEO, OP, and AVTAK, he doubled for Richard Kiel in MR, and he performed stunts in YOLT. He also played one of Bruno’s cronies in CotPP (1983) – the same PP movie that featured Roger Moore’s cameo as Clouseau.
- Fred Haggerty played Krilencu in FRWL, and he played a hotel doorman in TPPSA (1976).
- Andrew Hawkins played a French agent in SotPP (1993), and he played Lt. Cmdr. Peter Hume in Tomorrow Never Dies.
- Thomas Ho played a Korean guard in Die Another Day, and he played a Chinese footballer in TPP (2006).
- Arthur Howard played Cavendish in Moonraker, and he played Arthur in both TotPP (1982) and CotPP (1983).
- Patrick Jordan played a Hong Kong policeman in YOLT, and he played a detective in TPPSA (1976).
- Kristopher Kum played a control room technician in YOLT, and he played a Chinese businessman in RevOTPP (1978).
- Burt Kwouk, who played Kato/Cato in several PP films, played Mr. Ling in Goldfinger and a SPECTRE agent in YOLT.
- Marc Lawrence played a Slumber Inc. attendant in DAF and Rodney in TMWTGG, and he played an uncredited gangster in RevOTPP (1978).
- George Leech performed stunts in DN, GF, TB, YOLT, OHMSS, DAF, TSWLM, FYEO, OP, NSNA, and AVTAK, in addition to RevOTPP (1978). He also acted in uncredited roles in GF, TB, OHMSS, TSWLM, and FYEO, and he played Mr. Stutterstutt in TPPSA (1976).
- Valerie Leon played a hotel receptionist in TSWLM and a lady in the Bahamas in NSNA, and she played Tanya in RevOTPP (1978).
- Joanna Lumley played “The English Girl” in OHMSS. She also played Marie Jouvet in TotPP (1982) and Countess Chandra in CotPP (1983).
- Marne Maitland played Lazar in TMWTGG, and played Deputy Commissioner Lasorde in TotPP (1982).
- André Maranne played a SPECTRE agent in Thunderball, but is better known to Panther fans as François in ASITD (1964), RetOTPP (1975), RevOTPP (1976), TotPP (1982), and CotPP (1983)
- Terence Plummer played uncredited roles in TMWTGG and TND, and performed stunts in FRWL, GF, YOLT, TSWLM, and GoldenEye. He also played a kidnapper in TPPSA (1976), and he performed stunts in SotPP (1993).
- Steve Plytas played a Greek tycoon in OHMSS, and he played “Douvier's board member #5” in RevOTPP (1978).
- Eric Pohlmann, who provided the uncredited voice of Blofeld in FRWL and possibly TB, appeared on screen as Bergesch in IC (1968) and as “The Fat Man” in RetOTPP (1975).
- Dinny Powell performed stunts in DN, FRWL, CR ’67, YOLT, TSWLM, MR, NSNA, AVTAK, and GE, in addition to CotPP (1983). He also played “Marty the Mugger” in TPPSA (1976), and he played one of Carver’s thugs in TND.
- Joe Powell performed stunts for CR ’67, YOLT, OHMSS, and AVTAK, and he played a taxi passenger in TPPSA (1976).
- Nosher Powell performed stunts for TPP (1963), as well as for FRWL, GF, TB, YOLT, CR ’67, OHMSS, DAF, LALD, TMWTGG, TSWLM, MR, FYEO, OP, and AVTAK.
- George Pravda played Wladislav Kutze in TB, and he played Wulf in IC (1968).
- Christopher Reich played Gino Rossi in both TotPP (1982) and CotPP (1983), and he played “Number 5” in NSNA.
- Milton Reid played one of Dr. No’s guards in DN, a temple guard in CR ’67, and Sandor in TSWLM, and he played the owner of a Japanese restaurant in RetOTPP (1975).
- Terry Richards performed stunts in FRWL, GF, CR ’67, YOLT, OHMSS, TND, and The World Is Not Enough, and he played “Bruce the Knife” in TPPSA (1976).
- Doug Robinson performed stunts in YOLT, DAF, LALD, TMWTGG, TSWLM, FYEO, NSNA, AVTAK, and TLD, as well as in RevOTPP (1978) and SotPP (1993). He also played one of Bruno’s cronies in CotPP (1983), and he played one of the thugs at Stacey’s house in AVTAK.
- Lon Satton played Harold Strutter in LALD, and he played "Sam Spade and the Private Eyes member #1" in RevOTPP (1978).
- Nadim Sawalha played a museum guide in RetOTPP (1975) and a Lugash agent in SotPP (1993), and he also played Aziz Fekkesh in TSWLM and the Tangier Chief of Security in The Living Daylights.
- Rolf Saxon played “2nd Speedboat Man” in CotPP (1983), and he played Philip Jones in TND.
- Catherine Schell played Nancy in OHMSS, and she played Lady Litton in RetOTPP (1975).
- Bob Sherman played a CIA agent in TPPSA (1976), and he played a crewman on the USS Wayne in TSWLM.
- Eddie Stacey performed stunts in OHMSS, and he played a German assassin in TPPSA (1976) and performed stunts in CotPP (1983) and SotPP (1993).
- Richard Vernon played Col. Smithers in GF, and he played Professor Fassbender in TPPSA (1976).
- Douglas Wilmer, who played Jim Fanning in OP, also played Henri LaFarge in ASITD (1964) and a police commissioner in RevOTPP (1978).
- John Wyman played Telly Toledo in RevOTPP (1978), and he played Erich Kriegler in FYEO.
- Maud Adams, who played multiple Bond girls, was set to play the part of Olga Barisova in TPPSA (1976), but had to back out, and was replaced by Lesley-Anne Down.
- Don Adams spoofed James Bond in the “Get Smart” TV series. He also provided the voice for the “Inspector Gadget” cartoon character, which (some argue) was loosely based on Inspector Clouseau.
- Both franchises have spawned cartoon spin-offs. For Bond, it was the short-lived “James Bond, Jr.” series; while the Pink Panther spun off in multiple directions with cartoons, "The Pink Panther" series and "The Inspector" series being the two most popular examples.
- Peter Sellers was once married to Britt Ekland, who played Mary Goodnight in TMWTGG. The film "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers" claims that Sellers' interest in Ekland was brought on after a psychic - recommended by Roger Moore - informed him that someone with the initials "B.E." would change his life for the better.
- In TPP (1963), David Niven - who played Sir James Bond in CR '67 - dressed up in a monkey disguise; and Roger Moore - who cameo'd in CotPP (1983) - dressed in a monkey disguise in OP.
- In IC (1968), a distraught Clouseau (Alan Arkin) tears up an autographed picture of Sean Connery.
- Both series traditionally open with a pre-titles sequence followed by titles and then the rest of the film.
- A large portion of TPP (1963) was filmed inside the Miramonti Majestic Grand Hotel in Cortina; years later, in 1981, scenes for FYEO were filmed just outside the same hotel.
- The main theme song for each series has undergone several transformations over the years, yet each incarnation stays relatively true to the original.
- The first installment of "The Inspector" (another series of cartoon shorts spun off from the Pink Panther flims) aired before original screenings of Thunderball in theaters. (The episode was called "The Great DeGaulle Stone Operation".)
- Finally, both film franchises are/were owned and distributed by MGM and United Artists (and now Sony).
if anyone can come up with more, lemme know!
