Because December 21st is the shortest day of the year, Balladeer’s Blog always runs articles about short films, short presidential administrations, etc. This year I’m observing the 57th anniversary of the theatrical release of the very first animated short in The Inspector series on December 21st, 1965.

The Inspector was the DePattie-Freleng cartoon character introduced in the animated opening credits of the Blake Edwards/ Peter Sellers Pink Panther movies. This inept yet overconfident detective was based on Sellers’ memorable Inspector Clouseau character in those comedies.

The Pink Panther had already graduated from being the opening credits mascot of Edwards’ series to its own series of cartoon shorts. When the tradition of screening original cartoons before the latest movie releases ended (for the most part) in the late 60s/ early 70s, many of those animated shorts were packaged as cartoon shows for Saturday morning television. The Inspector found a new home…