The opening title sequence of the original 1963
The Pink Panther film was such a success with the United Artists
executives that they decided to adapt the title sequence into a series of
theatrical animated shorts. DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, run by former Warner
Bros.
Cartoons creators David H. DePatie and Friz Freleng produced the opening
sequences, with Freleng as director. United Artists commissioned a long series
of The Pink Panther shorts, the first of which, 1964's The Pink Phink,
won the 1964 Academy Award for Animated Short Film. This was the first- and to
date only time- a studio's first work won an Oscar.
