The Obvious Question About Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau:

[Palmerin]

is he based on a real person?

Don't laugh. Even a character as fantastical as Don Quixote is said to have been based on a real person whom Cervantes knew personally.

[hamradio]

He is a fictional character created by Blake Edwards who wanted a bumbling version of Hercule Poirot, (also fictional) the Belgian detective created by Agatha Christie.

 

Clouseau

 

Poirot

[mrroberts]

Its also important to note that Clouseau was originally intended to be more of a supporting character in the film *The Pink Panther* . But when Peter Sellers was cast in the part and the filming began Blake Edwards was inspired to expand upon the character and Clouseau became a major player in the story. They (Edwards and Sellers) kept adding scenes of Clouseau's bumbling antics and Sellers as Clouseau became the film's main character. David Niven's jewel thief (The Notorious Phantom) ended up as more of a supporting character. And Blake Edwards was inspired to quickly develop a follow up film for Peter Sellers / Inspector Clouseau which was the very funny *A Shot In The Dark* . That film introduced all of the reoccurring characters for the Pink Panther sequels.

[Palmerin]

Poirot is based on a Belgian police officer whom Christie met while he was in exile in UK during WWI.

[HoldenIsHere]

I do not care for Inspector Clouseau . . . or for Peter Sellers.

[SansFin]

I feel that it is very appropriate that Clouseau was based upon a caricature of a person. It takes it one step beyond normality.

[DownGoesFrazier]

Clouseau was originally supposed to be played by Peter Ustinov. When Sellers took his place, the character also obviously changed from what was originally envisioned.

[laffite]

>its also important to note that Clouseau was originally intended to be more of a supporting character in the film The Pink Panther . But when Peter Sellers was cast in the part and the filming began Blake Edwards was inspired to expand upon the character and Clouseau became a major player in the story. They (Edwards and Sellers) kept adding scenes of Clouseau's bumbling antics and Sellers as Clouseau became the film's main character. David Niven's jewel thief (The Notorious Phantom) ended up as more of a supporting character. And Blake Edwards was inspired to quickly develop a follow up film for Peter Sellers / Inspector Clouseau which was the very funny A Shot In The Dark . That film introduced all of the reoccurring characters for the Pink Panther sequels.

 

Peter Sellers was a movie stealer. Same thing happened (to an extent) in Kubrick's Lolita. The role of Quilty (Sellers) was originally a small one, but Kubrick was so taken by Sellers that he expanded the role. James Mason was none too happy about this.

[DownGoesFrazier]

...and neither is Robert Osborne. He has said that Sellers in LOLITA often seems to be appearing in a different film.

[laffite]

>..and neither is Robert Osborne. He has said that Sellers in LOLITA often seems to be appearing in a different film.

 

I understand that. I don't know if I would go quite that far but Sellers' bits seem overdone and somewhat distracting at times, interfering with pacing etc. Kubrick may have let this idea get away from him, an unusual error for a great filmmaker.