Posted on 09/27/2012 8:48:22 AM PDT by the scotsman
'Actor Herbert Lom, best known for playing Charles Dreyfus in the Pink Panther films, has died aged 95.
The Czech-born, London-based actor starred opposite Peter Sellers in several films as Inspector Clouseau's irritable boss.
Lom appeared in more than 100 films during his 60-year acting career, including such classics as The Ladykillers, Spartacus and El Cid.
His family said he died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday.
Lom also portrayed Napoleon Bonaparte on two occasions. One of them came in the 1956 screen adaptation of Tolstoy's War And Peace, also starring Audrey Hepburn and Henry Fonda.
He first appeared as police chief Dreyfus in 1964's A Shot In The Dark, a character who became increasingly mentally unstable as a result of Clouseau's incompetence as the films went on.'
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
Some of the most enjoyable movies ever made.
Seems like they are from a different time and space.
“The Ladykillers”
An absolute gem !!
Great actor. Made Peter Sellers better as his boss. Made me laugh until I had tears. Tremendous also as a a bad guy or as Napolean in War and Peace. They don’t make them like this anymore.
R.I.P. - Nobody could twitch his eyes like Inspector Dreyfus. Thanks for some of the best laughs ever.
Couldn’t have picked a better Inspector Dreyfus. RIP, thanks for the laughs.
Truly enjoyed his eulogy when everyone thought that Clouseau had been murder-ed.
I can honestly say that the pink panther strikes again was the first movie that made me laugh till I was breathless. He will be sadly missed. RIP.
Clouseau: [after listening to Dreyfus singing "Over the Rainbow" at the insane asylum] I'm afraid today is just not your day, my friend.
Dreyfus: [quickly stands up] Oh, but it is! It is, my "friend" after three, long terrible years it is AT LAST my day! I will not permite, "repeat," not permit anything..."repeat" anything to spoil it. Now, I will walk you to the gate, to the car which should rightfully be mine. And then I will kiss you goodbye!
[kisses Clouseau's cheeks]
Dreyfus: And then I will have my meeting with the sanitary commision where I will set free! And then...
Dreyfus: I will kill you!
[starts choking him]
Clouseau: [running away] Francois! Start the car!
Dreyfus: [chasing close behind] KILL YOU! KILL YOU!
Nitrous oxide and melting disguise?
Yep.
Then again, almost everything Ealing Studios made was a gem.
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