 An animated Pink Panther was created for the opening credits because  writer and director Blake Edwards (qv) felt that the credits would  benefit from some kind of cartoon character. David H. DePatie (qv)  and Friz Freleng (qv) decided to personify the films eponymous  jewel, and the Pink Panther character was chosen by Edwards from  over a hundred alternative panther sketches. The Pink Panther  introduced in the opening credits became a popular film and  television character in his own right, beginning with the cartoon  short _Pink Phink, The (1964)_ (qv) the following year.