Инспектор Клузо: Мультсериал Депати-Фреленга

American animated film series
the DePatie Freleng animated series

The Inspector is an American series of 34 theatrical cartoon shorts produced between 1965 and 1969 by DePatie–Freleng Enterprises and released through United Artists. The cartoons are dedicated to an animated version of Inspector Clouseau comically battling against a rogues' gallery of internationally styled villains. Outside of the episode titles, much of the humor in these shorts is derived in part from the surreality of the villains and situations, and also from the stylized animated slapstick, the brunt of which is endured by the Inspector, who is often bested by his nemeses, forcing him to face the wrath of his supervisor, the blustery and ill tempered Commissioner (based on Herbert Lom's portrayal of Commissioner Dreyfus, if somewhat more violent) who holds him in well deserved contempt.

The Inspector is a senior detective for the Sûreté and assisted in most earlier episodes by Sergeant Deux Deux, who is voiced by Pat Harrington Jr.; In The Pink Panther Show bumpers, he is instead voiced by Marvin Miller. Though his actual name is never mentioned, the character is clearly based on Inspector Jacques Clouseau from The Pink Panther films (to the point its design was later reused in the opening credits of the 1968 Inspector Clouseau film, implying that both inspectors are in fact one and the same). But in slight contrast to the completely inept live action Clouseau, the animated Inspector is more competent, though still prone to bad luck and poor judgment.

The Inspector's young and timid assistant, Sergeant Deux Deux (pronounced "Doo Doo"), is a slow talking Spaniard and gendarme. Like the Inspector, he is voiced by Pat Harrington Jr., and in bumpers for The Pink Panther Show, he is voiced by Marvin Miller; in "La Feet's Defeat", he is instead voiced by Don Messick, and the character is given a younger appearance and more naive personality. He frequently utters the exclamation "Jole Frijoles" ("Holy Beans") in exciting or extreme situations, and often replies to the Inspector in his native tongue, saying "Sí", only to be admonished by the Inspector who often tells him, "Don't say 'sí', say 'oui'", which sometimes leads to confusing situations between the two. Deux Deux usually responded afterwards by intoning: "Sí, I mean oui, Inspector." In one cartoon, Deux Deux said "ouisick" instead of "seasick". On a couple of occasions, when the Inspector is incapacitated, Deux Deux himself almost effortlessly manages to apprehend the culprit. He thinks of the Inspector as his hero.

The Commissioner, as his name implies, is the commissioner of the French police force and the boss of the Inspector and Sgt. Deux Deux. The Commissioner is a heavily built, blustery, ill tempered, bullying, bald man dressed in a suit and a black tie. He was voiced by Larry Storch in his first two appearances, then by Paul Frees from 1966 to 1967 (sans 1967's "Canadian Can Can", where he is voiced by Mark Skor), and by Marvin Miller in all remaining appearances. He is usually angry in his interactions with the Inspector, for instance because of the Inspector's failure to complete his missions or because the Inspector has inadvertently caused him physical harm. The short "That's No Lady That's Notre Dame" introduces his wife (voiced by Diana Maddox) who refers to him as 'Henri'. Despite the Inspector's general incompetence (which the Commissioner acknowledges) the Commissioner never actually fires him, or at least not permanently.

Pat Harrington Jr. provided voices for both the Inspector and Deux Deux; (in "La Feet's Defeat", Deux Deux is voiced by Don Messick and sports a younger, more naive appearance.) The Commissioner was voiced by Larry Storch for his first two appearances, before Paul Frees took on the role up until "Bomb Voyage", and voiced the character one last time in "Le Escape Goat". In "Canadian Can Can", the Commissioner is voiced by Mark Skor, who also voiced the evil face of Two Faced Harry, the short's antagonist. The Commissioner was then voiced by Marvin Miller for his remaining appearances. On April 26, 2016, Kino Lorber released The Inspector: The DePatie Freleng Collection on DVD and Blu ray this 2 disc DVD and Blu ray release set collects the 34 (17 for each disc) classic shorts, along with retrospective featurettes focusing on DePatie Freleng Enterprises.

The Inspector was revived in 1993 for the syndicated series, The Pink Panther, voiced by Brian George. The Inspector often works alongside the Pink Panther when he is depicted in law enforcement.

A back up feature starring the Inspector appeared regularly in The Pink Panther and the Inspector comic books published by Gold Key comics, and he also starred in his own title. He also appears in the computer game The Pink Panther: Passport to Peril, where he hires the Pink Panther to help him fight crime. The Inspector and Deux Deux also appear in the 1981 story record A Pink Panther Christmas from Kid Stuff Records, in which they try to capture The Pink Panther while he is helping Santa Claus.