What do The Pink Panther, Breakfast at Tiffanys, and 10 have in common with a famous Oklahoman? Blake Edwards.
Edwards merits consideration asafamousOklahoman not only because he was born in Tulsa on July 26, 1922, but also because he helped create some of cinema’s most iconic films, including the Pink Panther series.
Edwards had a difficult start in life through no fault of his own: his father left his mother while she was pregnant for him. His mother later remarried, and Edwards’s stepfather adopted him, changing his surname from Crump to Edwards.
The record of how long Edwards lived in Oklahoma is unclear. However, after graduating from Beverly Hills High School in 1941, he entered the acting world. Likemanyyoungpeopleofhis generation, he interrupted his career to serve during World War II, joining the U.S. Coast Guard, one of the nation’s uniformed services.
After his military service, Edwards appeared to find his purposeinentertainment.He made his directorial debut in 1952 on the television program Four Star Playhouse and soon collaborated with Richard Quine to create The Mickey Rooney Show. His distinctive sense of humor also served him well on the private-detective series Richard Diamond, Private Detective. Although those programs may not be familiar to many readers today, the film 10, starring Dudley Moore and Bo Derek, is likely more recognizable.
Edwards left a significant markoncinemathroughsuch works as Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the 1961 romantic comedy adapted by screenwriter GeorgeAxelrodfromTruman Capote’s 1958 novella. The film, now far more than a familiar phrase, starred several notable performers, including Audrey Hepburn and Mickey Rooney. Its story centers on a struggling writer who recalls his early days in New York City and it earned an impressive $14 million at the box office.
Other notable Edwards filmsinclude TheGreatRace, Blind Date and Days of Wine and Roses. His most enduring achievement, however, may be the Pink Panther film series, which starred Peter Sellers as Inspector Jacques Clouseau and Edwards helped create and direct.
The Pink Panther, a name derived from a pink diamond that is huge and expensive, debuted on film in 1963 and later appeared in animation, television series, comic books and video games. For many people, the name still calls to mind the familiar theme and the image of a slender, wellmannered, sophisticated pink cat or the famous theme composed by Henry Mancini -- an enduring combination of character, comedy and style.
Edwards created a body of work whose influence continues to be felt across film and popular culture. His Oklahoma birthplace is an important part of that story and gives the state another reason to recognize his lasting contribution to entertainment.