‘Pink Panther’ star Herbert Lom dies at 95

The family of Herbert Lom have said he died peacefully in his sleep...

14:27 29 September 2012

Herbert Lom, the Czech-born, London-based actor who played the role of Chief Inspector Dreyfus in the Pink Panther movies has died on Thursday. 

 

The actor’s family confirmed that he passed away peacefully while he was sleeping. 

 

During his 60-year acting career, Lom has starred in more than 100 movies including the original 1953 ‘The King and I’ where he played the starring role.

 

He also appeared in ‘Lady Killers’ (1955), Napoleon in ‘War and Peace’ (1956), ‘Spartacus’ (1960), and ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ (1962). 

 

It is thought that Lom considered playing Inspector Dreyfus in Pink Panther movies as the highlight of his career.

 

He told the BBC: "It was a godsend when I was offered the part. But it did become a double-edged sword as people started to associate me with Dreyfus.”

 

“I loved playing the part of a blabbering lunatic of a police inspector. I think people like to see the police in such trouble; they enjoy seeing the inspector reduced to an utter, twitching wreck.”