Pink Panther Director Blake Edwards Dies at 88

Blake Edwards, the director and writer of the Pink Pantherseries and Breakfast at Tiffany's, died Thursday morning. He was 88.
Edwards died at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, Calif., from complications of pneumonia.

Best known for his comedic work, Edwards began his career as an actor before moving behind the camera. After creating the Emmy-nominated spy series Peter Gunn in 1959, he got his major film break when he was chosen to direct the Audrey Hepburn classic Breakfast at Tiffany's after John Frankenheimer dropped out. He followed it up with another hit, 1962's Days of Wine and Roses, a drama about alcoholism.

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Two years later, he created the Pink Panther series of films, which starred Peter Sellers as bumbling police inspector Jacques Clouseau. He went on to direct such comedies as 10, Victor/Victoria and S.O.B., the latter two of which starred his wife Julie Andrews. His last film was 1993's Son of the Pink Panther, the ninth film in the series.

In 2004, Edwards received an honorary Academy Award in recognition of his writing, directing and producing throughout the years.

Edwards married Andrews in 1969. They had five children together.