It's with great sadness that we report on actor Herbert Lom's passing. The Pink Panther actor died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 95. Lom was a Czech born actor, mostly known for his recurring turn as Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus in Peter Seller's Pink Panther franchise. By the time of his passing, Lom had appeared in over 100 films throughout his career that spanned 60 years. His career in acting came after he escaped to England during the 1939 Nazi invasion. Lom was born Herbert Charles Angelo Kuchacevich ze Schluderpacheru in Prague in 1917. Before leaving for England, Lom had already started acting on both the stage and screen in Czechoslovakia. When he arrived in London, he trained at RADA. His debut came in the form of the 1940 film Mein Kampf - My Crimes.
While The Pink Panther would be his most notable role (he appeared in seven in total), Lom also madea ppearances in Spartacus, El Cid, The Dead Zone and The Ladykillers. His later acting career saw him work with director David Cronenberg in a 1983 adaptation of Stephen King novel The Dead Zone, opposite Christopher Walken. Commenting on his Pink Panther role, Lom said: "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."
RIP Herbert Lom. 1917 - 2012
