Who played the saxophone on the iconic 1963 ‘Pink Panther’ theme?

Plas Johnson played the instantly recognisable saxophone part in Henry Mancini’s “The Pink Panther Theme”. Recorded in 1963, the music became a signature of the film series, with its sly rhythm helping establish the bumbling detective mood and inspiring the animated panther’s movements.

Johnson had begun playing saxophone as a child and later worked with performers including B.B. King, Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole before joining Mancini’s orchestra. He said the theme took only two takes to record, and that the musicians applauded when it was finished. The score lost the Oscar for Best Substantially Original Score to *Mary Poppins*.