The theme was composed by Henry Mancini for the 1963 film The Pink Panther and became closely linked with the animated Pink Panther character who appeared in the opening credits and later cartoons. Its jazzy, creeping arrangement made it shorthand for stealth and mischief far beyond the original movie. Clips of the melody have circulated for years in cartoons, adverts, ringtones and meme edits, and this short version is popular because the recognisable opening notes set up a sneaky joke in just a few seconds.