18 replies to this topic

[Blofeld's Cat]

Does anyone know why Roger was credited under this name in 1983

[Loomis]

Bryan Forbes (who directed Moore in 1984's THE NAKED FACE) had a small role in an earlier Clouseau outing, A SHOT IN THE DARK (1964), for which he was credited as Turk Thrust (although I have no idea why his own name didn't appear on the credits, or why he chose that particular alias). Perhaps CURSE OF THE PINK PANTHER director Blake Edwards informed Moore of this, and it was decided that Moore should use the pseudonym Turk Thrust II. I'd guess that a desire to keep Moore's appearance in COFPP as secret as possible lay behind all this false name business (in the same way, I suppose, as the makers of AUSTIN POWERS IN GOLDMEMBER tried to keep the cameos of Tom Cruise and others under wraps) - outsiders who'd obtained the cast list prior to the film's opening wouldn't have known that the current Bond actor was playing Clouseau.

[Blofeld's Cat]

A Blake Edwards injoke perhaps, although its only occured twice.

I'd have thought that a big drawcard like Moore would've been desired to help promote this movie, and if his part was a mere camoe (as the Cruise part in Goldmember was) why credit the character at all?

Still, it was around the time of Octopussy so Eon would have been pleased with the anynymity of Moore in a Clouseau (not Cousteau as I posted above ) romp.

[Loomis]

Originally posted by Blofeld's Cat
A Blake Edwards injoke perhaps, although its only occured twice.

I'd have thought that a big drawcard like Moore would've been desired to help promote this movie, and if his part was a mere camoe (as the Cruise part in Goldmember was) why credit the character at all?

Still, it was around the time of Octopussy so Eon would have been pleased with the anynymity of Moore in a Clouseau (not Cousteau as I posted above ) romp.

Yes, perhaps EON's hand was guiding things. Maybe there was some clause in Moore's Bond contract forbidding him from simultaneously "starring" in a "Bond-like" series (although Moore's role in THE CANNONBALL RUN was designed as a send-up of his 007 persona).

From memory (saw CURSE OF THE PINK PANTHER at some point in the mid-1980s) Moore's part is indeed a cameo, although he's onscreen for much longer than Cruise in AUSTIN POWERS 3. Another reason for playing down Moore's involvement might have been that the premature revelation of his character's identity would have been a real spoiler (although it's been blown in this thread:

Spoiler

Moore's character turns out to be the missing Jacques Clouseau [normally played, of course, by Peter Sellers, who had died in 1980], who has undergone plastic surgery

).

As to the question of why Moore is credited at all, perhaps the whole Turk Thrust thing was a longstanding inside joke among people like Blake Edwards and Bryan Forbes, and the folks behind COTPP just couldn't resist giving it another airing. Quite what was so ribtickling about it will probably forever remain outside the comprehension of us laymen.

[Blofeld's Cat]

I did a search for "Turk Thrust II" and found a comment on Rog's official site, under COTPP.

It appears MGM wanted him to play Clouseau thoughout the whole movie. Anyway, when Edwards piched the idea of him appearing in the movie Rog was sworn to secrecy.

Hence the deception, to add bigger impact when he finally enters the scene, I gather.

[Dr Noah]

"perhaps the whole Turk Thrust thing was a longstanding inside joke among people like Blake Edwards and Bryan Forbes, and the folks behind COTPP just couldn't resist giving it another airing."

It was a private joke between Forbes and SELLERS (they were close friends in real life and Forbes directed Sellers in The Wrong Box). Forbes was bought into the movie in the same way that Graham Stark was (ie Sellers wanted them in the movie).

As well as being credited as Turk, Forbes actually played him (at one point he says "Hi, I'm Turk")

Roger was probably the highlight of that movie (but that isn't saying much)

[Solex Agitator]

Did Sir Rog know Peter Sellers? Were they friends? Curious...

[Blofeld's Cat]

Originally posted by Dr Noah
Roger was probably the highlight of that movie (but that isn't saying much)

If that is the case, then Rog suddenly showing up would have been a pleasent surprise. The "Turk Thrust II" alias did what it was supposed to do, I gather.

[PrinceKamalKhan]

Originally posted by Blofeld's Cat

If that is the case, then Rog suddenly showing up would have been a pleasent surprise. The "Turk Thrust II" alias did what it was supposed to do, I gather.

It did. I endured the mostly dire COTPP only because I wanted to see the entire Pink Panther series and "Curse" was easily the series' worst entry. The only funny scene in the whole movie was when a post-plastic surgery Inspector Closeau appears and turns out to be Roger Moore. It was a pleasant surprise and I remember laughing and wholeheartedly enjoying that scene. Roger Moore's impeccable comic timing and his perfect impersonation of Sellers were brilliant. IMHO, Blake Edwards should've hired Moore to take over as Closeau and then Moore might've had a more successful post-007 movie career and Edwards would've been able to continue his Pink Panther comedy series with good films instead of the dismal flops that "Curse" and "Son of the Pink Panther" turned out to be.

[MovieManOO7]

I agree 100% with PrinceKamalKhan. The movie was silly and cheap but Roger Moore's sudden appearance and performance of Clouseau is classic. No one could've replaced Peter Sellers as Clouseau in a similar way that people felt no one could've replaced Connery as Bond. So what do they do? Bring in one of the most popular "replacements" in history to play Clouseau. Just that very idea brought forth a laugh! if they had truly done the whole film with Moore, it could've been nearly as good as the Sellers films.

A note: this was David Niven's final film. A good friend of Moore's, they had appeared together in two other films (THE SEA WOLVES and ESCAPE TO ATHENA). Best known in OO7 circles as the James Bond of CASINO ROYALE (1967), Niven was a classic actor and one of the finest and most quick-witted ever. He's truly missed.

[Righty007]

Is there a story behind the reason why Roger Moore is credited as Turk Thrust II in Curse of the Pink Panther? Was he high or something in '83? That would explain why Octopussy isn't so good.

[Triton]

From the brief research that I have done on the Internet, I understand that Turk Thrust was the screen credit given to director Bryan Forbes for his cameo in A Shot in the Dark. Forbes appears as a beatnik strumming a guitar as a member of the band in the nudist camp scene.

I presume that the name must have been coined by writer/director Blake Edwards.

There must have been some reason that Roger Moore couldn't have his name in the credits. I doubt that he would want his name removed because of the poor quality of the film because I understand that Edwards is a personal friend of Moore and there was discussion that Roger Moore would assume the Clouseau role in a new series of Pink Panther films.

Thankfully, a new Pink Panther series starring Moore never materialized.

[Qwerty]

Is there a story behind the reason why Roger Moore is credited as Turk Thrust II in Curse of the Pink Panther? Was he high or something in '83? That would explain why Octopussy isn't so good.

Octopussy is one of his best films ever. I didn't hear of this one however.

I guess this confirms the recent question on here about A Shot in the Dark being Pink Panther connected.

[PrinceKamalKhan]

From the brief research that I have done on the Internet, I understand that Turk Thrust was the screen credit given to director Bryan Forbes for his cameo in A Shot in the Dark. Forbes appears as a beatnik strumming a guitar as a member of the band in the nudist camp scene.

I presume that the name must have been coined by writer/director Blake Edwards.

There must have been some reason that Roger Moore couldn't have his name in the credits. I doubt that he would want his name removed because of the poor quality of the film because I understand that Edwards is a personal friend of Moore and there was discussion that Roger Moore would assume the Clouseau role in a new series of Pink Panther films.

Thankfully, a new Pink Panther series starring Moore never materialized.

I don't know about that. It might have given Moore a better post-007 film career. His impersonation of Sellers was terrific. As for his being credited as "Turk Thrust II", it was probably to keep Moore's appearance in the film during the height of his popularity as Bond a secret since his turning out to be Clouseau is a surprise and as it turned out, the only laugh in an otherwise dismal comedy, arguably the worst of the Pink Panther series.

[Triton]

Perhaps Roger was the victim of poor timing. I believe that memories were still fresh in audiences minds of Peter Sellars as Inspector Clouseau, since Curse of the Pink Panther was released three years after the death of Sellars and a year after Trail of the Pink Panther that contained previously unreleased footage of Sellars as Clouseau.

Then we have Roger Moore with his strong English gentleman/adventurer persona and was strongly associated with the James Bond character.

If Moore had been able to wait a couple of years, he may have been more successful at the role.

[TheSaint]

Roger & Forbes were friends so, maybe Roger used Turk Thrust II as a nod to Bryan?

[Blofeld's Cat]

Roger Moore IS Turk Thrust II

[Triton]

Roger Moore IS Turk Thrust II

Very interesting thread Blofeld's Cat. Remember folks CBN does have a great Search feature. It's possible that your burning questions may have already been discussed and answered in another thread.

[Righty007]

Roger Moore IS Turk Thrust II

Thanks.