While shooting in Hong Kong, a policeman saw Burt Kwouk steal a motor scooter and actually chased and arrested him. It took several hours to convince the cop that it was for a movie.
If Peter Sellers had not died, the next film in the franchise after this one, the sixth in the series, would have likely been "Romance of the Pink Panther".
This is Peter Sellers' final official appearance as Inspector Clouseau. Trail of the Pink Panther (1982) consisted of outtakes and unused scenes from The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976).
Reportedly, both Peter Sellers and Blake Edwards had said that the previous Pink Panther movie, The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976), would be their last. Then, within two months, Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978) was in development.
Blake Edwards remarked in an interview about Peter Sellers many years later about how the actor's mental and physical state had deteriorated alarmingly. He said that Sellers had trouble with coordinating his lines with performing the slapstick.
Ed Parker: Mr. Chong, a Chinese martial artist. Parker reprised the role in Curse of the Pink Panther (1983), where he was credited.