Wild, Crazy Clouseau Unleashes `Panther’ on Hub

Comedian Steve Martin brought his funny French shtick to Winthrop Square in Boston yesterday when the actor filmed a slapstick street scene for “Pink Panther Deux.”

Streets in the Hub’s Financial District were spruced up and given a Parisian flair for the scene in which Martin’s Inspector Clouseau issues a parking ticket to an irate driver who speeds away with the clownish cop still attached to his car!

“Pink Panther Deux,” which also stars Emily Mortimer, Jean Reno, Andy Garcia, John Cleese and Alfred Molina, began filming on Friday and won’t call it quits until Nov. 2.

The Boston shoot follows a week of filming in Paris. The Hub, we’re told, will double for Gay Paree and Rome in the flick, but most of the shooting will be interiors. In fact, Martin and his location scouts last week scoped out the Boston Public Library’s jaw- dropping Abbey Room, which they are expected to use as the Pope’s bedroom!

CAPTION: JERKY: Steve Martin films a scene in Winthrop Square yesterday morning for `Pink Panther Deux.’ HERALD PHOTOS BY LISA HORNAK

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