DePatie–Freleng Enterprises (also known as Mirisch-Geoffrey-DePatie-Freleng Productions when involved with the Mirisch brothers and Geoffrey Productions; and DFE Films) was an American animation production company that was active from 1963 to 1981. Based in Burbank, DFE produced animation for film and television. Notable among these are the opening titles for The Pink Panther, its sequels and an associated series of theatrical shorts featuring the character of the same name, entries in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series from 1964 to 1967, the Dr. Seuss television specials from 1971 to 1982, the lightsaber effects in the original Star Wars, and the Time for Timer ABC public service announcements in the early 1970s. History Origins DFE was formed by two former employees at Warner Bros. Cartoons, director/composer/producer Friz Freleng and executive David H. DePatie, after Warner Bros. closed its animation studio in May of 1963. Although Freleng and DePatie were no longer working for Warner Bros., a generous gesture from a Warner executive allowed Freleng and DePatie to lease the former Warner cartoons studio on California Street in Burbank, complete with equipment and supplies for a few dollars each year. Although DFE's initial business was commercials and industrial films, several lucky breaks put the new studio into the theatrical cartoon business. Director Blake Edwards contacted DFE and asked them to design a panther character for Edwards's new film, The Pink Panther. Pleased with the design by Hawley Pratt for the character, Edwards contracted with DFE to produce the animated titles for the film. Upon the film's release, the titles garnered a tremendous amount of attention, so much that a large amount of the picture's gross is believed to have been generated by the success of DFE's title sequence. DFE then signed with United Artists to produce a series of animated short subjects featuring the Pink Panther, which included over 100 shorts for both theatrical and television audiences through 1980. Also in 1964, DePatie and Freleng's longtime employer, Warner Bros., agreed with DFE to produce additional new Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoon shorts for theatrical release. DePatie and Freleng soon found themselves overflowing with work; as many of the animators who had worked at Warner Bros. during the 1950s and 1960s returned to the old Warner cartoon studio to work for DFE. The first entry in the Pink Panther series, The Pink Phink, was directed by Freleng and won the studio