I was alerted today by a studious reader that Herbert Lom, the fantastic actor best known to most of us as Dreyfus in the Pink Panther movies but most famous in Phantom circles as the ill-fated and tragic Professor Petrie from the 1962 Hammer horror film adaptation of the story, died yesterday of natural causes.

Whether you were a fan of the 60's adaptation or not, you have to admit that the man deserves acting props. We'll pour one out tonight for Mr. Lom, and rewatch his exploits in honor of his contributions to the ever-changing craziness of the Phantom story.