James Lanphier (August 31, 1920 — February 11, 1969) was an American actor who did a variety of work for Blake Edwards. He portrayed Saloud in the 1963 film The Pink Panther, and also appeared in films such as Darling Lili (1970) and the television series Peter Gunn (1958–61).
Biography Lanphier was born at Mitchel Field, New York, to Janet Grant Cobb and Thomas George Lanphier Sr. He had two brothers, Thomas Jr. and Charles.
Lanphier made his stage debut as a juvenile in an army post drama. He debuted on Broadway as a dancer in Mexican Hayride in 1944 and played Mr. Atkins in a production of Dark of the Moon the following year. He began his acting career on American television in 1949, beginning in May with a supporting role in the Colgate Theatre episode, "Tin Pan Skipper","3 Top Shows Join 'Live' List on TV Tonight". The Buffalo News. May 2, 1949. p. 19. Retrieved December 20, 2025. "The Colgate Television Theater does 'Tin Can Skipper' with Virginia Gilmore, Steve Cochran, Sidney Blackmer and Jess White in the featured roles. It's a story of the reunion of five survivors of a destroyer sunk in the Battle of Leyte Gulf.""Tonight's Television". Poughkeepsie Journal. May 2, 1949. p. 9. Retrieved December 20, 2025. "Tin Can Skipper, with Sidney Blackmer, Steve Cochran, James Lamphier and Jess White." then co-starring the following month with Mary Sinclair and Arnold Moss in Studio One's production of Joseph Liss's English-language TV adaptation of S. Ansky's The Dybbuk.Leonard, William T. (1981). Theatre : Stage to Screen to Television. Metuchen, N.J. : Scarecrow Press. p. 534. .
In 1957 Lanphier made his feature film debut in an uncredited role in The Deadly Mantis (1957). Several other minor roles followed including small roles in Blake Edwards' The Perfect Furlough (1958), Operation Petticoat (1959) and High Time (1960), then two appearances on Edwards' Peter Gunn television series. On the third season of the show Lanphier became a regular where he played Leslie, a gourmet chef and restaurateur.
He played a landlord in Edwards' Experiment in Terror (1962) then acted as a dialogue coach on Edwards' Days of Wine and Roses (1962) and The Pink Panther (1963) where he played Saloud, one of his many roles where he played a Middle Eastern or Indian gentleman. He made minor appearances in more of Edwards' films, including What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? (1966) as an Italian villager, The Party (1968) as Harry, and his final role in Darling Lili (1970) as a Hungarian maître d'hôtel, released after his death.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1949 Studio One Channon Ep. "The Dybbuk"Leonard, William T. (1981). Theatre : Stage to Screen to Television. Metuchen, N.J. : Scarecrow Press. p. 534. .1957 The Deadly Mantis Col. Harvey Uncredited1958–1961 Peter Gunn Leslie / Sloane / Chop 15 episodes1958 The Perfect Furlough Assistant Hotel Manager 1958 Bell Book and Candle Waldo Uncredited1959 It Happened to Jane Newspaper Photographer 1959 Operation Petticoat Lt. Cmdr. Daly Uncredited1960 High Time Burdick, Maitre D' at Harvey Howard's Uncredited1961 Breakfast at Tiffany's The Cousin Uncredited1961 Flight of the Lost Balloon Hindu 1962 Experiment in Terror Landlord 1962 Days of Wine and Roses Prince Uncredited1963 The Pink Panther Saloud 1964 Sex and the Single Girl Salesman Uncredited1965 Perry Mason Marius Stone 1 episode1966 What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? Villager Uncredited1966 Gambit Garage Attendant Uncredited1966 The Time Tunnel Dubois Episode 16 "The Revenge of Robin Hood"1968 The Party Harry 1968 The Legend of Lylah Clare 1st Legman 1970 Darling Lili Hungarian Maitre D' with Larrabee Uncredited, (final film role)
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