How many episodes of Columbo are there? …and other questions (2024)

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How many episodes of Columbo are there? …and other questions? ›

Columbo is the landmark series that inspired a genre. And now, for the first time ever, all 69 episodes from its seven seasons and all 24 television movies are together in this 34-disc anthology.

Although his TV wife was never seen, Peter Falk's real life wife Shera Danese appeared in six episodes of "Columbo". Jane Wilson and 1,119 others like this. Love their acting, most of all the aninal charity work.

The most recurring Columbo guest star was Mike Lally, who had cameos in at least 23 episodes.

Before him, we see a "million years old" Basset hound resting on the table, and after the vet confirms the dog's bill of health, Columbo explains he's just adopted the dog because the shelter said the dog was at the end of his life.

Columbo”) he does claim in conversation with the killer that he and his wife never had any children, but it was part of a deception in which he staged a “home” at a house other than his own which included false pictures of his wife, because the killer had targeted his wife.

Columbo ponders what to call his dog. He chats with the animal and tries on "Fido" and "Beethoven" for size. Of course, he ends up simply calling the dog "Dog." Dog quickly became a fan favorite.

4. Bing Crosby was considered for the role of Columbo. The famous crooner was thought to be a perfect fit for the role of Columbo in the early conception of the series by its creators. Crosby ended up turning down the role, not wanting to be tied down to a network television schedule.

Peter Michael Falk was born Sept. 16, 1927, in New York City, and grew up in Ossining, N.Y., where his father owned a clothing store. At 3, his right eye was removed because of a cancerous growth, and he was given a glass eye.

According to the show's co-writer-creator William Link, Bing Crosby was first offered the role of Columbo. However, citing the fact that he didn't want to commit to a TV series, he refused the role.

It's a Columbo movie with a great story, with solid characters and as well an original ending to it. It's after all the only Columbo movie in which the killer gets away with the crime, for an humane reason. It's perhaps also the Columbo movie with the best ending because it's so surprising as well as original.

What was the worst Columbo? ›

Worst episode – Last Salute to the Commodore

At best a failed experiment, at worst an affront to the series and an insult to the viewer, Last Salute to the Commodore is the one 70s' episode that is almost universally panned – and deservedly so.

Peter Falk (1927–2011)

An American actor and comedian, known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo in the long-running television series Columbo (1968–2003). In December 2008, it was reported that Falk had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

Columbo favored short, green cigars—the color of inexperience—which he constantly puffed, chewed, and waved around in performative ignorance.

“He drank and smoked incessantly, loved boozing with his friends and was an inveterate womaniser,” says Lertzman. “He was a negligent husband and an absentee father. Yet he became one of the most iconic stars of his generation.”

He never wears a wedding ring, for one thing. Levinson and Link wanted Columbo to be a mysterious figure.

Kate Columbo, wife of the famous lieutenant, solves crimes as a reporter, while raising her little daughter. Mrs. Kate Columbo, wife of the famous lieutenant, solves crimes as a reporter, while raising her little daughter.

In "RIP, Mrs Columbo" he claims he and his wife never had any children.

It was introduced in the episode "Any Old Port in a Storm" in 1973 and the detective can be heard humming or whistling it often in subsequent films. Falk said it was a melody he personally enjoyed and one day it became a part of his character.

Also, Columbo's cigar helps to complete our mental image of the character, by supplementing Columbo's unique appearance and sound, with a distinctive smell. Subconsciously, we sense the stale and pungent remains of dead cigar smoke, mixing with the aroma of the seldom-washed raincoat, enveloping Columbo like a cloud.

In one of his "Columbo" novels, author William Harrington has Columbo explaining that he always wears the raincoat because it acts as a sort of portable desk or filing system, allowing Columbo to carry around his daily accumulation of clues and paraphernalia, without having to switch everything from the pockets of one ...

What was Columbo's favorite saying? ›

When fans hear Lieutenant Columbo's trademark phrase “just one more thing…” we know he's about to crack the case wide open. The unconventional detective, played brilliantly by Peter Falk, first appeared on our screens in 1968.

83 years (1927–2011)

Peter Falk / Age at death

Peter Falk wasn't too far removed from the character he played. In real life he tended to be rumpled and disheveled and was forever misplacing things (he was famous for losing his car keys and having to be driven home from the studio by someone else).

As a child, the actor's right eye had been surgically removed due to a malignant tumour and was replaced with a glass eye. That handicap became, perhaps, one of Falk's major assets in his “Columbo” role, as the physical trademark enhanced the detective's image as a dishevelled and eccentric crime sleuth.

Peter Falk Columbo Salary: At the peak of the series in the late-1970s, Peter earned $300,000 per episode which is the same as earning around $750,000 per episode today after adjusting for inflation.

Jack Cassidy: The Ultimate Bad Guy

No Columbo-phile could neglect the three-time villain, Jack Cassidy (father of David) in their Best Of lists. Appearing as the primary antagonist in "Murder By The Book," "Publish or Perish," and "Now You See Him," Cassidy is the bad guy we love to hate.

William Shatner starred in TWO Columbo episodes.

In Region 2 and 4, all episodes have now been released as 10 seasons, with the 10th season covering the last 14 episodes from "Columbo Goes to College" (1990) to the most recent, "Columbo Likes the Nightlife" (2003).

Kate Mulgrew, in her mid-20s, was considered far too young to be cast as the wife of Columbo. Mrs. Columbo's name was changed to Kate Callahan for the second season due to poor ratings of the first season.

How many cars were used in the Columbo series? ›

During Columbo's second run, Falk and ABC collected three 403 convertibles for series use, one of them a 1960. Peter Falk was blind in his right eye, losing it to cancer at age three.

And just like you, in addition to Falk's acting that always included him saying to a prospective murder suspect, "Oh, just one more thing," what also got my attention was the 1959 Peugeot 403 Cabriolet (convertible) that served as Columbo's personal calling card.

the studiotour.com - Transportation Department - Universal Studios Hollywood. Although it's not displayed in the Transportation Department, Columbo's Peugeot 403 car can be seen around the backlot sometimes.

In 1975, she played an ex-Hollywood song and dance star opposite Peter Falk and John Payne in the Columbo episode Forgotten Lady. The episode utilizes footage of Leigh from the film Walking My Baby Back Home (1953).

From the episode "Candidate for Crime," 1973.

He then tucks in as Vivian casts an interested eye over proceedings. Complaining of suddenly feeling hot, Columbo fields a phone call. It's the coroner's office, who tell him the cause of his wife's death was poisoning.

Perhaps the most delightful performance to watch between the husband and wife onscreen, however, came in the 1994 episode "Undercover." In it, Columbo goes undercover and tries to fool Danese's character, a proprietess of an art gallery who isn't fooled by Columbo's disguise one bit.

Forgotten Lady

To my mind the saddest Columbo finale of all, there are simply no winners at the end of Forgotten Lady.

In 1968, the same play was made into a two-hour television movie that aired on NBC. The writers suggested Lee J. Cobb and Bing Crosby for the role of Columbo, but Cobb was unavailable and Crosby turned it down because he felt it would take too much time away from the golf links.

It first aired on November 4, 1973 and directed by Boris Sagal in his second of two contributions to the series. In addition to Peter Falk as Lieutenant Columbo, the episode stars Jackie Cooper, Joanna Linville and Tisha Sterling.

Did Columbo ever let someone get away? ›

It's a Columbo movie with a great story, with solid characters and as well an original ending to it. It's after all the only Columbo movie in which the killer gets away with the crime, for an humane reason. It's perhaps also the Columbo movie with the best ending because it's so surprising as well as original.

In Region 2 and 4, all episodes have now been released as 10 seasons, with the 10th season covering the last 14 episodes from "Columbo Goes to College" (1990) to the most recent, "Columbo Likes the Nightlife" (2003).

Columbo "It's All In The Game" is unique in that it features the titular detective let a killer go free by the end of the episode. Columbo episode "It's All In The Game" was unique for a few reasons - the most notable being the titular detective letting a killer walk free.

Peter Falk, the American actor most famous for his role as scruffy TV detective Columbo, has died aged 83. The actor died peacefully at home in Beverly Hills on Thursday night, his family said in a statement. He had been suffering from dementia for a number of years.

83 years (1927–2011)

Peter Falk / Age at death