He Comes From Nowhere: Columbo (Video Essay)
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- Опубліковано 22 лип 2024
- *PLEASE READ THE DESCRIPTION BEFORE WATCHING*
I should have clarified in the video that I consider Ransom for a Dead Man to be a stronger pilot than Prescription Murder since in the former Columbo's character was more developed into what we know him as today, which is why I didn't mention the first pilot. Thank you for watching!
*Spoilers Ahead for the first Eight Seasons of Columbo! Watch at your own risk!*
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Time Stamps:
0:00 The Pilot (Introduction)
0:28 Lieutenant Columbo
2:05 Peter Falk
3:30 Mrs. Columbo
6:34 Humility
7:45 Kindness
11:45 Anger
12:38 A Lack of Pretentiousness
14:11 Conclusion
*All Episodes used in this video: (In No Particular Order)*
Ransom for a Dead Man (S1)
Suitable for Framing (S1)
An Exercise in Fatality (S4)
Any Old Port in a Storm (S3)
By Dawn's Early Light (S4)
Death Lends a Hand (S1)
Lady in Waiting (S1)
A Case of Immunity (S5)
Now You See Him (S5)
Double Shock (S2)
Fade In To Murder (S6)
Columbo Goes to the Guillotine (S8)
Negative Reaction (S4)
Playback (S4)
The Most Crucial Game (S2)
A Stich in Crime (S2)
Try and Catch Me (S7)
Murder by the Book (S1)
Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo (S9)
Murder Under Glass (S7)
The Conspirators (S7)
Identity Crisis (S5)
How to Dial for Murder (S7)
Forgotten Lady (S5)
The Greenhouse Jungle (S2)
A Deadly State of Mind (S4)
The Bye-Bye, Sky-High IQ Murder Case (S6)
Candidate for Crime (S3)
Etude in Black (S2)
Old Fashioned Murder (S6)
Murder, Smoke and Shadows (S8)
He gives his first name every time. It's Lieutenant obviously
{2} Episodes Clearly Show His Badge, Reveling His Real 1st Name ... it is " _ _ _ _ _" ... HEHEHEHEHE
I'm sure everyone here already knows, but "watch it for days" is another delightful program going over every episode.
Delightful is just the right word for that program. It's a labor of pure love by one of us die hard Columbo fans.
Columbo was also a big hit in Japan. He always managed to wear down the perpetrator, never giving up, no matter how great the odds. I think many Japanese detectives were inspired by Columbo.
I think we need a Columbo-type character in anime. Someone who can combat against all the edgy crap(stalkers, drug dealers, etc) we see in anime.
Could you imagine Columbo in an anime, stopping a death game?
Falk said something to the effect that being investigated by Columbo was like being pecked to death by a duck.
There definitely is a Mrs. Columbo: at the end of an episode that took place during a cruise where Columbo was supposed to be on vacation with his wife, one of the supporting characters tells Columbo he's seen Mrs. Columbo getting off the ship. Also, in one of the several Patrick McGoohan episodes, the McGoohan character has bugged the Columbo home and knows the kind of music Mrs. Columbo likes.
"Now You See Him" with Jack Cassidy
The Best Episode!!!
One of the best detective series in television history.
And the English LOVED Columbo just as well. A mystery with the solution at the beginning was a great twist on the tradition.
10K views?! Holy crap! I never expected this video to blow up as much as it did! You guys are awesome! :) Thank you so much!
So many of us love Columbo, which I received from my mother.
The best review of Colombo came from Cleveland Amory who remarked, "He has the wardrobe of a flood victim."
He became an American icon that you can still reference to this day.
Oof, then Colombo will be an even more sympathetic character in the decades ahead...
Columbo is well loved in Australia. I caught an episode (Blueprint for Murder) late one night while I was in high school. Enjoyed it but never found out more about the show until many years later when my wife and I started watching the shows when the new ones (and then older ones) were played on local TV. We taped them and watched them again and again.
We now own the full series on DVD and still watch them again and again. We love the old detective shows.
Fantastic show, and may I say, a lovely video essay. Well presented, and you really show your love for Columbo. 😃👍
Thank you so much for watching!
We don't know much about Columbo because he ISN'T the main character of the stories. We are meant are identify with the murderers. That is why Columbo rarely appears in the first act, why we know who the murderer is from the start, and why the murderer is often played by actors known for good guy characters. Columbo is the shark circling them, and we feel their anxiety as he closes in.
A note on Columbo's angry moments, he gets angriest when a life is or has been put at risk. When he's figured out who the killer is he knows that if he's patient and keeps a clear head, he will catch them. But I think that in cases like when Dr. Mayfield was openly mocking him while Columbo knew he was plotting another murder, or when Milo Janus was leading the victim's wife to overdosing, what really set him off was the active disregard for human life, something Columbo as a cop swore to protect.
Of course we know what his first name is... Lieutenant.
OMG speaking of Columbo, I’m watching a season 3 ep right now that features Robby the Robot from Lost in Space. Did not see THAT coming.
Somehow, it is always women who best understand Columbo. I agree with everything you say. He was a modern man, way ahead of the time. Brilliant in so many ways. Thanks.
Thank you for your comment, and thanks for watching!
Great essay on a wonderful show and character. I contend the wife did exist because others mentioned seeing her on the boat I mean ship 😊 "Troubled Waters" and he speaks to her on the phone when the only ones privy to the conversation is the viewer.
I love Columbo😊
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it 😊
Great video. I grew up watching Columbo, and now, at sixty, I will rewatch an episode now and then. The quality of the show never fades.
The criminals get exhausted by his constant intrusions and passive aggressive questioning.
Mrs Columbo even got her own TV show.
We shall not speak of this.
Yes, unfortunately.
It was awful. Can I say that? Can we admit that? Horrible show (I have the Columbo DVDs which include all of the Mrs. Columbo episodes, and yeesh 😬).
That was an impostor, trying to trade off his fame. Thankfully she soon fell into obscurity.
In rewatching the shows my favorite part are seeing all the classic actors who played opposite Perter Falk. You showed just a few of them in your video. It was great to see them all again.
Yes! They always cast the best actors of the time to play the villains! Janet Leigh, Dick Van Dyke, Johnny Cash, Donald Pleasance...the list goes on and on.
Thank you for this. Columbo is part of my 70's childhood. I grew up watching these shows on the Sunday nights on NBC and it is still my favorite show even after seeing every episode 10 times over. Great memories of watching this show with Mom and dad.
Thank you for watching. I'm so glad you liked it. I love hearing from fans who watched the show back when it first came out 😊 Alas this show came out long before I was born, but I still love it. It has such a timeless appeal.
7:00 - he can even play the tuba!
Great video. My dad got me watching Columbo back in the 70s and I still watch it to this day when I see it on.
I LOVE COLUMBO!
The pilot was NOT this, this was the SECOND pilot they asked for. The FIRST pilot was "Prescription: Murder." Then they changed a bit, and asked for a second :D Great video tho!! Many thanks
Great breakdown of his character! It’s so true, he was ahead of his time!
Agreed with above, Prescription: Murder, and Ransom for a Dead Man were made-for-TV movies that operated as a proof of concept for Colombo. The first episode that was shot(when they decided to do a full season run), and was supposed to be the pilot, Death Lends a Hand, actually aired as the second episode, because the one that they aired as the pilot, Murder by the Book, was seen as a stronger episode by the producers. Another fun fact, Murder by the Book was directed by Steven Spielberg.
Also, His wife was eventually seen in an often maligned series, called Mrs. Colombo, that did not do very well. most Colombo fans don’t consider that series canon.
If your interested, there’s a great YT channel called Watch It For Days, that’s does some delightful breakdowns of episodes with the deep dives on the actors and production.
It is an important piece of trivia, but I actually like presenting this as the pilot that the show is based upon.
Columbo is certainly a strong character in Prescription Murder, but in the four years between the two pilots his role and personality really developed.
Particularly for this video, it's worth noting that Falk was not the first choice for Prescription Murder--Levinson and Link both wanted Thomas Mitchell, who had played the cop on stage. Levinson and Link both thought Falk was not a good fit, and I think in Prescription Murder it feels more like an actor filling a role, not quite a personal performance.
Given how much Falk's own personality eventually became part of Columbo (whistling, impish charm, Italian/Immigrant heritage), you could argue Ransom for a Dead Man is the first time we get to see who Colombo would be.
You're quite right. I should have clarified in the video that I consider Ransom for a Dead Man to be a stronger pilot than Prescription Murder since in the former Columbo's character was more developed into what we know him as today. Hope that makes sense. Thank you for watching!
Prescription Murder is a TV Movie. The pilot is Ransom for a Dead Man. There's also a TV version from 1960.
Prescription: Murder was made as a standalone tv movie, not a tv pilot.
I remember when this show first came out and seeing him for the first tine trying to see when he first knew killer was as you saw him slowly draw the killer into his little web. Thanks for the intriguing video. Just beautiful.
Thank you so much!
Imagine if you had a supernatural detective character who would enter the world from a sort of limbo to pose as a cop in our world, but was only able to intervene under very special circumstances to expose killers when he knew how to bring the evidence to light, so as not to reveal his true nature, a Columbo that actually was from nowhere.
Theorizing that his wife is fake is way overthinking things. He isn’t completely making up his personality, he’s just purposely letting everyone underestimate him.
I agree. I am definitely Team "Mrs. Columbo was real"
My father is a big fan of this show. As I kid I remember the earliest ones being on in reruns, but they were still making sporadic knew ones well into my high school and even college years. I think most of the time I saw it was during sick days home from school. This is a great example of one of those shows that you see as a kid and think is boring, but you get older and see how good it is. Every episode I’ve seen isn’t brilliant, but Falk as Colombo always is.
A great analysis of Columbo .
It reminded me of all the reasons that I love this character.
And what great actor Peter Falk was.In all the years he played him ,he never let his performance get stale.
I loved that he would know who the killer was from the first moment he met them. His gut instinct was infallible.
Fantastic job! You nailed it and managed to make a video that addressing the fascination with Columbo that isn't quite anywhere else on the net, as well as adding in a touch of how the character affected you personally. Thanks for the upload and efforts. Keep being who you are.
Thank you so much for your kind comment ☺️ much appreciated!
It premiered as part one of the rotating programs of The NBC Mystery Movie. Always enjoyed his episodes. We know he has a wife, a dog and that old French car, a Peugeot that he loves. He's even kind to most of the murderers. Watching Columbo is also a spot the stars. Old stars of great films and TV, famous stars of the time and people who then were not stars but are big stars now. Columbo" just one more thing…"
Excellent essay. I enjoyed it very much. Thank you.
Tell me that “fascinating” you said right after Leonard Nemoy raised his eyebrow was on purpose.
You know what? I didn't think about it but it probably was lol
Well done, this show came out when I was 10 years old. I have always loved it. You help give my appreciation even more depth. One of the greatest complements in my life was I was compared to Columbo.
Thank you so much!
Not in dress sense?
Someone once pointed out that in the world of fiction, Columbo is the reincarnation of Sherlock Holmes, as they both share that sharp mind, all those talents, and a strong sense of justice - to see justice prevail. Holmes was a loud but highly intelligent fellow, but in Columbo he's toned down his bravado in favor of a quiet demeanor.
It's remarkable how good that raincoat looks in the Faye Grant episode. Good job, your voice over was outstanding.
Thank you so much!
Lee Grant. Though I think she may have once had a series called 'Fay,' as the title character.
Why oh WHY did I write FAYE. I think I must have been watching an old HILL STREET BLUES episode with Furillo arguing with his ex wife. Of course it's Lee Grant. She also did DEMON SEED. "I'm ALIVE!"@@ronmackinnon9374
I grew up watching Columbo and still love it to this day. I also enjoyed Monk, and always felt that show payed some tribute to the style of Columbo, albeit with quite a twist.
Never watched Monk.
Columbo appears to get angry not at murderers who have already killed someone, but when somebody else's life is in danger. That's why he is so uncommonly confrontative in the hospital scene and in the scene with Nimoy.
Yes, there's definitely a pattern going on there. He doesn't just fly off the handle at random. But even when he does get angry, it always feels like he's in control.
I am not sure that his scruffy appearance is supposed to be a complete act. After all, he's *always* like that, even during his very rare encounters with superiors, or when it gets him in trouble. Rather, I see it as a natural characteristic of his that he plays upon.
It is an extension of his real personality for sure but I think he plays it up more with the suspects.
In a well-made Columbo episode, the true main character of the story is the killer, as they set out to commit the perfect murder. Columbo is the force of justice who enters into the story, never letting up on them, to demonstrate that they can’t actually get away with it.
That's very true!
One other fun fact: the first non-pilot episode was directed by a young Steven Spielberg.
That's right! ;)
Whatever happened to that guy?
M@@svenwilson5668Did some car movie called Duel. Didn't amount to much.
Great video essay! I still enjoy re-watching the episodes. This was a show that my entire big family watched when each episode first came out, and all of us loved Columbo. Pretty rare to get such consensus. It was "appointment" television, back when you couldn't watch whenever you wanted. And, you're right, Columbo is such a great character, sort of like the old lady Miss Marple, always underestimated. I always imagined that Columbo was a WWII veteran, tough as nails, seen it all, but a great dad with a big loving family, with lots of kids. Like my family.
He is certainly all of those things, I imagine. And then some! A very well conceived character overall. I just love him so much, I felt I had to share that love on UA-cam. But yes, I don't think I've yet to find a single person who can't find some enjoyment in the show. That just goe to show how widespread it's appeal is, for all audiences.
@@linkfan160 Your video essay was very enjoyable. Hope you do more!
Excellent character analysis of the most brilliantly portrayed detective in all of television history. Thanks for the great video.
Thanks for watching! Glad you liked it!
My own analysis on Columbo:
1. Columbo is really a con artist, a trickster. His entire fumbling and stumbling manner is nothing more than a well engineered facade, a game to lure suspects to make mistakes and thus allow him to reveal their crime. He probably was a guy who was clever as a youngster and could have easily been a criminal but chose policing instead.
2. The guest villain is the star of every Columbo show . Because the series is Inverted Detective Story format, we see the crime and then we see the plan and clean up in motion.Columbo is really the supporting character in every episode even though he is the title character . We thus see the point of view of the perpetrator primarily. Columbo is in the sense the embodiment of the twist , a character that is the deux ex machina itself.
3. The series is in its own way an indictment of the class system in America, an inversion of 70s law and order beliefs then promulgated by the Nixon Administration. As the murders are committed by the educated and the wealthy , the high and mighty and solved by a Lower middleclass to working class police detective . It is thus interesting that the wealthy always think they can get away with their crimes not unlike the real world.
The best thing Peter Falk ever did was _The In-Laws_ with Alan Arkin. His deadpan delivery makes everything hilarious.
I've yet to see that movie, but it looks really fun!
I love this show. I'm currently watching it through with my found-sister. She was born in 1994 or so. It's great fun introducing her to 70s television.
The essay is excellent! From another Sarah Emily, great job!
Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed it!
Now Natasha Lyonne is doing a Columbo schtick in another inverted detective story, Poker Face.
As an Italian-American, I consider Peter Falk an honorary Italian!
Yes! Many do!
I know his first name too! Thanks you very much for this great informations
My pleasure!
I enjoyed your video. I didn't realize so many people love Columbo like I do. Thank you.
Though Ransom for a dead man is considered a pilot for the show Columbo, it wasn't the introduction of Columbo. Besides the fact that the character had appeared portrayed by other actors, Peter Falk first played the character in Prescription: Murder 3 years earlier.
Peter Falk always insisted in interviews Columbo's first name was "Lieutenant".
I haven't thought about Columbo in years, but thanks to this video, I checked it out again. Loved the show, and thanks for the recommendation!
Thank you for watching!
Thank you for a wonderful video essay and finding a new channel to watch. Thank you !🎉
Bonne vidéo ! Tu rends un bel hommage à ce personnage, ce fut tres intéressant. Pour moi, la voix française, elle-aussi, rend adéquatement hommage au travail de Peter Falk.
For years I thought maybe Mrs. Columbo was dead and he was keeping her alive in spirit, but then there were all these hints throughout the show that she was alive and real. There was also that awful Mrs. Columbo spin-off that never got any steam, but I'd like to pretend that it wasn't canon in any way.
An interesting and intelligent video essay take on Colombo.
This is excellent. I agree Columbo is endlessly fascinating and so are such insightful video essays as this.
Thank you!
still a very enjoyable show after all these years...
Great video, thanks for putting this together!
Thank you for watching!
Excellent work, thank you. Greetings from Athens.
Ironic. Columbo never caught my eye until reruns on TV in the 90s, as my first impression of him was as a G.I. turned Baker in 'Castle Keep'... Respect
Excellent essay. Hats off to you and your channel. Oh, and one more thing Miss, keep up the good work.
Thank you so much! ❤️
I would also mention the 'Forgotten Lady' episode with Janet Leigh.
She murdered her husband, but by the episode end, she has forgotten it, due to a degenerative brain disease.
She also has only two to three months to live because of the disease.
To protect her, her best friend confesses to the murder.
Columbo arrests the man, but tells him it won't take long to break his confession.
The man replies that it might take two or three months, though.
Columbo pauses, then physically indicates that yeah, it probably will.
Forgotten Lady is my favourite episode!
VERY impressive and well done. I like that you touched on his humility and kindness, and how he uses that to get his man/woman. Great video.
Thank you so much!
'Forgotten Lady' best illustrates his kindness.
He knows who did it, he can prove it--but since the killer has forgotten committing it, since she has only two to three months to live, he goes along with her best friend confessing to the murder. Columbo could break that confession in a day, prove the man innocent . . . instead, he'll hold off two or three months. It's one of the most moving episode endings ever.
Great video essay. According to William and Link, the first name put on that ID was the result of a too-efficient props man who threw a first name in there. It's not cannon.
*canon
Unless you were referring to the contemporary private-eye series, 'Cannon.' (And I think the first name may actually have been the same as that title character -- but, oops!, mustn't say anything....)
Nope, you just edjumicated me. I had no idea there was a difference between the cannon that goes boom and the canon that makes you go "hmm?".
Thanks for the info!
Everyone knows Columbo's first name! It's Lieutenant!
The series creator that you mentioned, William Link, said that he based Columbo on the character Petrovich, the police detective from the Dostoevsky novel Crime and Punishment. The interview is on UA-cam somewhere.
Another way they keep us away from Columbo as a character is having no regular characters other than Columbo. We don't see his working relationship with his boss, and only brief scenes with other cops, rarely the same cop from episode to episode.
I just realized how Columbo used this to tap into the 70s zeitgeist. Seeing our institutions, represented by "Good Guy" actors like Dick Van Dyke, Leonard Nimoy, and Eddie Albert, trying to get away with murder, we are seeing a metaphor for the countercultural view of the inherent corruption of our society. These people we identified with are the villains, not the good guys, really, they just have us fooled, the show is saying.
Though I don't know that it counts as canon, there WAS a show called "Mrs. Columbo" starring Kate Mulgrew that ran for a couple of seasons. So Mrs. Columbo is definitely real in my books.
Mrs columbo is factual and I’m sure just as knowledgeable as he conveys but it’s a police technique she is not as integral and involved as he depicts it’s an interrogation/psychological tactic to articulate both the suspect and columbo’s ruse to draw personal perceptions and perspectives out like interrogation but friendly
Peter Falk was so damn pretty.
Mrs. Columbo was not made up. His co workers refer to knowing her. However most of his stories are made up. It’s funny. Columbo is one of those people who, with slightest twist of fate, would have been the world’s greatest conman. He could read people in a way that suggests a very tough upbringing. The genius of the character isn’t that one minute he is talking like a street tough and the next he is an English gentleman. He is always himself, he just knows what buttons to push. He is never inauthentic. My favorite episodes are those where the suspect knows how smart Columbo is. Watching him work to get the upper hand with those suspects is such wonderful writing.
When you speak of his kindness, I think that is the best way the writers created the emotional connection with the audience. When he gets a suspect he likes, with whom he could have become real friends, it breaks your heart that they are the killer.
In the episode where he got angry with Leonard Nimoy it took me forever to realize he wasn’t faking. That realization was what made Columbo a little scary. You have no gauge for that.
Finally I will end this with two pieces of head cannon. My first is that I wish there had been an obituary for Columbo. In it we would discover he has two masters degrees and a doctorate in forensic psychology. He has written multiple papers and two books on the subject, all from local colleges and universities. They are just as humble as he.
My dream was for there to be a Columbo/Murder She Wrote crossover, where Jessica is finally revealed to be the killer and Columbo is the one who figured it out. To see those two actors/characters together would be like watching Fred and Ginger dancing.
Mad magazine once featured a detective show parody that was a crossover between those series (and a couple of others besides). Different premise, though: it had Columbo as part of a trio of TV detectives investigating Jessica's murder (and it turned out that she wasn't dead, just taking a nap).
8:30 the pen is mightier than the sword...now if he could only find his.
I think the creator took inspiration from the Miss Marple series as there are many similarities.
The writers also claimed to have been influenced by the wry, astute and manipulative detective Petrovich in Dostoevsky's novel Crime and Punishment.
I’ve lately been working through the series on Prime. Really good show.
According to the Roast of Frank Sinatra, where Peter Falk appeared in character, Columbo's wife's name is Rosie. He asks Sinatra to sign an autograph for her.
Yes, I saw that. Impossible to say if it's canon or not though since it was never confirmed in the show. But Rosie is a nice name!
Great video! One reason we know there was a Mrs. Columbo: in one episode, someone tried to kill her!
Cool video essay! Thank you! Pattye Mattick appears twice- 👍👍👍
Thanks for watching!
@@linkfan160 thank you!
Enthusiastic Columbo fan, enthusiastically subbing, 👍 and commenting.
Thank you so much!
"Ransom for a Dead Man" is actually the second pilot.
Very nicely done. I grew up watching this show in its original run, in rotation on Sunday nights, and have seen every episode of the original (real) series at least a dozen times.
I had to Google "RPG meaning" and I didn't understand the answer. Ah, time marches on.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
RPG stands for "Roleplaying Game".
Think Dungeons and Dragons, etc. Or any fantasy media that uses an alignment system. Hence, Chaotic good. Hope that helps!
There *was* a Mrs. Columbo tv show that lasted one season from 1979 to 1980 on NBC.
Also, Mrs. Columbo was played by the future Capt. Jane way, actress Kate Mulgrew.
Which I think also, during its brief run, went under the titles 'Kate Columbo' and 'Kate Loves a Mystery.'
Another of those times when Columbo snapped and his anger came out:
'...and you said, "TISN'T!" "IT ISN'T!" "IT IS NOT" the Commodore's watch!'
Oh, I couldn't finish that episode. It was so bad in my opinion. Very weird directing and acting in that episode. It just didn't feel like Columbo at all!
@@linkfan160 I liked it, as I recall; but it was also different in that, like other mysteries but unlike most of 'Columbo,' it really was a 'whodunit?' rather than 'how-will-he-catch-them?' story. The audience is misdirected into thinking (assuming) that the person shown cleaning up the crime scene was the culprit, when that really wasn't the case. And so, to find that out, we really did need that cliche´ scene at the end with all the suspects gathered together before the big 'reveal' is made.
By the way, if you recognized the line I cited -- which was from that concluding scene -- it sounds like you did manage to finish the episode.
I didn't get to that specific scene, but I assume by the word "Commodore" that it's from the episode "Last Salute to the Commodore" which like I said, I had to stop watching because I just wasn't enjoying it. But if you like it, more power to you! @@ronmackinnon9374
Sub, liked, shared. Nice video
In my imagination...Columbo was cold, calculating, and ruthless when performing an investigation. His bumbling mannerism, shabby clothing, old beat up car, and everything else was all an elaborate rouse. He was a chess master and everything he did had a purpose. He toyed with suspects and tortured them with mind games. He was a genius and master of manipulation. He came from humble origins and worked his way up the hard way and takes great pleasure in putting wealthy a$$holes who think they are above the law in their place.
Columbo had no wife because Columbo was married to his job 24/7.
He was very devoted to his job, but I think Mrs. Columbo still exists.
Columbo is unimaginable without his wife and hundreds of close relatives. That's what makes him seem a well rounded character. He was always bringing up things that happened in his private life, so I disagree about him being married to his job.
There was a Mrs columbo show
You seem to have forgotten all about _Mrs. Columbo,_ 1979-1980, starring Kate Mulgrew.
That's okay. Everyone else has, too.
For examples of Peter Falk's acting chops, see _Murder By Death_ and _The Cheap Detective,_ films where he plays two more detectives who are both distinct from each other _and_ Columbo.
The Cheap Detective is a great movie!
Not to mention his films with John Cassavetes, like 'Husbands' and 'A Woman Under the Influence.'
I didn't forget about it. It's just that "Mrs. Columbo" is not generally considered canon by Columbo fans, so it basically doesn't exist.
Lovely video... and re Mrs Columbo, i agree - and also, given how careful and thoughtful Columbo is underneath the façade, i always thought it was normal he kept his wife away from Police work and dangerous people - despite her obviously being a smart cookie and obviously engaged in the enterprise. I'm projecting of course but most people who love their partner would tend to try to not bring them to murder enquiries.
Well said!
Prescription Murder was the pilot and Peter hadn't fleshed out Columbo yet. Bill Windom was in this pilot and the episode Short Fuse and he hated filming the ending.
Please read the description.
There was a Mrs Columbo series with Kate Mulgrew as a Mrs. Columbo you never expected. Most people probably don’t accept this as part of the Columbo series but it still should be mentioned that she was not only shown but had her own series.
You're right about the spin-off show, but most people consider it to be non-canon, which is why I didn't mention it in this video. I only consider whatever happened in the original 1970s Columbo and New Columbo to be canon, as do many other people.
No relation to Lt Columbo.
The there were two pilot episodes. The first being, Prescription Murder. (That’s if you don’t count, Enough Rope in 1960, where Columbo is played by Bert Reed.)
Please read the description.
*Freed
That first name that you might be alluding to was a prop created by one of the prop-makers, and so was made up by them. Link and Levinson have said it was a mistake and so not really his name.
Fun video by the way, I enjoyed it. :D I discovered Columbo during COVID and have become a total fan.
Yes, I've heard that as well, but I personally choose to believe that his first name is *****. I know the creators say it was a mistake but I think the name really suits him. Plus, his badge shows up multiple times throughout the show, and the name comes up in New Columbo as well. That's a long time for a "mistake" to hang around.
Thank you for watching! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I think Columbo is completely facade. We don't know for sure anything about him. Every time he refers to his wife or brother-in-law, it's always in service of solving the crime. Every time he is kind or angry or clever or obsessed or "just getting the details for his report," it's always some kind of manipulation (or could be). We never see him in an unguarded moment, just himself alone. Like link says, he's a complete blank. Without a mystery to solve, maybe there is no Columbo.
Great breakdown! One critique: a $.50 tip on a $10.50 bill was, I thought, supposed to be comically small. But, to your point RE kindness, it WAS all his money.
Oh I didn't notice! I thought him giving the cab 11 dollars was a lot (for back then) but I didn't realize it was only 50 cents lol well spotted! Still, he always tips!
Tipping culture wasn't as out of hand back in 1971 as it is now.
I always assumed his name is something obvious like Louis "Lou" Tennit Columbo.
Lmao!
Solid piece on Columbo. Your sound seems off, like you were too far away from the mic. Bit distracting from your excellent content. Here's a 70s thought--what would a compare and contrast between Columbo and Jim Rockford look like? Again, great work.
Thank you for your comment! Yes, I realized that as I was editing. I think next time I need to sit closer to my microphone. My apologies! I hope it didn't detract from the experience too much.
I think it was Julia Child who said "never apologize for anything that comes from your kitchen." You took the time to make this and I appreciate that. Just wanted to point out something you might want to tinker with. I do think there are some interesting comparisons between Columbo and Rockford the more I think about this half baked idea I threw out. Their comportment towards other people is similar. Rockford isn't as intelligent, solving most things after several sets of bad guys beat him up. But they are both self-depreciating, know more than they let on and committed to solving a case. And I believe they both do not care for guns much. @@linkfan160
Excellent synopsis and ending! What am I subscribing to? Is this just a Columbo page?
Thank you!
My channel has a bit of everything. Podcasts, reviews, video essays, etc. They're all about movies and tv shows that I like.
Frankly speaking if you could just give me one clue about Columbo's first name that would really help
Sneaky, sneaky! ;)
There were 2 pilots and the first one was was 'Prescription Murder'.
Please read the description.
@@linkfan160 OK, there's always just one more thing! Mam!
You’re always in the neighborhood.
The lack of machoness was always very nice.
As were his manners. He never spoke or acted in a degrading way towards women. There was also no undercurrent of racism, or homophobia. Now a lot of that was likely due to the character of the people who wrote HIS character. He clearly loved and respected his wife too, and was kind to animals.
But it was nice that someone of that character was so liked by so much of the public.
It is hard to imagine these days, when cruelty and crudity are what such a large part American public seems to admire, along with racism, homophobia, and kindness. While gentleness and good manners and intelligence are mocked and derided.
Well said. Thank you!
I'm pretty sure Columbo's first name actually did slip out (if viewers were sufficiently attentive) in one or two episodes. And I think I recall what it was. But, what the heck, I'll play along and keep silent about it.
I don't believe it was ever said aloud, but keen-eyed viewers may be able to read it on his badge...
He killed his wife. That is why we never see or hear from her (at least in the main series). What better way to get away with murder than to be so nice and kind to everyone, especially to women he meets. Also, who would be best to get into the mind of killers than someone who himself is a killer.
Holy shit that's an interesting theory!