Since 1968, Peter Falk has brought us the adventures of the great Lt. Columbo, America's favorite detective. Complete with rumpled trench coat and cigar, he has unravelled some of the most intricate murder schemes and caught many a killer (usually played by high caliber stars like William Shatner, Robert Culp or Gene Barry). Starting with two tv movies, Columbo graduated to a regualr spot on the NBC mystery wheel, where he remained until 1977. Then, after a 12 year hiatus, he re-emerged on ABC in 1989, where he remains to this day. In 1993 Columbo spread beyond the realm of the TV screen and began appearing in a series of critically acclaimed novels by William Harrington.
This page is devoted to ongoing coverage of all three stages of Columbo's career. Although it's still under construction, it will eventually contain detailed information on all of the Lieutenant's cases.
Columbo created by Richard Levinson and William Link
My thanks to the folks at Point for their kind review.
Air schedule
Fri 3-15-96 2pm Arts and Entertainment "Forgotten Lady" (2hrs) all times Eastern Standard Time
News
With this update, I have begun an alliance with Sheldon Katz, publisher of The Columbo Newsletter. In addition to giving you all the information you need to subscribe, I will eventually be archiving all of The Newsletter's back issues right here. Issue two is already available for your reading pleasure.
Original Fiction
Well, it's here. The first chapter in the original Columbo Mystery "Web Of Murder." Additional chapter will be posted about every ten days or so. If anyone else out there would like to try their hand at an original Columbo tale, please jump right in! Just send it to me and it'll be posted and archived right here. As always, please let me know what you think.
WEB OF MUEDER by K. Patrick Glover
Chapter One
The Formula
Like most shows, Columbo had a set formula, a pattern each episodes followed, that was at least partially responsible for the shows success. Unlike most detective shows, Columbo was never a whodunnit. At the beginning of each film we saw the murderer carefully execute his plan. Already knowing who was responsible, we were left to derive our enjoyment from the battle of wits that would follow: Columbo vs killer.Oddly enough, there were three other things we could count on in each episode. First, Columbo's vague comments about his wife and his past. Gathered together, perhaps these could be used to unravel the mystery of the Lieutenant himself. (This is something that'll I'll eventually do on this page) Second, Columbo's "just one more thing....." questions. These were always the ones that would eventually trip the killer up. Presented as almost an afterthought by Columbo, they almost always caught their victim off guard. And finally, and most puzzlingly, in almost every episode one piece of music appears. Some times as incidental background music, but more often than not, the Lieutenant is whistling or humming it to himself. The piece is the old children's song, "This old man came rolling home".
The Original Series - NBC 1967-1977
The New Movies - ABC 1989 - present
The Novels by William Harrington
The Friends Of Columbo
This directory is an attempt to organize Columbo fans and make it easier for us to communicate with each other. If you'd like to be included, just send me E-mail with your name, age, E-mail address and what you like most about Columbo. The directory has been updated.