The Columbo Podcast

The fifty seventh episode of Columbo was titled Death Hits the Jackpot and was the first episode of the show’s eleventh season. Greed oozes from every pore as a lottery winner is killed for his prize. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at an altogether unpleasant group of people.     In the midst of a divorce from his wife Nancy (Jamie Rose), Freddie Brower (Gary Kroeger) is thrilled to see his lottery numbers come up. With a $30m ticket in his possession, all his problems seem to be solved. Seeking to exclude his ex-wife from any part of the winnings, Brower contacts his uncle, Leon Lamarr (Rip Torn), who agrees to claim the prize on Freddie’s behalf and pass on the money once the divorce is resolved. In a shocking twist, Lamarr is engaged in an affair with Nancy Brower and the pair conspire to murder Freddie and keep the millions for themselves.   Betsy Palmer, as Leon’s wife Martha, Joe the Chimp (as himself) and Brit Lind (as Trish, a neighbour of Freddie’s) are the most prominent of a fairly sizeable supporting cast, while Warren Berlinger‘s Detective Stroller helps Columbo deliver the gotcha at the episode’s conclusion.   Vincent McEveety will be responsible for directing around half of the remaining Columbo episodes, including this – his second outing after Rest in Peace, Mrs Columbo. Jeffrey Bloom receives his third and final writing credit on the show (after Agenda for Murder and Columbo Goes to College) with uncredited assistance from story editor Robert Van Scoyk, who penned Murder Under Glass and would return to the show one more time.   If you have thoughts on any aspect of Death Hits the Jackpot, please share them below, or find us on Twitter at @columbopodcast.   The Columbo Podcast is widely available – on iTunes, Stitcher, tunein, Pocket Casts or pretty much wherever you choose to receive and manage your podcasts. If you enjoy the show it would be greatly appreciated if you consider leaving ratings and reviews on these sites – particularly iTunes – as that can make a big difference to growing the podcast’s audience.   Death Hits the Jackpot was released in 1991. It is 98 minutes long and originally aired on the ABC network. This episode is not available on Netflix, but can be found on the Season 10 or complete collection DVD box sets from Universal (all remaining episodes are considered ‘Season 10’ in the DVD collection).  

The fifty sixth episode of Columbo was titled Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star and was the final episode of the show’s short tenth season. Blackmail once again proves unwise as a peerless defence lawyer murders his rock star lover. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at a tricky case with some unusual clues.     Hugh Creighton (Dabney Coleman) is A Big Deal, or so he believes. Unbeaten as a trial lawyer and in a relationship with former rock star Marcy Edwards (Cheryl Paris), he has few worries. That changes when he learns of Marcy’s ongoing affair with her former bandmate Neddy Malcolm (Julian Stone). No matter; for a man like Coleman, the simple task of murdering Edwards and implicating Malcolm should be largely straightforward and so he does kill her.   Complications for Creighton include his colleague Trish Fairbanks (Shera Danese), who unwittingly assists him in faking an alibi before taking advantage of her leverage to secure a partnership and engagement to Creighton and Columbo’s successful apprehension of Malcolm, with assistance from Sgt. Hubach (Sondra Currie) and Little Richard (himself). Creighton’s gardener (Tad Horino) also supplies vital evidence.   Producer Alan Levi directs the second of his three episodes, working with William Read Woodfield‘s final script (following Columbo Goes to the Guillotine and Columbo Cries Wolf).   If you have thoughts on any aspect of Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star, please share them below, or find us on Twitter at @columbopodcast.   The Columbo Podcast is widely available – on iTunes, Stitcher, tunein, Pocket Casts or pretty much wherever you choose to receive and manage your podcasts. If you enjoy the show it would be greatly appreciated if you consider leaving ratings and reviews on these sites – particularly iTunes – as that can make a big difference to growing the podcast’s audience.   Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star was released in 1991. It is 98 minutes long and originally aired on the ABC network. This episode is not available on Netflix, but can be found on the Season 10 or complete collection DVD box sets from Universal.   Tweet

The fifty fifth episode of Columbo was titled Caution: Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health and was the second episode of the show’s tenth season. A television presenter’s career is threatened by blackmail and he resorts to murder. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at a returning killer and some nifty video editing.     Wade Anders (George Hamilton) has caught a lucky break and progressed from a security consultant to host the popular crime solving television show Crime Alert. Unhappy with Anders’ success, Budd Clarke (Peter Haskell) resorts to blackmail, threatening to expose Wade’s past as a pornstar in a movie featuring an under-age actress if he doesn’t resign as host of the show. Unwilling to concede to this skulduggery, Anders plots to murder Clarke and conceal the evidence of his past indiscretion.   There isn’t a large principal cast in this episode, but Penny Johnson Jerald is compelling as producer Maxine Jarrett, while Robert Donner entertains as Arnie, an adult video store proprietor. Rick Najera makes a brief appearance as Henry Santos, complete with a very fetching clipboard.   Daryl Duke was behind the camera for the second of his two Columbo episodes, following Season 9’s Columbo Cries Wolf, working with a story by the mysterious team of Sonia Wolf, Patricia Ford and April Raynell.   If you have thoughts on any aspect of Caution: Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health, please share them below, or find us on Twitter at @columbopodcast.   The Columbo Podcast is widely available – on iTunes, Stitcher, tunein, Pocket Casts or pretty much wherever you choose to receive and manage your podcasts. If you enjoy the show it would be greatly appreciated if you consider leaving ratings and reviews on these sites – particularly iTunes – as that can make a big difference to growing the podcast’s audience.   Caution: Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health was released in 1991. It is 88 minutes long and originally aired on the ABC network. This episode is not available on Netflix, but can be found on the Season 10 or complete collection DVD box sets from Universal.   Tweet

The fifty fourth episode of Columbo was titled Columbo Goes to College and was the first episode of the show’s tenth season. A pair of privileged college students kill their professor to avoid punishment for cheating on an exam. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at a particularly arrogant couple of killers and the welcome return of a much-loved face.     Cooper Redman (Gary Hershberger) clearly enjoys being the big man on campus, but when a third girl in eighteen months has an abortion following a night with him, his father reaches the end of his tether and threatens to cut him off if there is one more screw-up. Meanwhile his friend Justin Rowe (Stephen Caffrey) has managed to copy the questions for an upcoming exam. When their professor, D.E. Rusk (James Sutorius) discovers the transgression it seems both boys could be facing the end of their respective academic careers. Their solution is to kill the professor and hope blame falls on the mob; his ex-lover Mrs Clark (Katherine Cannon); or her husband, the aptly named Coach Not-Appearing-In-This-Film.   Robert Culp returns to the show as Rowe’s father, the university’s legal counsel, while William Lucking and Jim Antonio play Dominic and Joe Doyle – an ex-con and his brother – who are temporarily positioned as fall guys for the boys’ scheme. Bridget Hanley appears briefly as Rusk’s widow, while Maree Cheatham has her moments as Rowe’s mother.   Director E.W. Swackhamer helmed his only Columbo episode, while Jeffrey Bloom followed up the excellent Agenda for Murder by penning this script, the second of his three for the show, from a story he conceived along with Frederick King Keller – now better known for his directorial work.   If you have thoughts on any aspect of Columbo Goes to College, please share them below, or find us on Twitter at @columbopodcast.   The Columbo Podcast is widely available – on iTunes, Stitcher, tunein, Pocket Casts or pretty much wherever you choose to receive and manage your podcasts. If you enjoy the show it would be greatly appreciated if you consider leaving ratings and reviews on these sites – particularly iTunes – as that can make a big difference to growing the podcast’s audience.   Columbo Goes to College was released in 1990. It is 98 minutes long and originally aired on the ABC network. This episode is not available on Netflix, but can be found on the Season 10 or complete collection DVD box sets from Universal.  

The fifty third episode of Columbo was titled Murder in Malibu and was the sixth and final episode of the show’s ninth season. A successful author first agrees to marry her young partner, then appears to withdraw that agreement. In response he resorts to murder. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at an unusually weak motive and an uninspiring killer.     Wayne Jennings (Andrew Stevens) is the secret young lover of novelist Theresa Goren (Janet Margolin). Despite his regular philandering, he wishes their relationship to become public and for her to agree to marry him. When an epiphany (live on late night TV) hits Goren, she announces her relationship with Jennings and her intention to marry him, but in a call that evening appears to recant her declaration, telling Jennings that she hates him. In response he drives to her home and appears to shoot her dead.   The dynamic force in this episode is Goren’s sister and agent Jess McCurdy (Brenda Vaccaro) who knows Jennings is trying to deceive the police. Jennings, meanwhile, is able to split his time between his accountant, Helen Ashcroft (Laurie Walters); Mrs Rocca (Sondra Currie), a film producer’s wife; and even Jess’ housekeeper Rosa (Yolanda Lloyd).  Floyd Levine‘s Lieutenant Schultz assists Columbo in his investigations.   Walter Grauman directed his only Columbo episode and is perhaps better remembered for his fifty three stints behind the camera on Murder, She Wrote. Writer Jackson Gillis returns for the first time since Last Salute to the Commodore and it seems the lessons of that outing have not been fully understood. He has one more opportunity for redemption coming up in Season 11!   If you have thoughts on any aspect of Murder in Malibu, please share them below, or find us on Twitter at @columbopodcast.   The Columbo Podcast is widely available – on iTunes, Stitcher, tunein, Pocket Casts or pretty much wherever you choose to receive and manage your podcasts. If you enjoy the show it would be greatly appreciated if you consider leaving ratings and reviews on these sites – particularly iTunes – as that can make a big difference to growing the podcast’s audience.   Murder in Malibu was released in 1990. It is 98 minutes long and originally aired on the ABC network. This episode is not available on Netflix, but can be found on the Season 9 or complete collection DVD box sets from Universal.  

The fifty second episode of Columbo was titled Uneasy Lies the Crown and was the fifth episode of the show’s ninth season. A dentist tries to preserve his cushy lifestyle by killing his wife’s lover and framing her for the killing. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the twisted motivations of a selfish murderer.     The title of this episode is adapted from Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part I and there is some overlap in the theme of a disgruntled family owed a debt by the principal actor (and of course Henry was also responsible for the murder of Richard II in the play of that same name!). This time our killer is Dr Wesley Corman (James Read), the disappointing spouse to Lydia Corman (Jo Anderson). When Lydia’s threat of divorce escalates via her father – Wesley’s employer, Horace Sherwin (Paul Burke) – he takes drastic action.   Some years previously Lydia lost her first husband when she used her heart medication, Digitalis, to try and help him when he suffered a heart attack, unwittingly leading to his demise. Wesley takes credit for “saving” her following that incident and has manipulated her since: marrying her; becoming a junior partner in her father’s dental practice; using her father’s money to settle huge gambling debts; and borrowing much more besides to invest in hopeless dreams and crackpot schemes. With that lifestyle slipping away, Wesley acts. Knowing Lydia’s lover, film star Adam Evans (Marshall R. Teague), will be with her that evening, he arranges a dental appointment and places Digitalis with a slow release coating inside a crown. Later, Evans appears to die in Lydia’s arms and the case commences.   Wesley’s alibi is secured by his presence at a poker game with celebrity guests (playing themselves in this episode) Nancy Walker, Dick Sargent and Ron Cey. Lydia’s brother David (Mark Arnott) is also present and these guests comprise the episode’s primary support.   Director Alan J. Levi directed the first of his three Columbo stories and this one was particularly interested for having been written by Steven Bochco in the 1970s and rejected for the show’s original run. Having been made into an episode of McMillan and Wife (with Nancy Walker!), it was revived for Season 9 with no additional writing credits supplied.   If you have thoughts on any aspect of Uneasy Lies the Crown, please share them below, or find us on Twitter at @columbopodcast.   The Columbo Podcast is widely available – on iTunes, Stitcher, tunein,

The fifty first episode of Columbo was titled Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo and was the fourth episode of the show’s ninth season. Retribution is in the air as the widow of a man Columbo sent to jail seeks revenge on those she blames for his subsequent death. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at a change in format and a uniquely personal case for Columbo.     Helen Shaver stars as killer Vivian Dimitri, a brilliant real estate agent with a secret vendetta. Dimitri’s husband was investigated by Columbo and convicted of manslaughter in the early 80s, in an investigation initiated by a tip-off from Charlton Chambers (Edward Winter). Chambers’ plan of edging Dimitri’s husband out of the picture to give himself a clear run at her affections has not, however, paid off. Understanding where the tip-off came from, Dimitri bides her time, but when her husband dies in prison she becomes intent on taking revenge.   Dimitri’s alibi is established by dinner with her married lover, Leland St. John (Ian McShane), while Chambers’ body is left to be discovered by office colleague Dede Perkins (Teresa Ganzel). Columbo gains vital assistance in his investigation from a new LAPD sidekick, Tom Isbell‘s Sergeant Brady, while important additional information is gleaned from Dimitri’s former therapist, Dr. Steadman (Roscoe Lee Browne).   Vincent McEveety directed the first of his seven Columbo episodes working with a script by the legendary returning figure of Peter S. Fischer (the seventh of his nine Columbo stories and the first since Season 6’s Old Fashioned Murder).   If you have thoughts on any aspect of Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo, please share them below, or find us on Twitter at @columbopodcast.   The Columbo Podcast is widely available – on iTunes, Stitcher, tunein, Pocket Casts or pretty much wherever you choose to receive and manage your podcasts. If you enjoy the show it would be greatly appreciated if you consider leaving ratings and reviews on these sites – particularly iTunes – as that can make a big difference to growing the podcast’s audience.   Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo was released in 1990. It is 98 minutes long and originally aired on the ABC network. This episode is not available on Netflix, but can be found on the Season 9 or complete collection DVD box sets from Universal.   Tweet

The fiftieth episode of Columbo was titled Agenda for Murder and was the third episode of the show’s ninth season. Political aspirations drive an ambitious lawyer to murder ahead of the California primary. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at a returning guest star and developments in the work of a returning director.     After two appearances in the original run (Season 4’s By Dawn’s Early Light and Season 5’s Identity Crisis) Patrick McGoohan returns as attorney Oscar Finch. A close compatriot of Congressman Paul Mackey (Denis Arndt), Finch is thrilled by his friend’s adoption to Governor Montgomery’s (Arthur Hill) Presidential ticket. Eyeing the role of Attorney General, he first has to deal with a spot of blackmail from Louis Zorich‘s Frank Staplin. Determining that eliminating Staplin is the safest choice, Finch shoots him and stages the scene to look like a suicide.   This episode’s supporting cast includes Penny Fuller as Finch’s wife; Anne Haney as Finch’s personal assistant/secretary Louise; the brilliant Stanley Kamel as Tim Haines, an assistant to the Governor; and Shaun Toub as Amir, a dry cleaner whose enthusiasm for helping Columbo doesn’t prevent a critical error from one of his colleagues.   McGoohan directed the episode (his first since the widely-derided Last Salute to the Commodore) from a story by Jeffrey Bloom, his first of three Columbo scripts that marked his last Hollywood writing before embarking on a photography career.   If you have thoughts on any aspect of Agenda for Murder, please share them below, or find us on Twitter at @columbopodcast.   The Columbo Podcast is widely available – on iTunes, Stitcher, tunein, Pocket Casts or pretty much wherever you choose to receive and manage your podcasts. If you enjoy the show it would be greatly appreciated if you consider leaving ratings and reviews on these sites – particularly iTunes – as that can make a big difference to growing the podcast’s audience.   Agenda for Murder was released in 1990. It is 98 minutes long and originally aired on the ABC network. This episode is not available on Netflix, but can be found on the Season 9 or complete collection DVD box sets from Universal.   Tweet

The forty ninth episode of Columbo was titled Columbo Cries Wolf and was the second episode of the show’s ninth season. A publicity-hungry pair dupe Columbo, before their plans take a fatal twist. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the change in format and whether it helps or harms the episode.     We are introduced to a pair of soap opera legends as Ian Buchanan‘s Sean Brantley and Deidre Hall‘s Dian Hunter take centre stage in the episode. Their elaborate plan to stage Hunter’s murder and gain publicity for their magazine goes perfectly, but with her threat to sell 51% of the business to Sir Harry Matthews (Alan Scarfe) unaffected, Brantley takes permanent action to resolve the issue.   There are a lot of ancillary characters in this episode, but the most visible are Rebecca Staab as Brantley’s lover Tina; Mark Margolis as chauffeur Cosner; and David Huddleston as the Mayor of Los Angeles. Journalist Jeanne Wolf makes a cameo appearance as herself and Bruce Kirby returns to the force in an uncredited appearance as Sergeant George Kramer (we assume!).   Director Daryl Duke took control of the first of his two Columbo episodes, working with a story by William Read Woodfield, remembered for writing Columbo Goes to the Guillotine and with one further episode to follow (yes, it also has ‘Columbo’ in the title…).   If you have thoughts on any aspect of Columbo Cries Wolf, please share them below, or find us on Twitter at @columbopodcast.   The Columbo Podcast is widely available – on iTunes, Stitcher, tunein, Pocket Casts or pretty much wherever you choose to receive and manage your podcasts. If you enjoy the show it would be greatly appreciated if you consider leaving ratings and reviews on these sites – particularly iTunes – as that can make a big difference to growing the podcast’s audience.   Columbo Cries Wolf was released in 1990. It is 98 minutes long and originally aired on the ABC network. This episode is not available on Netflix, but can be found on the Season 9 or complete collection DVD box sets from Universal.   Tweet

The forty eighth episode of Columbo was titled Murder, a Self Portrait and was the first episode of the show’s ninth season. A famous artist murders his ex-wife to protect a dark secret. In this podcast Gerry and Iain examine the killer’s motives and assess Columbo as an oneirocritic.     There are once again echoes of episodes past here as we meet Patrick Bauchau‘s Max Barsini, a man who has killed before and kills again to protect this secret. In Murder, a Self Portrait his victim is his ex-wife Louise, portrayed by the wonderful Fionnula Flanagan, who knows all about his earlier crime.   Principal support comes from the familiar face of Shera Danese (previously seen in Fade in to Murder and Murder Under Glass) as Barsini’s present wife; Isabel Lorca as his model-cum-live in lover Julie; the indefatigable Vito Scotti making his final Columbo appearance as “Vito”; and George Coe as Louise’s former therapist turned lover Dr Sydney Hammer.   This episode marked the last of director James Frawley‘s six shows, while writer Robert Sherman contributed his only Columbo story on this occasion.   If you have thoughts on any aspect of Murder, a Self Portrait, please share them below, or find us on Twitter at @columbopodcast.   The Columbo Podcast is widely available – on iTunes, Stitcher, tunein, Pocket Casts or pretty much wherever you choose to receive and manage your podcasts. If you enjoy the show it would be greatly appreciated if you consider leaving ratings and reviews on these sites – particularly iTunes – as that can make a big difference to growing the podcast’s audience.   Murder, a Self Portrait was released in 1989. It is 98 minutes long and originally aired on the ABC network. This episode is not available on Netflix, but can be found on the Season 9 or complete collection DVD box sets from Universal.   Tweet

The forty seventh episode of Columbo was titled Grand Deceptions and was the final episode of the show’s eighth season. A Colonel working at a conservative think tank kills to hide his financial indiscretions. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the case in detail and review the first season of Columbo’s revival.     There’s a return to the military theme in this Episode, last visited in Season 4’s By Dawn’s Early Light. Colonel Frank Brailie (Robert Foxworth) is taking advantage of his position at the First Foundation for American Thought to partake in criminal activities and syphon money off for his own use. When Sergeant Major Lester Keegan (Andy Romano) discovers the illicit activity and seeks to strike a grubby deal, Brailie plots and executes his murder.   Stephen Elliott (in his second Columbo role after Season 4’s A Deadly State of Mind) and Janet Eilber as General Padget and his wife Jenny provide the episode with it’s emotional centre, with Elliott in particular putting in a strong performance. Columbo’s investigations are further assisted by Michael McManus‘ officer (and Keegan’s friend) Tanzer, albeit in a single-scene appearance.   Sam Wanamaker returned for a second directorial contribution (after the well-regarded Season 6 episode The Bye-Bye Sky High I.Q. Murder Case) having helmed two Mrs. Columbo episodes in the interim, while writer Sy Salkowitz made his one and only contribution to the show in composing the story.   During the episode we asked whether any of our listeners could find where to buy a miniature Columbo figurine. If you have thoughts on that or any other aspect of Grand Deceptions, please share them below, or find us on Twitter at @columbopodcast.   The Columbo Podcast is widely available – on iTunes, Stitcher, tunein, Pocket Casts or pretty much wherever you choose to receive and manage your podcasts. If you enjoy the show it would be greatly appreciated if you consider leaving ratings and reviews on these sites – particularly iTunes – as that can make a big difference to growing the podcast’s audience.   Grand Deceptions was released in 1989. It is 98 minutes long and originally aired on the ABC network. This episode is not available on Netflix, but can be found on the Season 8 or complete collection DVD box sets from Universal.   As promised, an image of the leaves, revealing Columbo’s first name:  

The forty sixth episode of Columbo was titled Sex and the Married Detective and was the third episode of the show’s eighth season. A sex therapist witnesses her partner engaging in an affair and kills him in revenge. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the subject and tone of this episode as well as the detail of the crime.   Due to the subject matter of Sex and the Married Detective, this podcast episode may not be suitable for all audiences.   Columbo arrives on the cusp of the 1990s and it shows in this stylised mystery. Sex therapist Dr Joan Allendy (Lindsay Crouse) is confident and content in her role at the Allenby Clinic, working with her boyfriend and business partner David Kincaid (played right on the line between smooth and sleazy by Stephen Macht) until she returns unexpectedly one evening to find Kincaid engaging in an affair with her assistant, Cindy (Julia Montgomery).   Peter Jurasik and Ken Lerner are effective, if disconcerting, as Joan’s colleagues Dr Simon Ward and Dr Walter Neff, while Dave Florek‘s barman Norm and Harry Johnson‘s creepy Charlie Lence provide vital evidence to steer Columbo in the right direction.   James Frawley‘s fifth of six stints as director, after Try and Catch Me, Make Me a Perfect Murder, How to Dial a Murder and Murder, Smoke & Mirrors, is a departure from his earlier episodes as he tries to decide whether he’s working on Columbo or Red Shoe Diaries; while Jerry Ludwig‘s script dials up the cheese factor to eleven, creating a unique feel to the episode.   During the episode we asked whether any of our listeners could remember how easy it was to buy a handgun without ID in 1989. If you have thoughts on that or any other aspect of Sex and the Married Detective, please share them below, or find us on Twitter at @columbopodcast.   The Columbo Podcast is widely available – on iTunes, Stitcher, tunein, Pocket Casts or pretty much wherever you choose to receive and manage your podcasts. If you enjoy the show it would be greatly appreciated if you consider leaving ratings and reviews on these sites – particularly iTunes – as that can make a big difference to growing the podcast’s audience.   Sex and the Married Detective was released in 1989. It is 98 minutes long and originally aired on the ABC network. This episode is not available on Netflix, but can be found on the Season 8 or complete collection DVD box sets from Universal.  

The forty fifth episode of Columbo was titled Murder, Smoke and Shadows and was the second episode of the show’s eighth season. A hotshot movie director kills his friend to protect a dreadful secret. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the highs and lows of this film lot investigation.     The Columbo revival continues with a return to familiar territory as the lieutenant investigates a Hollywood killing. Fisher Stevens‘ Alex Bradey is a rising star, directing feature films at a young age and building a big reputation. Leonard Fisher (Jeff Perry) threatens that when he appears with a video of his sister’s death, exposing Bradey’s role in the tragedy.   There is strong support in this episode from Nan Martin as Bradey’s veteran secretary Rose Walker and from Molly Hagan who plays the conflicted Ruth Jernigan, an actress whose relationship with Bradey is interrupted when he surreptitiously hires an actor to set her up with a co-star, in order to deliver better performances in his movie. Steven Hill‘s brief appearance as Bradey’s mentor and sponsor Mr Marosco is effective and Al Pugliese puts in a good performance as Phil Crossette – the aforementioned actor at Bradey’s personal disposal.   James Frawley directed for the fourth time, after Try and Catch Me, Make Me a Perfect Murder and How to Dial a Murder, working from Richard Alan Simmons‘ sole Columbo story (though he was involved the show’s production; in the creation of Mrs. Columbo; and was an executive producer on Peter Falk’s earlier series, The Trials of O’Brien).   If you have thoughts on any aspect of Murder, Smoke and Shadows, please share them below, or find us on Twitter at @columbopodcast.   The Columbo Podcast is widely available – on iTunes, Stitcher, tunein, Pocket Casts or pretty much wherever you choose to receive and manage your podcasts. If you enjoy the show it would be greatly appreciated if you consider leaving ratings and reviews on these sites – particularly iTunes – as that can make a big difference to growing the podcast’s audience.   Murder, Smoke and Shadows was released in 1989. It is 98 minutes long and originally aired on the ABC network. This episode is not available on Netflix, but can be found on the Season 8 or complete collection DVD box sets from Universal.   Tweet

The forty fourth episode of Columbo was titled Columbo Goes to the Guillotine and was the first episode of the show’s eighth season and the first episode of its revival. A phony psychic conspires to win a government contract and kills for revenge along the way. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the start of Columbo’s revival and how this new episode fits in with what came before.     Peter Falk and Columbo made a long-anticipated return to the television screen in early 1989 after an 11-year hiatus. Anthony Andrews was the first actor to portray a killer in the new run, his so-called ‘psychic’, Elliott Blake, murdering Anthony Zerbe‘s Max Dyson with Dyson’s own guillotine; an act of revenge for Max’s decision to sell Elliott out to Ugandan prison authorities in exchange for an early release some years previous.   Karen Austin played a key supporting role as Blake’s partner in science, deception and love, Dr. Paula Hall, while Alan Fudge appeared as a military official named Harrow, keen to establish the legitimacy of Blake’s apparent powers. Michael Bacall appeared as Tommy, a young magician keen to help Columbo solve the mystery, while additional depth was added by James Greene as magician Bert Spindler, Dana Andersen as Dori and Robert Costanzo as Sgt. Russo.   Leo Penn returned for his third and final episode as director, making this the second consecutive episode he had helmed, albeit with something of a break in-between. The story was the first of three written by William Read Woodfield, perhaps better known for penning twenty four episodes of Mission: Impossible.   During the episode we pondered how this episode was anticipated and received on release. If you have thoughts on that or on any other aspect of Columbo Goes to the Guillotine, please share them below, or find us on Twitter at @columbopodcast.   The Columbo Podcast is widely available – on iTunes, Stitcher, tunein, Pocket Casts or pretty much wherever you choose to receive and manage your podcasts. If you enjoy the show it would be greatly appreciated if you consider leaving ratings and reviews on these sites – particularly iTunes – as that can make a big difference to growing the podcast’s audience.   Columbo Goes to the Guillotine was released in 1989. It is 98 minutes long and originally aired on the ABC network. This episode is not available on Netflix, but can be found on the Season 8 or complete collection DVD box sets from Universal.  

Before Columbo‘s 1971 pilot, audiences were introduced to Peter Falk as the iconic detective through 1968’s television movie Prescription: Murder. A psychiatrist uses a patient to help create an alibi for the murder of his wife. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at Columbo’s beginnings and how well this story holds up against the subsequent series.     Now that the Columbo Podcast has considered all of the show’s original run it seemed fitting to take some time and look back on the 1968 TV movie that, although not a pilot, can be seen as a building block for the series that followed a few years later. Gene Barry is exceptional as calculating killer Dr Ray Flemming, who disposes of his wife Carol (Nina Foch) with the assistance of a seemingly malleable patient, Joan Hudson – portrayed here by Katherine Justice.   Outside these key players and William Windom‘s Burt Gordon – a senior lawyer and friend of the Flemmings who works in the DA’s office – the remaining cast are very much minor supporting roles, with Virginia Gregg appearing as Flemming’s secretary, Andrea King briefly present as Gordon’s wife Cynthia and Sherry Boucher playing the air hostess whose evidence helps cement Flemming’s alibi.   Richard Irving directed both this movie and the eventual pilot, Ransom for a Dead Man. Richard Levinson and William Link took the writing credits both for the teleplay and the original play on which it was based. Their future involvement with the series requires no repetition here!   If you have thoughts on any aspect of Prescription: Murder, please share them below, or find us on Twitter at @columbopodcast.   The Columbo Podcast is widely available – on iTunes, Stitcher, tunein, Pocket Casts or pretty much wherever you choose to receive and manage your podcasts. If you enjoy the show it would be greatly appreciated if you consider leaving ratings and reviews on these sites – particularly iTunes – as that can make a big difference to growing the podcast’s audience.   Prescription: Murder was released in 1968. It is 100 minutes long and originally aired on the NBC network. This episode is not available on Netflix, but can be found as an ‘extra’ in the Season 1 or complete collection DVD box sets from Universal.   Tweet