The Columbo Podcast

The twenty-ninth episode of Columbo was titled A Deadly State of Mind and was the final episode of the show’s fourth season. A psychologist gets close to a patient and kills first to protect her and next to protect himself. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the important evidence and Columbo’s unorthodox investigation.     There was a familiar face in the killer’s role for this episode as George Hamilton slipped effortlessly into the role of a charming professional with a personal interest in his patient. Dr. Mark Collier is an experimental psychologist using hypnosis and narcotics to help his patients (and provide the narrative for his latest book). When his affair with Nadia Donner (Lesley Ann Warren) is challenged by her husband, Carl (Stephen Elliott), he does stand up for her (after all, he has his book to think of) and when Carl attacks Nadia, Collier intervenes with a poker and inadvertently kills his rival.   Hamilton won a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer in 1960 and has become almost ubiquitous since in a film career spanning 57 years and counting. This was the first of his two Columbo appearances which sandwich higher-profile appearances on Dynasty and in The Godfather: Part III. Some listeners may also remember Hamilton from his run on the ninth series of ITV’s I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! reality show alongside Samantha Fox, Katie Price and snooker legend Jimmy White.   There were not many substantial supporting roles, but Karen Machon was entertaining as Collier’s colleague Dr. Anita Borden and Bruce Kirby returned as Sergeant George Kramer. Jack Manning and Fred Draper played brothers Daniel and David Morris who proved critical in catching the killer.   Harvey Hart‘s second of four directorial stints followed By Dawn’s Early Light from earlier in Season Four, while Peter S. Fischer was back as the writer in the fifth of his nine Columbo episodes. There is little to be said about this talented pair that we have not already covered in previous episodes.   If you have thoughts on any aspect of A Deadly State of Mind 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.   A Deadly State of Mind was released in 1975. It is 70 minutes long and originally aired on the NBC network.

The twenty-eighth episode of Columbo was titled Playback and was the fifth episode of the show’s fourth season. A disagreement between a man and his mother-in-law escalates dramatically as a murder is committed on camera. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look frame-by-frame at a story underpinned by new technology.     Harold Van Wick (Oskar Werner) is the chief antagonist in this tale that borrows heavily from earlier Columbo episodes, from start to finish. Werner would have been known to audiences for a some memorable film roles in the 1960s, including an Oscar-nominated turn in 1965’s Ship of Fools. Never a prolific actor, he was nevertheless well-regarded for his work. He followed his Columbo appearance with one final role, earning a Golden Globe nomination for 1976’s Voyage of the Damned.   There was a relatively tight supporting cast in this episode. Martha Scott played Van Wick’s mother-in-law and victim Margaret Meadis in a brief but vigorous appearance, while Gena Rowlands played a more substantial part as Elizabeth Van Wick, Harold’s wheelchair-bound wife. Robert Brown‘s Arthur Meadis and Herb Jefferson Jr‘s Baxter completed the extended Van Wick household.   Patricia Barry and Trisha Noble played staff at the art gallery which served as both Harold’s alibi and the basis of his ultimate exposure. Columbo’s struggles with modern art provided an entertaining aside during the episode.   Bernard Kowalski returned for the third of his four stints behind the camera, while former Star Trek actor Booker T. Bradshaw combined with David P. Lewis to write the episode – neither would return to the show after this debut.   If you have thoughts on any aspect of Playback 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.   Playback was released in 1975. It is 73 minutes long and originally aired on the NBC network. It can be viewed on Netflix in the United States and is available on DVD in other countries, including a comprehensive box set of all eleven seasons released by Universal.   Tweet

The twenty-seventh episode of Columbo was titled Troubled Waters and was the fourth episode of the show’s fourth season. A cruise to Mexico is disrupted when a businessman kills his lover to escape her blackmail attempt. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the breaks and swells of a unique episode.     This mystery takes place entirely on board a cruise ship headed for Mexico – with Columbo on board! The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Hustle star Robert Vaughn takes the lead antagonist role as killer Hayden Danzinger, a businessman determined not to be exposed by his blackmailing ex-lover Rosanna Wells (Poupée Bocar).   While British audiences might remember Vaughn’s memorable turns in Hustle and Coronation Street, it was as Napoleon Solo in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. that he made his biggest impact, later appearing in 52 episodes of The Protectors before this, the first of his two appearances on Columbo. Interestingly, Vaughn has portrayed both Presidents Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt on film, the latter on two separate occasions.   This was the second consecutive episode to be shot entirely on location – indeed the filming took place during an actual cruise to Mexico, necessitating strong sea-legs from the supporting cast. Jane Greer captivated as Hayden Danzinger’s wife, Sylvia while returning actors Dean Stockwell (as the victim’s bandmate – and initial suspect – Lloyd Harrington) and Bernard Fox (Purser Watkins) played pivotal roles. Patrick Macnee was suitable authoritative as Captain Gibbon, while Robert Douglas (Dr. Pierce) and Susan Damante (Nurse Melissa) made for an intriguing medical team (Douglas would return to the show in Season 6 as a director). Other cabaret performances came from Peter Maloney as band leader Artie Podell and from Curtis Credel as a magician that shared his real-life name! Columbo regular Mike Lally appeared, but was uncredited for his role as a waiter on the cruise.   Director Ben Gazzara returned after directing last season’s A Friend in Deed, for his final stint behind the Columbo camera.Writer William Driskill would go on to pen two further episodes – each in Season 5 – after this effort, on which he shared credit with long-time Columbo writer Jackson Gillis   If you have thoughts on any aspect of Troubled Waters 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.

The twenty-sixth episode of Columbo was titled By Dawn’s Early Light and was the third episode of the show’s fourth season. A colonel looks to preserve the status of his military academy by rigging a cannon to take care of a perceived threat. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the setting, characters and circumstances that give Columbo a taste of academy life and lead him to a dramatic finale.     Patrick McGoohan makes his Columbo debut as Colonel Lyle Rumford, a military man with military principles which he puts into practice at his military academy. Only it is not his military academy. Owner William Haynes (Tom Simcox) sees more economic potential in turning the school into a co-ed junior college, an establishment at which there would be no place for Rumford. Rigging a cannon to backfire, Rumford kills Haynes leading to a police investigation.   McGoohan would go on to become a favourite with Columbo fans after making an Emmy-winning start in this episode, picking up 1975’s Primetime Emmy award for Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Series. Three more appearances over twenty-four years and five stints in the director’s chair would establish him as a Columbo legend. Younger listeners may best remember him for his role as Edward I Longshanks in 1995’s Braveheart opposite Mel Gibson.   Shot entirely on location, this episode was tightly focused on Rumford and Columbo’s exchanges. Mark Wheeler made an impression as Cadet Springer – an early suspect – while both Bruce Kirby and his son Bruno appeared, the former as Sergeant George Kramer – an officer irritated by Columbo’s methods – and the latter as Cadet Morgan, a cider-fermenting student who helps Columbo crack the case. Burr DeBenning‘s Captain Loomis and Madeleine Sherwood‘s Miss Brady – PA to Rumford – kept the story moving, in turn.   Director Harvey Hart took the helm for the first of his four Columbo episodes, while writer Howard Berk penned the first of his two shows (Berk would go on to write a pair of 1979 episodes of Mrs Columbo, but we’ll forgive him for that!).   If you have thoughts on any aspect of By Dawn’s Early Light 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.   By Dawn’s Early Light was released in 1974.

The twenty-fifth episode of Columbo was titled Negative Reaction and was the second episode of the show’s fourth season. An emasculated husband goes to extreme lengths to escape a miserable marriage. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at Columbo’s difficulties in ruling out a framed man and the errors that lead him to the true culprit.     No introduction is required for Dick Van Dyke, who skilfully portrays double-killer Paul Galesko. Galesko is a man driven to extreme lengths by the continuation of his intolerable marriage. Killing his wife, Frances (Antoinette Bower), then framing and killing ex-con Alvin Deschler (Don Gordon) seems an ambitious and risky alternative to divorce, but Galesko’s plan is strong and it takes all of Columbo’s skills to unravel the threads, even then requiring a dramatic final showdown to gather vital evidence.   Van Dyke is famed for a number of roles across a long a decorated career. A winner of Primetime and Daytime Emmys as well as a Grammy Award and a People’s Choice Award, Van Dyke is perhaps best remembered for his roles in Mary Poppins and Diagnosis Murder. He remains active, with 2014’s Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb his most recent big screen outing in a career that will soon stretch sixty years, despite only commencing in his thirties.   This episode is one that centres largely on Columbo and the killer, but there were entertaining roles for Larry Storch as a nervous driving examiner named Weekly; and for Joyce Van Patten as a sympathetic nun seeking to care for Columbo at a neighbourhood soup kitchen. Vito Scotti was excellent as ever as Thomas Dolan, a vagabond who finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.   Alf Kjellin returned as director for the second and final time after helming Season 3’s Mind over Mayhem, while writer Peter S. Fischer took a third consecutive writing credit for his work on the episode.   During the episode we asked if any listeners had insight into whether ransom notes composed from cut-out newspaper lettering ever existed outside of television and the movies. If you have thoughts on this or any other aspect of Negative Reaction 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.   Negative Reaction was released in 1974. It is 91 minutes long and originally aired on the NBC network. It can be viewed on

The twenty-fourth episode of Columbo was titled An Exercise in Fatality and was the first episode of the show’s fourth season. A health and fitness entrepreneur kills to prevent his dodgy dealings being exposed. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the leads and deductions that leave Columbo convinced the death was no accident.     The killer in An Exercise in Fatality is Milo Janus, played by Robert Conrad – perhaps best known for his work on The Wild Wild West  in the late 1960s. Janus has franchised a chain of Health Spas bearing his name, but the contracts include requirements to purchase products and services from his other companies at inflated prices. This catches the attention of Gene Stafford – depicted by Philip Bruns – who threatens to bring Janus’ little empire crashing down around his ears, with predictable consequences.   Collin Wilcox as Stafford’s widow, Ruth, and Pat Harrington as Janus’ shady business associate Buddy Castle provide strong support to Peter Falk and Conrad, but the most expanded secondary role is Janus’ secretary Jessica Conroy, played by Gretchen Corbett, who is called on both to provide an alibi for Janus and to provide Columbo with the vital link that cracks the case.   Jude Farese as Health Spa janitor Al Murphy, Darrell Zwerling as forensic accountant Lewis Lacey and Victor Izay as a quick-witted medical examiner all play entertaining and important, if brief, roles.   Director Bernard Kowalski returned after helming the show’s second ever episode, Death Lends a Hand. Kowalski would go on to direct two more Columbo episodes. Writer Peter S. Fischer went back-to-back with another script here, based on a story by Larry Cohen.   If you have thoughts on any aspect of An Exercise in Fatality 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.   An Exercise in Fatality was released in 1974. It is 98 minutes long and originally aired on the NBC network. It can be viewed on Netflix in the United States and is available on DVD in other countries, including a comprehensive box set of all eleven seasons released by Universal.  

The twenty-third episode of Columbo was titled A Friend in Deed and was the eighth and final episode of the show’s third season. A police commissioner takes advantage of leverage over a friend to murder his wealthy wife. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the schemes and slip-ups that faced Columbo in his investigation.     The two murderers in this episode were played by Michael McGuire and Richard Kiley. McGuire’s Hugh Caldwell opens the episode having just murdered his wife and with the help of Kiley’s Supt. Mark Halperin is able to make the death look like the work of a burglar known to be operating in the area. Sensing an opportunity, Halperin murders his wife also, intending that the same perpetrator will be held responsible.   Margaret Halperin, played by Rosemary Murphy, is the second victim and a key witness in the initial investigation, while burglar Artie Jessup (a familiar face in Val Avery) may be an unsavoury sort, but he’s no killer and Columbo has leverage to ensure his co-operation, used to great effect.   Cameos from Eric Christmas as a jewellery store owner, Eleanor Zee as Jessup’s moll Thelma, John Finnegan as Lt. Duffy and the returning Arlene Martel as a jewellery store employee helped sustain a dark, but energetic episode.   The episode was directed by Ben Gazzara in the first of two turns at the helm. Gazzara would find his greatest success as an actor, nominated for multiple Emmy and Golden Globe awards – though also for two Razzies for turns in Inchon (1981) and Road House (1989) respectively! Writer Peter S. Fischer returned after his work on Publish or Perish, for the second of his nine Columbo scripts.   We asked listeners during the episode to let us know if they knew who played Janice Caldwell’s corpse. If you have thoughts on that or on any aspect of A Friend in Deed 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.   A Friend in Deed was released in 1974. It is 98 minutes long and originally aired on the NBC network. It can be viewed on Netflix in the United States and is available on DVD in other countries, including a comprehensive box set of all eleven seasons released by Universal.  

The twenty-second episode of Columbo was titled Swan Song and was the seventh episode of the show's third season. A country music legend plans a plane crash to escape his wife's cult. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the investigation to see whether Columbo can hit the right notes.

The twenty-first episode of Columbo was titled Mind over Mayhem and was the sixth episode of the show’s third season. A robotic accomplice clears the way for a genius to commit a brutal murder. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at a battle of two great minds and analyse the crucial mistakes that set Columbo on the right track.     Oscar winners have a habit of showing up in Columbo so it is no surprise that Mind over Mayhem‘s principal villain, Dr Marshall Cahill, was portrayed by an actor with that level of recognition. Indeed, José Ferrer was a three-time Academy Award nominee, winning in 1951 for his leading role in Cyrano de Bergerac, not to be confused with the classic Channel Islands-based detective show Bergerac. Ferrer was also prominent in Lawrence of Arabia and later in his career found recognition for his performance as Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV in 1984’s Dune.   Key supporting roles were provided by Lew Ayres as Cahill’s victim, the very righteous Dr Howard Nicholson; Jessica Walter as his wife, then widow, Margaret Nicholson and Robert Walker Jr. as Cahill’s plagiarist son, Neil. Lou Wagner and Arthur Batanides played small, but crucial roles as Cahill’s assistant ‘Ross’ and garage mechanic ‘Murph’ respectively.   Stealing the show, arguably, were Lee Montgomery as boy genius Steve Spelberg and Robby the Robot as Cahill’s accomplice, MM7.   Alf Kjellin directed the first of his two Columbo episodes, working with legendary writer Steven Bochco, about who little more needs to be said!   Pleas add your thoughts on any aspect of Mind over Mayhem 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.   Mind over Mayhem was released in 1974. It is 73 minutes long and originally aired on the NBC network. It can be viewed on Netflix in the United States and is available on DVD in other countries, including a comprehensive box set of all eleven seasons released by Universal.   Tweet

The twentieth episode of Columbo was titled Publish or Perish and was the fifth episode of the show’s third season. Self-incrimination, home-made explosives and literary rivalries make for a dramatic combination. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look between the lines for clues and mistakes that let Columbo turn the page on this mystery.     The cast of Publish or Perish is headlined by the return of Jack Cassidy as our primary antagonist, publisher Riley Greenleaf. There are parallels with Cassidy’s Columbo debut in Season 1’s opener Murder by the Book, his tête-à-tête with Peter Falk a highlight of both episodes. Cassidy was a prolific television actor in the 60s and 70s and picked up Emmy nominations for his work on the TV movie The Andersonville Trial in 1970 and on the series He & She in 1967 before appearing with Clint Eastwood in 1975’s The Eiger Sanction.   Cassidy and Falk were the focus of this episode, but there was room for John Davis Chandler to steal a couple of scenes as assassin-cum-victim Eddie Kane, while decorated author and writer Mickey Spillane guested as primary victim Alan Mallory, whose character seemed to be inspired, at least in part, by Spillane himself. Mariette Hartley as Mallory’s literary agent Eileen McRae and Jacques Aubuchon as Greenleaf’s rival publisher Jeffrey Neal added a little colour to proceedings, while Jack Bender – who would go on to find success as a director and executive producer on a number of popular shows – made a brief appearance as Wolpert, the courier for Mallory’s transcription company. Alan Fudge put in an entertaining performance as David Chase, Greenleaf’s attorney.   Fan favourites James Sikking, in an uncredited role as an LAPD cop; Maryesther Denver, as the maligned wife of Greenleaf’s car crash victim; and Ted Gehring, as the security guard in Mallory’s office building, also caught the eye in this episode.   Director Robert Butler made his second and final appearance behind the Columbo camera after helming Season 2’s Double Shock, while Peter S. Fischer was responsible for writing the first of his nine episodes (two under the pseudonym ‘Lawrence Vail’). Fischer would co on to create Murder, She Wrote, a show whish has experienced enduring success and great popularity.   We asked listeners if they could remember whether the return of Jack Cassidy was highly promoted when this episode originally aired, so add your thoughts on that or any aspect of Publish or Perish below, or find us on Twitter at @columbopodcast.   The Columbo Podcast is widely available – on

The nineteenth episode of Columbo was titled Double Exposure and was the fourth episode of the show’s third season. Subliminal messaging helps in both the commission of a murder and in solving it. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the overt and covert messages that lead Columbo to his killer.     Robert Culp returns for his third tour as a Columbo murderer, playing Motivational Researcher Dr. Bart Kepple. We remember Culp’s excellent performances in Season 1’s Death Lends a Hand and Season 2’s The Most Crucial Game and touched on his other career highlights in the notes for those episodes. Culp and Peter Falk dominated screen time in this episode, their sparring proving a highlight as it had been in earlier shows.   Supporting roles were played by Chuck McCann – a prolific voice actor perhaps best known for his role as Duckworth in Duck Tales – as projectionist and second victim Roger White; Robert Middleton – who appeared alongside Elvis Presley in Love Me Tender and had roles in a number of popular Westerns – as the initial murder victim Vic Norris; and by Louise Latham in a brief appearance as Norris’ wife. Latham had a 40-year career in film and television, including guest roles in major shows of the 1990s like ER and The X-Files.   Double Exposure was written by Stephen J. Cannell who would go on to create a number of hit TV shows, including The Rockford Files, Stingray and The A-Team. There is no separate credit for the teleplay, so Cannell takes full credit for this episode. Director Richard Quine returned after helming Season 2 episodes Dagger of the Mind and Requiem for a Falling Star. Quine’s most well-remembered work is in movies from the 1950s and 1960s including Bell Book and Candle and How to Murder Your Wife.   We asked listeners if they could identify the actor playing a waiter in the early part of this episode, so add your thoughts on that or any aspect of Double Exposure 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.   Double Exposure was released in 1973. It is 70 minutes long and originally aired on the NBC network. It can be viewed on Netflix in the United States and is available on DVD in other countries, including a comprehensive box set of all eleven seasons released by Universal.  

The eighteenth episode of Columbo was titled Candidate for Crime and was the third episode of the show’s third season. A would-be senator looks to convince Columbo that he is a victim, not a killer. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the schemes, slip-ups and shocks that lead the Lieutenant to his culprit.     Jackie Cooper takes centre stage in Candidate for Crime as Nelson Hayward, a candidate in the California senatorial election. Cooper may be best remembered for his role as Perry White in the first four Superman movies, but was a child star before that, nominate for an Oscar in 1931 as a nine-year-old for his performance in Skippy. Hayward’s unfortunate victim, Harry Stone, was portrayed by the versatile Ken Swofford, perhaps best known for playing Major in 1991’s Thelma and Louise.   Tisha Sterling and Joanne Linville as Hayward’s mistress, Linda Robinson, and wife, Vickie, respectively, were compelling as two diametrically opposed characters playing critical roles in the candidate’s private and public lives. There was also an early appearance for the director’s daughter, Katey Segal, who would go on to find prominence in Married with Children and later Futurama and Sons of Anarchy.   Like Any Old Port in a Storm, the episode was written by Larry Cohen. This time the teleplay was composed by Irv Pearlberg, best known for his runs as associate producer on Dr. Kildare and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. This was the second and final Columbo show behind the camera for director Boris Sagal, who also helmed Season 2’s The Greenhouse Jungle.   We didn’t ask any particular questions during this episode, but please chip in with your thoughts on any aspect of Candidate for Crime 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.   Candidate for Crime was released in 1973. It is 93 minutes long and originally aired on the NBC network. It can be viewed on Netflix in the United States and is available on DVD in other countries, including a comprehensive box set of all eleven seasons released by Universal.   Tweet

The seventeenth episode of Columbo was titled Any Old Port in a Storm and was the second episode of the show’s third season. Fratricide and fermentation are the key themes in a classic tale. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the critical relationships and circumstances as Columbo looks to prove a scuba accident is more than it seems.     Donald Pleasence is captivating as master vinter turned killer Adrian Carsini, who strikes down Gary Conway‘s Ric Carsini in a fit of rage, provoked by his younger half-brother’s decision to sell the family vineyards and close their winery. With the unsolicited help of secretary Karen Fielding, played by Julie Harris, he looks to evade Columbo’s suspicion, without success. Pleasence is of course known for his iconic role as Dr Loomis in five of the Halloween movies and for his turn as Blythe in The Great Escape and would have been recognisable for that latter role in particular at the time of his appearance in Columbo.   There were supporting roles for Joyce Jillson as Joan Stacey, the distressed fiancée of Ric Carsini; Dana Elcar and Robert Ellenstein as wine connoisseurs Falcon and Stein; and Robert Doyle in a brief but enjoyable role as Carsini’s winery tour guide. Robert Walden displayed the best moustache as Billy Fine, friend of Joan.   The episode was written by Larry Cohen, with Stanley Ralph Ross responsible for the teleplay. This was the first of three Columbo episodes from Cohen’s pen, while Ross would go on to write a Season Four episode before creating the Wonder Woman series which ran for sixty episodes from 1975. Director Leo Penn would direct two more episodes over the following sixteen years, but is perhaps better remembered for his 27 stints behind the Matlock camera and the cultural impact of his sons, Michael, Sean and Chris.   During this episode we asked if any listeners could confirm whether it was normal to have an organ in the first class cabin of flights in the 1970s and about LA weather patterns, but even if they’re not ones you can answer please chip in with your thoughts on any aspect of Any Old Port in a Storm 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 review...

The sixteenth episode of Columbo was titled Lovely but Lethal and was the first episode of the show’s third season. Espionage and double-dealing in the cosmetics industry lead to a brutal murder as the new season begins dramatically. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the foundation of Columbo’s case and some important concealed evidence.     The dark underbelly of the high-end cosmetics industry is exposed in Lovely but Lethal as a desperate company boss kills a disloyal employee in a moment of high emotion. Viveca Scott – played here by Vera Miles – is the founder of Beauty Mark Inc. She believes she has the formula to end wrinkles and fine lines, but when her company’s research bears no fruit its prospects look bleak. Slighted employee Karl Lessing, portrayed by the marvelous Martin Sheen, taunts Viveca with the possibility of a genuine formula before making it clear he’ll be selling to a bitter rival. In a moment of anger Scott strikes Lessing down with a microscope.   Martin Sheen reflects on his role in this episode during a Reddit IAmA   Lessing isn’t the episode’s only turncoat – Sian Barbara Allen‘s mild-mannered Shirley Blaine is similarly engaged in a form of espionage, funneling secrets to Scott from her employer – Scott’s rival – David Lang (memorably, if briefly, portrayed by horror legend Vincent Price).   Columbo is tasked with identifying Lessing’s killer and, despite a number of solid leads, it is the tiniest piece of evidence – fragments of shattered glass – that provide him with the vital clue. There is a memorable turn from Fred Draper as the inebriated and enamoured Dr Murcheson while Gino Conforti, an actor perhaps better known for his voice than his face, is visible in his single scene as a fashion photographer.   Writer Jackson Gillis is by now well-known amongst fans of the show, while director Jeannot Szwarc would go on to helm the classic shark sequel Jaws 2 and is currently a director on the hit TV show Bones with Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz.   During this episode we didn’t ask any particular questions, but if you have thoughts on any aspect of Lovely but Lethal then please feel free to comment 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.   Lovely but Lethal was released in 1973. It is 73 minutes long and originally aired on the NBC network. It can be viewed on

The fifteenth episode of Columbo was titled Double Shock and was the eighth and final episode of the show’s second season. Motive and opportunity are the critical questions as Columbo tries to distinguish between a pair of identical suspects. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the detail of this case and consider how each of Season 2’s killers would fare at trial.     In the aftermath of an apparently natural death, Columbo is called out to give the scene a quick glance and rule out murder. His inquiries raise concerns and a murder investigation begins. Initially Martin Landau‘s Dexter Paris appears the only suspect with both motive and opportunity to commit the crime, but further investigations into his identical twin brother Norman (also expertly portrayed by Landau) raise the possibility that either or both could have been involved. Landau‘s acting career has spanned more than sixty years and he remains active today, perhaps best known for his Oscar winning performance opposite Johnny Depp in Tim Burton’s 1994 classic Ed Wood.   Working in concert, the Paris twins murder their uncle Clifford, briefly played by Paul Stewart, in the hopes of inheriting his fortune to share between them. Clifford’s attorney Michael Hatheway (Tim O’Connor) and fiancée Lisa Chambers (Julie Newmar) know that Chambers stands to inherit the estate regardless and a plan is hatched between Dexter, Norman and Hatheway to destroy all copies of that Will, leading to the murder of Chambers.   Two other supporting characters shone brightly in this episode: Jeanette Nolan was captivating as distressed housekeeper Mrs Peck, building a fascinating and entertaining relationship with Columbo in the process, while Dabney Coleman‘s Detective Murray was a competent, confident assistant to the Lieutenant. (That Coleman link pleasingly gives his luscious mustache credit for his long, successful career.)   Steven Bochco is credited with producing the teleplay for this episode from a story by Jackson Gillis, Richard Levinson and William Link. In Columbo terms this is a heavyweight team and this was borne out by a strong plot and a great script for Robert Butler‘s first time behind the camera on the show. Butler is perhaps best remembered in some circles for his work as director on Star Trek‘s pilot episode, The Cage.   During this episode we asked listeners to consider their verdicts for the killers in Season 2’s eight episodes. If you have thoughts on those issues or any other aspects of Double Shock then please feel free to comment below, or find us on Twitter at @columbopodcast.   The Columbo Podcast is widely available – on iTunes, Stitcher, tunein, Pocket Casts or pretty much wher...