Columbo attends the wedding of his police officer nephew Andy Parma ( Thomas Calabro). While Andy is showering, his new bride Melissa Hayes ( Joanna Going), a fashion model, is abducted from the bridal suite. Andy enlists Columbo's help in catching the kidnapper. Melissa has been kidnapped by Rudy Strassa ( Daniel McDonald), a sadistic psychopath who intends to kill her once he consummates "their marriage". And the ridiculous scene where Trish (Shera Danese) puts the screws to Hugh — the “you used me to help you” scene — isn’t merely a “cheat” (as CP correctly observes), it’s idiotic. She never asked previously why he was sending her to Pasadena in his car, wearing a mask with his face on it, and told her when to speed past a traffic camera? I disagree with some of your speculations. It seems clear enough that if Suzie continue to lie to Columbo, she could be charged as an accessory to a crime after the fact. Giving somebody who committed a felony crime a false alibi by saying you were with them during the time when the crime occurred is certainly an example of that. How come all those Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons are blank? Will I have to take this camera to the lab to see if this white paint on this lens is the same as the white paint on the air duct in Miss Edwards' bedroom, or are you gonna answer my questions? Oh, Lieutenant! Not now, I'm in a hurry.

For more than 40 years, Peter Falk entered living rooms around the world as Lieutenant Columbo, an unconventional L.A. homicide detective known for his rumpled raincoat and trademark cigar. The actor would go on to win four Emmys for the role, while the series itself remains a benchmark for television crime dramas. But if series creators William Link and Richard Levinson went with their initial choice, the iconic role of Columbo would have gone to a syrupy-smooth crooner rather than the inelegant Falk. Get familiar with one of TV's most unique heroes with facts about Columbo. 1. BING CROSBY WAS ORIGINALLY EYED FOR THE ROLE. Gone? As a matter of fact, all Indians, all buffaloes, all cowboys, in this room and all others, including Mr Creighton's bathroom, bye-bye. The autopsy has also shown traces of disulfiram in Marcy’s bloodstream – a drug used to treat alcohol dependency, which we saw Creighton add to Marcy’s tea on the morning of her killing. This puzzles Columbo because there were two bottles of Champagne and two glasses in evidence at the crime scene. Why would Marcy have taken such a drug prior to a booze-fuelled rendezvous? Creighton’s feeble suggestion that Marcy might have mistaken one of his own disulfiram pills for one of her vitamins doesn’t seem to entirely convince the good Lieutenant.

Cast & Crew

Dunaway won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her performance. This is the only episode written by Falk. Aired under ABC Sunday Night Movie. [5] And just two more things: ‘Our preferences may be different, but not our love for Columbo.’ Couldn’t agree more, that’s why we can discuss things the way we do. Despite the nucleus of a decent mystery, there’s nowhere near enough story here to fill the 90-minute running time.”

I’m not a Shera hater per se, but it’s increasingly hard to justify her meaty roles in the show given her paucity of talent. This episode is based on the 87th Precinct novel So Long As You Both Shall Live by Ed McBain, although not credited as such. Uncharacteristically dark, this is the only episode in which no murder occurs and in which Columbo does not meet the criminal. I'm currently watching this episode of Columbo again and have noticed several small clues along the way that seem to explain some queries about the murder.But then, to Murder under Glass, having thought about it some more. I like Columbo’s knowledge of cooking there and I’ll tell you why: Paul Gerard and Columbo are rivals here, trying to best each other in the other’s specialist field: Columbo by devising a trap while cooking a meal together and Gerard by devising a very clever crime. Knowing about the poisonous fish is one thing, but how the poison got into the victim, that was close to brilliance. Columbo is in fact adjusting. Well, I'm gonna say he used a syringe and he injected it through the cork into the champagne bottle. Imagine how much more satisfying it would have been to have Paul Gerard school blue-collar Columbo in food delicacies, with Columbo’s questions drawing out the care that’s needed to create some dishes. That might lead to a slip by Gerard, perhaps about Japanese blowfish, and Columbo can put the puzzle pieces together through his inquiries and psychological maneuvering. As it is, Columbo pushes himself into a dinner party where Gerard happens to be serving – how fortunate – poisonous fugu. Case solved, yay! Why would a fella be so careful to put on gloves when he strangled the victim and then leave his fingerprints all over the bottle? Lieutenant, please. Also, speaking of the mask gotcha, I don’t think the production team made the shadows vs. no-shadows clear enough for the audience to see a difference. But it could be just me.

Also, it’s unclear why the scene with the busty mermaid is such a moral outrage. Are busty mermaids a bad thing? Of course, I didn’t get why Columbo playing a tuba was a bad thing, either. After three unconventional episodes, Butterfly in Shades of Grey marked a return to the standard Columbo style.Dabney Coleman relies heavily on the ‘false start’ technique in delivering his lines. (Example: ‘Now are you….are you implying that that bottle might’ve come from my collection?’ ) He uses it (to good effect I think) at least a dozen times. Of course it might not be a technique at all. It might just be that he’s frequently unable to complete sentences without first pausing to puff on his cigarette. I've been worried about the trial and the cost overruns on the building, and I I guess I took it out on you, and that's, uh that's not right.

Oh, Crap!: Marcy gets off a pretty good one when Hugh enters the bedroom, she says "Don't hurt him!" in defense of Ned, then realizes that he's there to kill her. I suppose they wanted to spring a surprise on the viewers with Trish’s “assignment,” which resulted in that senselessly vague conversation they had about her car. I can sort of understand that, even though many viewers seem to feel it was not a good idea, but hey, it was a little deviation from the standard total transparency of a Columbo murder plot. Gory Discretion Shot: We only get to see Creighton prepare to strangle Marcy before the film instantly cuts to Creighton washing out the champagne bottles in the kitchen sink and cleaning up the crime scene. So glad to hear the good news about your daughter. Those of us who have struggled with family members suffering from cancer know how tough it can be. The killer is supposed to have a first-class brain of a hotshot lawyer. He also has the looks of Homely Uncle Bob. Yet he is clearly expecting sexual fidelity from a far younger, kinda bratty starlet. That fact alone makes him seem rather pathetic and, more importantly, stupid. A very naive and poor judge of character, at least. And that’s not what a good Columbo villain should be.

You think you believe him? He admits he was there, he's had trouble with women, and you don't think he did it? I don't think he did it. Oh, this is beautiful! How much is it? - How much? Uh - Never mind! I want it! Let's make drapes with this fabric for this room, and, Nigel, the same décor in here as in my office. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Sondra grew up in a "show business family." As the daughter of actress, Marie Harmon ("Gunsmoke,""The El Paso Kid,""Night Time in Nevada.""Ladies Courageous"), Sondra grew up with a natural passion for acting and the art of filmmaking. She was discovered in her teens by the legendary producer and director, Howard Hawks ("Sergeant York,""To Have and Have Not,""The Big Sleep,""Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," and "Rio Bravo.") Hawks cast Sondra in her first film, "Rio Lobo" starring the Duke himself, John Wayne. Sondra relates the story of their first meeting, as he extended his hand to the very young actress and said "How do you do, I'm John Wayne"...to which the red faced actress replied "Yes, I know, I'm Sandy Currie!"