R.I.P. Peter Falk, NBC & ABC’s Lieutenant Inspector Columbo… No More… Just One More Thing…

News, Top Story

According to a family representative, acclaimed actor Peter Falk has passed away at 83 in Beverly Hills. The cause of death is unknown at this time.

Falk is survived by his wife Shera and two adopted daughters Catherin and Jackie. At the time of death Falk was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

Falk also had a glass eye, due to cancer when he was three, that gave him a unique look in his TV and movie acting gigs. Menacing in some roles, and in others roles, giving him an unassuming prescence. The latter used to perfection in his most remembered role as classic TV detective Lieutenant Inspector Columbo.

The TV detective usually identified the prime suspect quickly in the episode with the viewer, not letting on to the target that he suspects them, and sets up situations that in most cases have them reveal their guilt. Columbo would have polite seemingly odd questioning, and conclude by exiting. However, he would stop in mid-exit or return instanteously after an exit, and ask, “Just one more thing…”

He portrayed the seemingly absent minded, grizzled, yet brilliant detective on NBC for 7 seasons from 1971 to 1978 and a series of made-for-TV movies for ABC in the 1980s and 1990s. Falk went on to to win five Emmy Awards, four of which were for Columbo. He was also an accomplished artist with several sketches to his name.

I am a huge fan of Falk’s Columbo work which is a love I share with my mom. His TV work is available on dvd.

Here is more from Reuters.


(Reuters) – Actor Peter Falk, best known for this television role as the seemingly absent-minded but shrewd police detective on NBC’s “Columbo” has died at age 83, a representative for his family said on Friday.

Following are some key facts about Falk’s life and his key role as detective Columbo.

— “Columbo” was one of three rotating elements of the “NBC Sunday Mystery Movie” series in the 1970s, alternating with “McMillan and Wife” and “McCloud,” and was by far the most popular.

— In 1989, more than a decade after the original program had left prime time, Falk returned with a new series of “Columbo” made-for-TV films for the “ABC Mystery Movie” broadcasts.

— Columbo’s wife, who the character refers to often as “the missus,” was never seen in the series, and the detective’s own first name was never explicitly revealed.

— Falk was actually the second choice to play the disheveled police lieutenant, after producers first approached Hollywood crooner and film star Bing Crosby, then 67, who reportedly declined the part because it would have interfered with his golf game.

— Born in New York City, Falk lost his right eye to cancer at age 3, and wore a glass eye for most of his life. His missing eye kept him out of the armed services during World War II, so he joined the Merchant Marine.

— His glass eye proved an early stumbling block to his film career. He failed a Columbia Pictures screen test and, studio boss Harry Cohn was said to have told him: “For the same money I can get an actor with two eyes.”

— Falk got his start in the movies playing a lot of bad-guy roles, earning an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of gangster Abe Reles in the 1960 “Murder, Inc,” based on the real-life 1930s New York crime organization of that name. The following year, he was nominated again for an Oscar in “Pocketful of Miracles”

— He was a close friend of filmmaker John Cassavetes, and appeared in several of the director’s movies, including “A Woman Under the Influence” and “Husbands.”

(Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Paul Simao)


On behalf of Inside Pulse staffers, our thoughts and prayers go out to Peter’s family and friends at this difficult time.

Just one more thing…. rest in peace Peter.

John is a long-time pop culture fan, comics historian, and blogger. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief at Comics Nexus. Prior to being EIC he has produced several column series including DEMYTHIFY, NEAR MINT MEMORIES and the ONE FAN'S TRIALS at the Nexus plus a stint at Bleeding Cool producing the COMICS REALISM column. As BabosScribe, John is active on his twitter account, his facebook page, his instagram feed and welcomes any and all feedback. Bring it on!