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"Just One More Thing..." - The COLUMBO Discussion Thread

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  • Risico007Risico007
    Posts: 9,770
    ringfire211 wrote: »
    ToTheRight wrote: »
    I wouldn't want to see a new actor play Columbo any more than I'd want to see some kid other than Gary Coleman play Arnold Jackson in a DIFF'RENT STROKES reboot.
    Same with Fonzie, Jim Rockford, Jack Tripper, and countless other '70's television characters.
    Absolutely!!!
    Accept no substitutes!

    Bond might be that rare exception. Because long ago we got used to the role being changed and given to someone else. And even there Connery pretty much set the bar too high for others to follow. But I can’t see anyone else playing Rocky or Rambo or Indy or John McClane or Martin Riggs. Some roles just can’t be replaced. And shouldn’t.

    I’m sure there’s a smaller younger segment out there who consider Alex O’Loughlin to be Steve McGarrett. But we all know that role belongs to the one and only Jack Lord! And Tom Selleck is the one and only Thomas Magnum and Richard Dean Anderson is the one true MacGyver. Doesn’t matter how many remakes or reboots of these shows they put out. Folks will remember the original.

    And didn’t they try to do Rockford with Vince Vaughn? Until they wisely decided to just abandon it.

    I am as hard core a Macgyver fan as you will fine however I like Lucas Till as Macgyver true he plays it differently then Richard Dean Anderson but in much the same way i love Daniel Craig as Bond and Sean Connery the same is true here.

    as for Magnum I only watched the first season I will try and catch up at some point but i didnt mind the rebooted cast but it feels well lets just say Lenkov has a style and its fairly obvious I am just glad his reign ended before we saw The A-team with a gender swaped Face.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited December 2020 Posts: 17,804
    Some very sad news to report. Columbo co-creator William Link has died at the age of 87 from congestive heart failure:

    https://columbophile.com/2020/12/30/thanks-for-the-memories-rip-william-link/

    Thanks for the memories indeed, Mr Link, and for co-creating my favourite TV series and TV character bar none. In fact I was watching a Columbo episode just last night (A Matter of Honor). Mr Link co-wrote my personal favourite Columbo episode Death Lends a Hand (1971) with the late Dick Levinson. Thanks for all the years of escapism, happiness and sheer enjoyment that have come from watching Columbo, Mr Link.

    In Memory of William Link

    (15 December 1933 - 27 December 2020)
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited December 2020 Posts: 17,804
    William Link talking about the genesis of Columbo as a show and a character:



  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Finally saw the 2003 episode
    columbo_columbo_likes_the_nightlife_tv-188623063-large.jpg

    Classic Columbo. Using his intuition and subtly intimidating the culprits as always. It follows the formula. It may not be great art in any way, but it is entertaining and hooks you.
  • mattjoesmattjoes Kicking: Impossible
    Posts: 6,724
    RIP William Link, and thanks for your wonderful creation.

    Risico007 wrote: »
    I always wondered if a different actor could bring Columbo back to life ... honestly whether he does a peter Falk impersonation or not I think Kevin Pollack could be an interesting Columbo.
    Interesting casting suggestion. If he left his (admittedly terrific) Falk impression aside, I could see him doing something good with the part. He's a got a down-to-earth look and presence. He could be disarming with the murderers, but also inquisitive.

    There's a film named A Shock to the System, starring Michael Caine. In it, Will Patton plays a police detective trying to catch Caine for murder. The role has a Columboesque quality, though it's a relatively confrontational Columbo, rather than playing innocent. Think Now You See Him Columbo. Patton does well in the part.
  • Risico007Risico007
    Posts: 9,770
    mattjoes wrote: »
    RIP William Link, and thanks for your wonderful creation.

    Risico007 wrote: »
    I always wondered if a different actor could bring Columbo back to life ... honestly whether he does a peter Falk impersonation or not I think Kevin Pollack could be an interesting Columbo.
    Interesting casting suggestion. If he left his (admittedly terrific) Falk impression aside, I could see him doing something good with the part. He's a got a down-to-earth look and presence. He could be disarming with the murderers, but also inquisitive.

    There's a film named A Shock to the System, starring Michael Caine. In it, Will Patton plays a police detective trying to catch Caine for murder. The role has a Columboesque quality, though it's a relatively confrontational Columbo, rather than playing innocent. Think Now You See Him Columbo. Patton does well in the part.

    I like Patton as well.. Again will some refuse to watch because it's not their Columbo or Bond or whatever of course but in my opinion there are still stories to tell with the character why not bring it back.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Admittedly I'm a bit late to the party but I do love Columbo and recently got the
    box set for the first sever series. So enjoyable, and yes Like many I've seen them so many times, but that's the crazy thing about Columbo. The acting and characters are so good, you can re-watch them over and over again.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited January 2021 Posts: 17,804
    Just learned from the Columbophile that the actor Bruce Kirby died on 24 January 2021, aged 95. He played Sergeant Kramer in six episodes of Columbo as well as assorted other characters. I always liked the humour he brought to the episodes. His late son Bruno Kirby also appeared with him as an army cadet in the Season 4 episode By Dawn's Early Light (1974). He's probably the last of the regular bit part players that regularly appeared in Columbo episodes.

    https://columbophile.com/2021/01/27/thanks-a-lot-sarge-rip-bruce-kirby/
  • mattjoesmattjoes Kicking: Impossible
    Posts: 6,724
    RIP Bruce Kirby. Two enjoyable bits with Sergeant Kramer come to mind:
    -Him holding that big lamp
    -His opinion on the cheese: "it's different"
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited February 2021 Posts: 17,804
    More sad news to report on the Columbo front. The actress and singer Trisha Noble, who played Marcy Hubbard in the episode Playback (1975), passed away on 23 January 2021, aged 76. She was one of the many very beautiful women to appear in Columbo over the years:

    columboplayback.jpg
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,280
    In more cheerful news: comedian Tim Vine is spending his time these days recreating Columbo scenes:




  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384


    The History and Influence of Columbo - The Quirky Detective Who Won Our Hearts
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,804
    Columbo Mumbo Jumbo:

  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Apparently Peter Falk, started to do those little " Bits of Business " like looking in his
    pockets for a pencil etc, to help the reactions of his co-stars. As they would be slightly
    thrown off their pacing, and give a more realistic reaction.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited May 2021 Posts: 17,804
    Sad to hear of the death of Norman Lloyd aged 106. What a long life well lived! He directed the classic Season 1 episode of Columbo called Lady in Waiting (1971) starring Susan Clark as the killer.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited May 2021 Posts: 17,804
    What that Columbo episode that they thought of setting in Japan might have looked like:

  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    :))
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited June 2021 Posts: 17,804
    Thunderpussy wrote: »
    :))

    I love how long the killer's name is! :))

    The killer is clearly based on three time Columbo guest star the late Jack Cassidy too.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    The bead of sweat running down his cheek is really funny.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited June 2021 Posts: 17,804
    Thunderpussy wrote: »
    The bead of sweat running down his cheek is really funny.

    Yes, he's getting the third degree from Columbo in his own inimitable way!

    Here's an interesting little interview with Matthew Rhys, guest star on the last ever Columbo episode Columbo Likes the Nightlife (2003):

  • mattjoesmattjoes Kicking: Impossible
    edited June 2021 Posts: 6,724
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    What that Columbo episode that they thought of setting in Japan might have looked like:

    Hilarious!

    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Thunderpussy wrote: »
    :))

    I love how long the killer's name is! :))

    The killer is clearly based on three time Columbo guest star the late Jack Cassidy too.
    Indeed! I love the fact "Jack Cassidy" is playing "Hashimoto-san".
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,804
    mattjoes wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    What that Columbo episode that they thought of setting in Japan might have looked like:

    Hilarious!

    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Thunderpussy wrote: »
    :))

    I love how long the killer's name is! :))

    The killer is clearly based on three time Columbo guest star the late Jack Cassidy too.
    Indeed! I love the fact "Jack Cassidy" is playing "Hashimoto-san".

    Yes, who needs a Japanese guest star when you can have Jack Cassidy?! Hard logic to argue with! ;)
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited June 2021 Posts: 17,804
    Come to think of it they could have gotten Mako to return and play the killer for that proposed Japanese-set Columbo episode. He'd already guest starred as Kanji Ousu in Murder Under Glass (1978) which starred Louis Jourdan as the killer.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    There are quite a few Columbo channels on YouTube, with many interesting stories and facts about the many series. One I heard recently was that Peter Falk wanted to direct but was kept being told No, until finally he got " Blueprint for Murder " which was considered by many to be a very hard story to film. He did a good job but realised that directing and being the lead actor was just too much to do.
    In another episode " Dead Weight" to help his pay negotiations Falk walked off set and didn't return. Leading to filming having to stop and the annoyance of the other actors. It's said that Eddie Albert was really angry about it and Told Falk in a meeting that he'd been really excited to work with him but he was a real Assh*le ! .
    I find these behind the scenes mini documentaries fascinating
  • mattjoesmattjoes Kicking: Impossible
    Posts: 6,724
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Come to think of it they could have gotten Mako to return and play the killer for that proposed Japanese-set Columbo episode.
    What is that unmade Japanese-set episode? I'm not familiar with it.

    Incidentally, here are the unproduced scripts/ideas I can recall reading about:
    -Story in which the murderer was to be a filmmaker (by Brian De Palma and someone else)
    -Story with Columbo in the Italian Alps involving a rock-climbing murder (by a French/Algerian writer)
    -Story about a priest who commits murder (by the same writer)
    -Story about a woman who owns a perfume company and commits murder (by the same writer)
    -A script by the same writer of By Dawn's Early Light
    -Story about a murder in a reality show (idea mentioned by Peter Falk in an interview)
    -A script titled Hear No Evil and later renamed to Columbo's Last Case, whose story remains unknown
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    The A.V. Club: Romania asked Peter Falk to help prevent an uprising after the country ran out of Columbo episodes.
    https://www.avclub.com/romania-asked-peter-falk-to-help-prevent-an-uprising-af-1847093587
  • Risico007Risico007
    Posts: 9,770
    mattjoes wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Come to think of it they could have gotten Mako to return and play the killer for that proposed Japanese-set Columbo episode.
    What is that unmade Japanese-set episode? I'm not familiar with it.

    Incidentally, here are the unproduced scripts/ideas I can recall reading about:
    -Story in which the murderer was to be a filmmaker (by Brian De Palma and someone else)
    -Story with Columbo in the Italian Alps involving a rock-climbing murder (by a French/Algerian writer)
    -Story about a priest who commits murder (by the same writer)
    -Story about a woman who owns a perfume company and commits murder (by the same writer)
    -A script by the same writer of By Dawn's Early Light
    -Story about a murder in a reality show (idea mentioned by Peter Falk in an interview)
    -A script titled Hear No Evil and later renamed to Columbo's Last Case, whose story remains unknown
    Again I would accept a new actor and this unfinished scripts being well finished


    but for me Story has always been more important then actor true not every actor is right for every part but

    I love Keaton and Affleck as Batman
    I actually love all 6 actors for 007
    I love Richard Dean Anderson and Lucas Till for Macgyver

    I would accept new columbo as long as the actor does a good job
  • ringfire211ringfire211
    Posts: 646
    Risico007 wrote: »
    Again I would accept a new actor and this unfinished scripts being well finished


    but for me Story has always been more important then actor true not every actor is right for every part but

    I love Keaton and Affleck as Batman
    I actually love all 6 actors for 007
    I love Richard Dean Anderson and Lucas Till for Macgyver

    I would accept new columbo as long as the actor does a good job
    Lucas Till? Who looks like a boy but sounds like a 60 year old man? Lol!

    Richard Dean Anderson was the perfect MacGyver. These remakes and recasts are a joke. Same with the new Hispanic Magnum! Like seriously?????????!! Can’t recreate the magic that Tom Selleck possessed in that role. Not for all the money in the world. Lightning in a bottle! Same with Jack Lord vs. Alex O’Loughlin. That guy isn’t McGarrett and never will be. Just a muscle-bound action man!
  • Risico007Risico007
    Posts: 9,770
    ringfire211 wrote: »
    Risico007 wrote: »
    Again I would accept a new actor and this unfinished scripts being well finished


    but for me Story has always been more important then actor true not every actor is right for every part but

    I love Keaton and Affleck as Batman
    I actually love all 6 actors for 007
    I love Richard Dean Anderson and Lucas Till for Macgyver

    I would accept new columbo as long as the actor does a good job
    Lucas Till? Who looks like a boy but sounds like a 60 year old man? Lol!

    Richard Dean Anderson was the perfect MacGyver. These remakes and recasts are a joke. Same with the new Hispanic Magnum! Like seriously?????????!! Can’t recreate the magic that Tom Selleck possessed in that role. Not for all the money in the world. Lightning in a bottle! Same with Jack Lord vs. Alex O’Loughlin. That guy isn’t McGarrett and never will be. Just a muscle-bound action man!

    not to get into it but yeah Till works great as Mac and the new Magnum is goodish


    Sean Connery was the perfect 007 and yet here we are
  • mattjoesmattjoes Kicking: Impossible
    Posts: 6,724
    Thunderpussy wrote: »
    The A.V. Club: Romania asked Peter Falk to help prevent an uprising after the country ran out of Columbo episodes.
    https://www.avclub.com/romania-asked-peter-falk-to-help-prevent-an-uprising-af-1847093587
    Haha, great story.
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