Peter “Columbo” Falk Dead – Say it Ain’t So!

This past Thursday Peter Falk died, which makes me sad.  I worked at an agency where he was a client, and had many interactions with him through my years in Hollywood.  He was a nice guy, a straight talker, and had a bullshit meter like no other, which is why it’s amazing he lasted so long in Hollywood.

His career spanned decades and included several Emmy wins and even a few Oscar nominations.  In fact, he has the designation of being the first actor ever to be nominated for an Emmy and an Oscar in the same year.  He was best known for his role on Columbo, which rewrote the rules for detectives on Television for years to come, but his film roles were always well regarded.  I even liked him in Corky Bonano, which is a short, ridiculous film starring a few of the Saturday Night Live crew from the late 1990′s and early 2000′s.

If you are a fan of crime tv, or detective stories, you have to watch Columbo. It is one of the best detective shows ever made, and spanned dozens of episodes. It’s first year is perhaps one of the better classic detective series you will ever see. Columbo seems to bumble through his cases, though in reality he’s very calculating, never judgmental, but always correct, and always gets him man. That story line or character arc may seem commonplace now, but the Columbo character created it.

Rest in Peace Peter Falk. You will be missed.