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Peter Falk (1927 - 2011) |
FALK, famous for playing
rumpled raincoat-wearing
Los Angeles Police Detective
Lieutenant COLUMBO,
has died at the age of 83.
BERT FREED was the
first actor to play the part
in a 1960 episode of The
Chevy Mystery Show,
entitled "Enough Rope",
with THOMAS MITCHELL
in the role when the plot was
used as the basis of a stage
play called "Prescription:
Murder" in 1962.
play called "Prescription:
Murder" in 1962.
LEE J. COBB and BING CROSBY were originally considered for the
part when it was decided to turn the play into a one-off TV movie, but Cobb
was unavailable and Crosby turned it down. The rest is history - Falk made the
role his own, first in the 1968 TV movie, and then in a semi-regular series from
1971 until 1978. Falk reprised the role in 1989 and continued playing the
part for several more years, his last portrayal being screened in 2003.
part when it was decided to turn the play into a one-off TV movie, but Cobb
was unavailable and Crosby turned it down. The rest is history - Falk made the
role his own, first in the 1968 TV movie, and then in a semi-regular series from
1971 until 1978. Falk reprised the role in 1989 and continued playing the
part for several more years, his last portrayal being screened in 2003.
The actor developed alzheimer's disease a few years ago, and
died peacefully at his Beverly Hills home on June 23rd.