The film series Columbo inspires so many people,Lt. Columbo who was always under estimated by his fellow officers and murderersalways show that he can prove himself. | Columbo | columbo trivia | iPhone app | trivia apps | apps
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• Actor Peter Falk also died yesterday at the age of 83. His work was shockingly non-nerdy -- he he was best known for Columbo, obviously -- but he played the grandfather in The Princess Bride, one of the most beloved nerd movies in existence, and that's enough to have his passing mentioned here. Try to give it a watch and tell someone you love "As you wish" this weekend.
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i once met gene Colan at my first big apple con i said "i hope i am not bothering you" he said with a smile "if it wasn't for you guy's i wouldn't be here" a true humble talent and great guy r.i.p.
For some reason, Colombo was hugely popular in Japan, and I'd see re-runs of the movies on all the time. He was up there with Sydney Sheldon in terms of me say, "Damn, why is this so popular in Japan?"
Peter Falk was amazing in every role he played, but if you haven't seen Sam Diamond in "Murder By Death" or Guy Gisborne in the Rat Pack "Robin and the Seven Hoods", plus just hearing him do the line 'I swallowed my gum' in "The Cheap Detective". RIP Mr. Falk, nobody will ever fill your raincoat.
Seconded! Personally, I watched "Murder by Death" and "The Cheap Detective" back to back yesterday evening. And thanks for reminding me that I still don't have a copy of "Robin and the Seven Hoods"; I'll have to do something about that.
You don't think Columbo was nerdy? He was a detective who was smarter than the bad guys, beat them with logic and didn't get in fights. Hands up anyone here who can identify with that.
I grew up on Tomb of Dracula, and House of Mystery; I remember having to beg for money every month to buy what my mom called "those awful horror books". HoM was great, but Tomb of Dracula was epic. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Colan in the mid 90's at a convention, I only wish I'd gotten something signed (all those old comics were long ago vengefully disposed of by mom in a housecleaning rampage). Goodbye and thank you, sir!
Such a shame. One of the highlights of my time in the comic book industry was interviewing Gene Colan. Maybe the sweetest man I've ever spoken to, and what a career! Before joining the army in WWII his first published comic was a comic about the P-51 Mustang for the army. From that to album covers for Rob Zombie. So cool. Look up the story of how he got hired at Timely (nee: Marvel). An amazing story, and an amazing guy. This is really sad news.
Here's a quick link to the interview Mr. Colan gave me. Hadn't looked at it in a long time. He was such a sweet man.
One more thing, a bit help to Gene at the end of his life was an organization called The Hero Initiative. Look for them at any of the big Cons, they'll be there usually selling something cool and all the $$ goes to help comic creators down on their luck. It's a great organization and they and Marvel put out a great retrospective on Gene's work. Anyway, it's a good cause, buy their stuff, become a member, help out some people who've given us a lot of joy.
In honor of Peter Falk, I'm currently watching John Cassavetes's A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE. I can't stop feeling like I want to cry my eyeballs out.
As someone with a complete run of Daredevil comics, and for whom The Princess Bride is in their top three favorite movies of all time, this is a sad day for me.
They will be remembered.
I've always looked at Columbo as a "nerd" property. IMO, Columbo was the ultimate nerd in trench coat, pwning murdering douchebags week after week. I've got all the TV seasons on DVD and most of the recent TV movie ones. Time to go back and have a visit.
I HIGHLY recommend Tomb of Dracula by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colon. Every panel is a masterpiece!
Also, if you haven't seen it, look up The In-Laws starring Peter Falk and Alan Arkin from 1979. Not "nerdy" but a really funny movie and a great performance from Falk.
Sad day.
Goddammit, all my childhood faves are dying off. RIP to both. My friend just bought the complete Columbo collection on Monday. Guess Im just getting older and what I grew up with will pass. So I raise a glass in all their honours.
No! Columbo can't die! He was among the top TV cops of ALL TIME. The world truly lost something today.
I am nerdy beyond belief, and I love Columbo. He's one of my favorite TV detectives, and I'm going to miss him. But I'd also heard Peter Falk was suffering from dementia, so I'm glad he's not anymore. Just one more thing...
Falk did indeed have dementia. Some two years ago, a court denied his daughter's request of conservatorship, with a note that it was not time... YET. As someone who was going through a similar situation myself that continues to this day, I really felt bad about it.
Falk was noted for being one of the most genial and humble guys around. Completely non-Hollywood important. Mark & Brain here in Los Angeles told a story about doing an interview with him where they came by his house and found that there was no power for the equipment. Falk went inside and clambered through a spare bedroom window running a long extension cord out to them all by himself. I just smile thinking of Colombo half way out a window with a long cord, "Boys? Ya got it? Wait. Hang on. Lemme get ya some slack. Ya got it??"
How very Columbo! ;)
In an age where many actors have to reach a certain standard of aesthetic perfection, I have nothing but affection for Falk's scattered, rumpled persona and glass eye.
I hope your circumstances resolve themselves in the best possible way.
I learned several weeks ago that Dirk Benedict (the cigar-smoking Faceman/Starbuck himself) has taken over duty for Peter Falk playing Columbo on stage in the original "Prescription: Murder".
This is something I desperately need to see. (I wonder if there are YouTube snatches of it...?)
Edited to add: sort of; there's a trailer for the production. I'm surprisingly... dubious... about the attempt. Hm.
Decided to finally order all currently available Columbo movie DVD collections today, when I heard the news. (They're still missing the 94-2004 movies, but those'll be released eventually.)
Also finally picked up "Murder By Death". Wanted to get the spiritual sequel "The Cheap Detective" (which I very vaguely remember being one of the first things I ever recorded off TV on our new VCR), but word is that the transfer is trash. {sad}
Mental note to pick up "Machine Gun McCain", too...
Gene Colan's run on Wonder Woman was short but very memorable. He will be missed. R I P. First Dwayne McDuffie, now him. It's been a bad year for losing my nerd heroes
