Columbo (character)

Columbo
Columbo character
Peter Falk as Columbo, 1973
First appearance	"Enough Rope" (1960)
Last appearance	"Columbo Likes the Nightlife" (2003)
Created by	Richard Levinson William Link
Portrayed by	Bert Freed (1960, TV) Thomas Mitchell (1962, stage) Peter Falk (1968–2003, TV) Dirk Benedict (2010, stage) John Guerrasio (2011, stage)

Lieutenant Columbo is the main character in the American detective crime drama television series Columbo created by Richard Levinson and William Link. Columbo is a shrewd and exceptionally observant homicide detective who often disguises his aptitude with his inelegant, shambling manner; trademarks of his blue-collar ethos include his rumpled beige raincoat, cigar and relentless investigative approach.^[1]

Columbo first appeared in a 1960 episode of The Chevy Mystery Show titled "Enough Rope", wherein he was portrayed by Bert Freed.^[2] After this, the character was portrayed almost entirely by Peter Falk, who appeared in the role from 1968 through 2003.^[1]

Levinson and Link have said that the character was based on the Crime and Punishment character Porfiry Petrovich.^[3][4] Roger Ebert claimed that Columbo's character was also influenced by Inspector Fichet from the French suspense-thriller film Les Diaboliques.^[5]

Columbo's signature catchphrase, "just one more thing", originated when Levinson and Link were writing a scene in which Columbo interrogated a criminal before leaving his apartment. The scene was too short, however, and they could not add conversation into the middle of the scene as they were using a typewriter, and that would require rewriting the scene from the beginning. They decided to fix this by having Columbo stick his head back through the door and say "just one more thing" as if he had forgotten something.^[4]

Columbo's first name is never mentioned in dialogue, although the name "Frank Columbo" is visible on pieces of identification in various episodes.^[6] Due to Columbo's first name being obscure in the show, author Fred L. Worth intentionally included a fictitious entry in The Trivia Encyclopedia, falsely claiming that the character's first name was "Philip" in order to catch copyright infringement of the book. This incorrect trivia was reused in Trivial Pursuit, causing Worth to sue the game's publishers. The lawsuit was dismissed by the judge.^[7]

As a police lieutenant for the Los Angeles Police Department, Columbo investigates elaborate murders committed by intelligent criminals who are often members of high society. With his high intelligence and keen eye for detail, Columbo usually suspects the true killer soon after investigating the scene of the crime. During the rest of the investigation, Columbo relies on his unassuming personality and seemingly clumsy manner to ingratiate himself with the suspect. Often, the suspect eventually confesses after Columbo reveals small but highly incriminating details he has discovered about the crime. Columbo classically drives an old beat-up Peugeot 403 car,^[8][9][10] which sometimes helps lull suspects into a false sense of security about the detective's competence. He does not carry a gun, and in later episodes is occasionally accompanied by an unnamed basset hound.

Information about Columbo's life outside of his police work is scarce and revealed through his rambling anecdotes. Columbo often refers to his wife, who is an unseen character in the show. She later received a spin-off show called Mrs. Columbo, although the canonicity of this show is disputed.^[11]

In a 2001 poll conducted by Channel 4 in the UK, Columbo was ranked 18th on their list of the 100 Greatest TV Characters.^[12] He was also listed by Parade as one of the "greatest TV cops of all time",^[6] and The Independent described him as "an enduring TV icon".^[4]

In 2014 a bronze sculptural work with life-sized statues of Columbo and his dog by the sculptor Géza Dezső Fekete [hu] was erected in Miksa Falk Street, Budapest.^[13] An urban legend states that the Hungarian politician and journalist Miksa Falk and Peter Falk were distant relatives, although this is untrue.^[14]

• List of fictional police detectives