Peter Falk

[pjohns]

My wife and I were just watching an episode of Columbo tonight.

Peter Falk--who, of course, played the part of the disheveled detective--was incredibly sharp, mentally (even though he did not appear that way, on the surface).

That is why it does seem ironic that Peter Falk spent his final years as a victim of Alzheimer's disease--in other words, without his right mind.

It is my understanding that his second (and final) wife would not allow the (adult) children from his first marriage to visit him at the end, as she simply did not want them to see him in that terrible state.

This, I think, is rather sad...

[Cotton1]

I like Peter Falk. I also love Columbo

[Standing Wolf]

I saw Falk on a talk show many years ago, relating the story of how he tried to enlist in the Marines after graduating from high school, as WWII was winding down. He demonstrated the test that got him rejected for Service - the doctor moved his finger back and forth before Falk's face and told him to follow it with his eyes. One eye followed it and of course the glass one did not. He ended up enlisting and serving in the Merchant Marine. His eye was surgically removed when he was three, but he still played baseball and basketball in high school.

I can remember hanging out at the Enlisted Club at my first duty station in '73 and there would always be a loud, raucous crowd making a lot of noise until Lt. Columbo came on the t.v. behind the bar and then everybody would shut up, watch and listen. I've only ever seen one other character do that to a crowd and that was Groucho Marx.

[Boris The Animal]

If anyone recalls the movie: "Murder By Death", he played Sam Diamond.

[The Booman]

If anyone recalls the movie: "Murder By Death", he played Sam Diamond.

Classic

[The Booman]

Isn't Falk getting sworn in on 1/20/2021?

[Standing Wolf]

One very funny movie, from 1979.

[RMNIXON]

Big Fan of Columbo and Falk, and yes his final years were tragic. If I recall correct there was also family infighting over control of money?


Best know as Columbo that is still run on TV, he was also in many memorable movie rolls including a cabbie in "Mad Mad World" and the unforgettable Max in "The Great Race."

In Columbo the shtick was being disheveled and appearing to be confused when in reality he was very sharp in observations. Was it an act or a characters flawed personality, or perhaps some of both?

[RMNIXON]

[pjohns]

I've only ever seen one other character do that to a crowd and that was Groucho Marx.

Wasn't he one of the three Marx brothers (the other two being Harpo and Karl)?