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Welcome to Wiser Now’s weekly email blast which reflects my eclectic interests and, I hope, yours. This week, my focus is on TV premieres and specifically, ”Columbo.” In TV’s early days, new shows typically started their seasons in September and many still do. One example was the long-running series “Columbo” starring Peter Falk which began September 15, 1971 and is still amusing in reruns.
I hope you find these offerings fun, and perhaps even useful, and welcome your feedback. (Kathy@WiserNow.com) And if you haven’t yet pressed the subscribe button so this newsletter doesn’t go to spam, please do so now.
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The Quirky Quotes
“Columbo’s” scriptwriters sometimes gave the actor lines that revealed aspects of his quirkiness beyond his always rumpled raincoat:
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I can't swim, I don't even like a deep tub. ~ from An Exercise In Fatality
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My ears pop in an elevator. As a matter of fact, I don't even like being this tall. ~ from Swan Song
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The Quirky Facts
The tradition of new TV shows debuting in September goes back to the days of radio when shows typically ran for 39 weeks from fall to spring, taking the summer off. When TV was a new medium and networks were still trying to figure out what audiences wanted to see, the easiest (and often successful) strategy was to turn existing radio celebrities into TV celebrities as "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" (cast pictured) and "The Red Skelton Show" did. The fall through spring schedule that coincided roughly with the school year also made sense because fewer people tended to watch TV in summer when daylight lasted longer, typical routines were suspended, and many families took vacations.
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It also made sense for advertisers, especially car manufacturers, because they tended to introduce new models in August or September and were eager to have as many people as possible see their features. (In the 1950s and 60s, models often changed dramatically from year to year.) Dinah Shore had a popular variety show, and if you saw it, you can probably remember her singing, “See the USA in your Chevrolet …” (ironically, her radio show was sponsored by Ford.) On “You Bet Your Life,” Groucho Marx promoted DeSoto cars until their 1961 end, and Milton Berle’s show had Buick as a sponsor. “The Adventures of Superman” was sponsored by Kellogg’s cereals, but as an early example of subliminal product placement, characters always arrived in Nash automobiles.
Now, with hundreds of TV channels, networks, and streaming options, new series are introduced throughout the year, and the excitement of a new fall line-up has abated, but in 1971 it was still a thrill.
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The Quirky Observation
Peter Falk (born September 16, 1927) turned 44 the day after “Columbo” debuted. He was a successful actor who had won an Emmy and been an Academy Award nominee by then, but although “Columbo” didn’t air weekly, it ran for a total of 69 episodes from 1971 – 2003 (with a break in the 1980s) and that’s the role he is by far the most famous for. He completely embodied the cigar-smoking (his idea), homicide detective who drove a rare 1959 Peugeot 403 convertible. He wore his own clothes, including the shoes and shabby suit. He purchased the iconic raincoat in 1967 for $15 when he was caught in a downpour.
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In the second season, the show’s producers wanted to give Columbo a sidekick. Peter Falk at first resisted because he thought his character was gimmicky enough, but according to this imbd article, “When he met the lethargic, drooling basset hound that had been plucked from a pound,” he knew it was perfect. Shown here: the dog in bronze, that accompanies a Columbo statue in Europe. (See trivia quiz and answers for more. Picture is from the Columbophile.com blog.)
As for the seemingly bumbling detective who was ultimately a genius sleuth, some of the dialogue was his own. According to the same article, “Peter Falk frequently added in unscripted improvisations such as asking for a pencil, searching for something in his pockets, asking a character to repeat something, rambling about irrelevant trivialities, or adding in a line about Mrs. Columbo. Falk did this to frustrate and annoy his fellow actor (usually the suspect) and generate a genuine ‘get to the point’ moment.” It worked!
On the other hand, Columbo's iconic catchphrase "One more thing" was a reprisal of a line the show's creators, Dick Levinson and Bill Link, had used in an earlier project. According to Levinson: "We had a scene that was too short, and we had already had Columbo make his exit. We were too lazy to retype the scene, so we had him come back and say, 'Oh, just one more thing . . .'"
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Please Spread the Word
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Each week, the links to the current and seven previous Wiser Now Wednesdays are provided in the archive (“WN Wed Archive” on the far right of the menu bar). The current issue appears there late in the day of publication. Click on that or any other issue you want to share, and when it appears, at the top of the screen you will see “Share” with an f for Facebook and a bird for Twitter. Click on them to share to your contacts or just copy the URL at the top of your screen and send it to your contacts in an email. For all you activity professionals out there, this is also the best way to create a printable copy without your email info at the top.
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Thank you for sharing, and if you represent an organization that would like a customized version or that would consider becoming a sponsor, send me a note at Kathy@WiserNow.com.
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The Questions
- Are you/were you a fan of the “Columbo” TV series? Do you have favorite episodes?
- Do you like other detective shows? Which ones appeal and why?
- Did you ever look forward to the September reveal of fall TV shows? Did any meet your expectations?
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The Quiz – Columbo Trivia
If you have ever been a fan of ”Columbo,” you might find it easy to answer this quiz that I’ve adapted from one by METV, but be sure to check out the answers for more details.
Choose the correct answer:
1. What was Columbo’s rank?
a. Lieutenant ___ b. Sergeant ___ c. Major ___
2. Which police force did Columbo work for?
a. San Francisco ___ b. Los Angeles ___ New York ___
3. What iconic singer-actor turned down the role of Columbo?
a. Bing Crosby ___ b. Dean Martin ___ c. Frank Sinatra ___
4. Which famous Hollywood director helmed the first episode in 1971?
a. George Lucas ___ b. Francis Ford Coppola ___ c. Steven Spielberg ___
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5. Peter Falk had a glass eye in which eye socket?
a. Right ___ Left ___ Neither ___
6. Though Columbo's first name is never stated, in at least one episode, it could be seen on his badge. It said:
a. Louis ___
b. Frank ____
c. Angelo ___
7. This country singer played the killer in the memorable 1974 episode "Swan Song."
a. Willie Nelson ___
b. Johnny Cash ___
c. Hank Williams, Jr. ___
8. A bronze statue of Columbo and his dog can be found today in what European city?
a. Turin, Italy ___ b. Warsaw, Poland ___ c. Budapest, Hungary ___
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The Resources
Photo credits unless otherwise noted are from Wikipedia or purchased from iStock.
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The Featured Product - Mysterious Fun
How are you at solving mysteries in the form of riddles and word games? What do you know about movie producers like Alfred Hitchcock and authors like Agatha Christie? The Wiser Now slide shows are designed to give activity leaders a dozen or so programming ideas that can be shown on a wide screen TV, but they are also fun for individuals and families to share on an iPad or other tablet. Try one, and you will likely want more.
The 125 slides in Mysterious Fun provide wide-ranging and sleuthing exercises that focus more on solving mysteries than leaving you in suspense. Four trivia quizzes and three word games give you a chance to see what sort of detective you are. Can you imagine an ending to an intriguing mystery premise? What sort of crime stories appeal to you – action, thriller, a bit of humor, courtroom drama? As noted by the title, our emphasis is on the fun of solving puzzling mysteries. Keep your curiosity alive!
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Answers to the quiz
Answers:
1. a. Lieutenant
2. b. Los Angeles (So why did he need a raincoat all the time?)
3. a. Bing Crosby. The original character concept for Columbo was a smooth-talking, stylish, cultured personality and Bing Crosby was the first choice, but he preferred to play golf. Plus, he was 68 when the series premiered and if he had lived, would have been 100 when it ended.
4. c. Steven Spielberg
5. a. Right. Peter Falk lost his right eye to cancer at age three, and his college drama teachers supposedly warned him of his limited chances in the movies due to his uneven stare. He was indeed used to being underestimated due to his appearance, but he had impressive intellectual credentials, having earned a Master's degree in Public Administration from Syracuse University. He spent his early career years working for the State of Connecticut's Budget Bureau as an efficiency expert.
6. b. Frank
7. b. Johnny Cash
8. c. Budapest, Hungary. Although his character was supposedly a fluent Italian-speaking Italian-American, in reality, Peter Falk was of Polish-Czech-Hungarian ancestry and did not speak Italian. The statue shows Columbo looking befuddled, wearing his rumpled raincoat and holding a cigar. Installed in 2014, it is thought that the actor might have been a relative of the street's namesake, Miksa Falk, a 19th-century Hungarian political figure.
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My multiple goals are to amuse and inspire you, to share what I and people whom I admire are doing, to stimulate your curiosity, and spur you to action. I hope you enjoyed this offering. You can access previous issues here. I welcome your feedback. (Kathy@WiserNow.com) | | | | | |
