Columbo
Summary
One of the standout feature of Richard Levinson and William Link ’s iconic detective series was the number of iconicColumboguest stars that appeared . First airing in 1971,Columbofollows Lieutenant Columbo , a quirky yet calculative LAPD homicide tec who investigates and solve murder compositor’s case . Columbo has many trademark features that have made the character iconic such as his beige raincoat , his cigar - smoking habit , his old Peugeot 403 car , his love of chili and his married woman ( who is never seen ) , and his iconic catchphrase , " Just one more thing . "
Part of whyColumbobecame so popular is that it subverted many of the tropes and expectations of classic whodunnit and detective stories . Each episode begins with the killer committing the crime and then unveil their identity element all before Columbo attempts to solve these enigma himself . By let out the perpetrator early on , the show is able to add just as much attention to the scoundrel and victims as Columbo himself . This creates a sense of suspense and tenseness in which the villains essay to get aside with their offence . And it becomes especially thrilling when eitherColumbo ’s victims or criminals are played by famous guest stars .
Roddy McDowall (S1.E6 “Short Fuse”)
InColumboseason 1 , episode 6 " Short Fuse " , Roddy McDowall guest stars as Roger Stanford , a ' LXX British hipster who bang pranking the secretaries at his family ’s chemical plant and constantly stating how everyone around him is a " straight " . Roger is revealed at the very beginning to have used exploding cigars to kill his uncle . McDowall is famous for playing Cornelius in thePlanet of the Apesfilms , though he might be better known to comic - book fans as the Mad Hatter inBatman : The Animated Series , considered by many to bethe best incarnation of Batman .
Janet Leigh (S5.E1 “Forgotten Lady”)
Janet Leigh plays Grace Wheeler Willis inColumboseason 5 , episode 1 " Forgotten Lady " . Grace is a former motion picture adept who is wait to make a return to the big concealment . However , when her married man tells Grace that her dream of making a comeback are unrealistic , she drugs him up with sleeping pills and then shoot him to make his death await like a suicide . Leigh is well be intimate for playing Marion Crane , the famous execution victim of Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock’sPsycho . She has also appear in films likeTouch of Evilas Susan Vargas and John Carpenter’sThe Fogas Kathy Williams .
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Janis Paige (S1.E7 “Blueprint For Murder”)
InColumboseason 1 , episode 7 " Blueprint for Murder " , Janis Paige plays Goldie Williamson , the ex-wife - married woman of the instalment ’s victim , Beau Williamson . After Elliot Markham kills Beau and veil his body , Goldie is the first to become suspicious of his disappearing and becomes lively in helping Columbo solve the case . Paige was praise by critics for being a warm feminist character who exuded strength and confidence without ever being unlikeable . The actress is best known for starring in films likeSilk Stockingsas Peggy Dayton , Please Do n’t feed the Daisiesas Deborah Vaughn , andRomance on the High Seasas Elvira Kent .
Vincent Price (S3.E1 “Lovely But Lethal”)
Vincent Price dally David Lang inColumboseason 3 , instalment 1 " Lovely But Lethal " . David is a cosmetic CEO and archrival to Viveca Scott , the so - called " Queen of the Cosmetics Industry " . Scott arise a miracle cure for wrinkles that she go for will boost her company ’s sale and permit her to catch Lang ’s ornamental companionship . However , when she realizes that her x - boyfriend , Dr. Karl Lessing ( diddle by Martin Sheen ) , has stolen it , she defeat him in a fit of rage . Price is best know for play The Inventor in Tim Burton’sEdward Scissorhands , Frederick Loren inHouse on Haunted Hill , and Professor Henry Jarrod inHouse of Wax .
Leslie Nielsen (S1.E5 “Lady In Waiting” & S5.E3 “Identity Crisis”)
While Leslie Nielsen is primarily have it away as a comedic actor , he also had a long - lay down career of toy spectacular roles on TV show as well . InColumbo , Nielsen play two part : in time of year 1 , instalment 5 " Lady in Waiting " , he plays Peter Hamilton , the attorney boyfriend of the killer whale , and in time of year 5 , sequence 3 " Identity Crisis " he plays A.J. Henderson , a CIA factor who is murdered by one of his associates with a tire iron . Nielsen is well know for playing Dr. Rumack in the 1980 comedy classicAirplane!and Frank Drebin in theNaked Gunfranchise .
Johnny Cash (S3.E7 “Make Me A Perfect Murder”)
InColumboseason 3 , episode 7 " Make Me a Perfect Murder " , fabled musician Johnny Cash plays renowned gospel singer Tommy Brown . When his wife Edna accuses him of despoil one of his backup singers , Maryann , Brown kills both women by drug them to catch some Z’s while fly his private plane and then parachuting out of the plane before it crashes into some mountains in the desert . While Johnny Cash is most known for his country music career and song like " Ring of Fire " , " valet in Black " , and " I Walk the line of reasoning " , he has also star in several moving picture likeThe Last day of Frank and Jesse Jamesas Frank James .
Faye Dunaway (It’s All In The Game)
Critically acclaim actress Faye Dunaway stars in the Columbo TV movieIt ’s All in the Gameas Lauren Staton , a mother who team up up with her daughter to toss off an opprobrious boyfriend . While Dunaway play a femme fatale is nothing new , what was shocking was that , in this episode , Columbo nearly cheat on his married woman as both Lauren and Colombo apportion a passionate buss . Dunaway is best know for iconic picture show likeBonnie and Clydeas Bonnie Parker , Networkas Diana Christensen , andChinatownas Evelyn Cross Mulwray .
William Shatner (S6.E1 “Fade In To Murder” & Butterfly In Shades Of Grey)
When William Shatner in an episode ofColumboand one of the franchise ’s TV moving-picture show , it was coincidentally bring out that he was the killer whale both clip . In season 6 , installment 1 " Fade in to Murder " , he plays a fictional TV mystery actor call Ward Fowler who kills his helper who was essay to blackmai him .
In the TV movieButterfly in Shades of Grey , Shatner plays a tinny wireless host constitute Fielding Chase who kill one of his faculty members for trying to help his alienated daughter . The actor is best known for encounter Captain James T. Kirk in theStar Trekfranchise andShatner has played more versions of Captain Kirkthan anyone else .
Dick Van Dyke (S4.E2 “Negative Reaction”)
Dick Van Dyke plays Paul Galesko inColumboseason 4 , episode 2 " Negative Reaction " . Paul is a famous photographer who stages an abduction of his wife , Frances , and shoots her dead to be with his supporter , Lorna . Considering that Van Dyke seldom plays villain , seeing the doer play such a devious quality was a dead on target case of his reach . Van Dyke is best known for starring in his ego - titled sitcomThe Dick Van DykeShowas Rob Petrie , along with cinema likeChitty Chitty Bang Bangas Caractacus Potts , Bye Bye Birdieas Albert F. Peterson , andMary Poppinsas Bert .
Leonard Nimoy (S2.E6 “A Stitch In Crime”)
Leonard Nimoy seem inColumboseason 2 , episode 6 " A Stitch in Crime " as Dr. Barry Mayfield , a man who kills his colleagues in parliamentary procedure to further his own life history within the field of skill and medicine . Nimoy is considered by many critic as one of the good Edgar Guest stars in the entire series as not only does he play a quiet , calculating , and unsettling manslayer , but he is also the only baddie who is able to get under Columbo ’s peel . Nimoy ’s power to fiddle such a dissimilar character from Spock , the human / Vulcan hybridStar Trekcharacter he is most known for , highlights just how versatile he was .
