Just one more thing... I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Mr. Falk backstage at the Emmys about ten years ago. As I stated on my Facebook, he was kind, funny, and drunk as a skunk. It was awesome. And yes, even in a tuxedo he looked like the rumpled police detective we all knew and loved.
I shall have to dig out my VHS copies of "The Cheap Detective" and "Murder By Death," which will be much easier to do now that I have my own place again and can scatter my belongings wherever I want with wild and reckless abandon. Still haven't found my VCR though, which has me somewhat worried. On Friday, June 24, 2011, PGage <[email protected]> wrote: > He created one of the best characters in the history of > television.************************* > http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13909992 > Peter Falk, the American actor most famous for his role as TV's scruffy > detective, Columbo, has died at the age of 83. The actor died peacefully at > home in Beverly Hills on Thursday night, his family said in a statement. He > had been suffering from dementia for a number of years. > > Peter Falk won four Emmys for his cigar-chomping role in > Columbo, which ended in 1977, and was nominated for Oscars in 1960 and > 1961.But for most fans, his best-supporting actor nominations in > Murder Inc and Pocketful of Miracles were eclipsed by his six years > playing a deceptively bumbling sleuth with a shabby mac and the killer > catch-phrase: "One more thing..." > > Columbo was first aired by NBC in 1971, appearing every third > week until it was cancelled in 1977. Falk reportedly turned down an offer to > convert it into a weekly series, citing the heavy workload. The actor > reportedly bought Columbo's trademark raincoat > himself, only for it to be replaced after it became too tattered through > its near constant use in the series.He told one interviewer his shabby > detective looked "like a flood victim"."You feel sorry for him. He appears to > be seeing nothing, but > he's seeing everything. Underneath his dishevellment, a good mind is at > work." > Peter Michael Falk was born in 1927 in New York City, where his > parents ran a clothes shop.He had an eye removed at the age of three due to > cancer. He > said he learned to live with the ailment after it became "the joke of > the neighbourhood"."If the umpire ruled me out on a bad call, I'd take the > fake > eye out and hand it to him," Falk told the Associated Press in a 1963 > interview. As an aspiring actor, he was reportedly warned by one agent > the false eye would preclude him from working in television. In fact, it > became another endearing trait of his most famous character. > Peter Falk had been under 24-hour care for several years. The actor > is survived by his wife of three decades, Shera, and daughters from a > previous marriage Catherine and Jackie. In 2009, Catherine Falk applied to be > put in charge of his > estate, saying he was suffering from Alzheimer's and that she had been > blocked from seeing him for six months. > > > > -- > TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "TV or Not TV" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en -- Kevin M. (RPCV) -- TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en
