Posted on 06/15/2021 11:08:16 AM PDT by mylife
Over the past year of hibernation, many viewers have rediscovered the joy of watching Columbo. The landmark 1970s TV mystery series starred Peter Falk in his multiple-Emmy-winning role as a raincoat-wearing, cigar-smoking detective who always had just one more question. The show was also popular in the time of its original airing, where it rotated on the NBC Mystery Movie schedule and featured an array of dazzling murderous guest stars like Janet Leigh, Leonard Nimoy, and John Cassavetes.
Columbo’s reach even stretched to other countries: The people of Romania, for example, were huge fans. So much so that in 1974, when the Columbo episodes for that season ran out, the populace protested, and the Romanian government reached out to Falk himself to try to stem the uprising. This week, Twitter user John Frankensteiner dug up a 1989 Chicago Tribune article relaying the incident. Many on Reddit have called bullshit—but Falk told the story himself in his memoir Just One More Thing, and also during a 1995 David Letterman appearance.
The confusion, as Falk explains, came from the fact that the Romanian government had a quota on how much American television could be viewed in the country. With Columbo averaging less than 10 shows per season, the people of Romania were convinced that the government was keeping more episodes from them, stoking fears of a massive protest. So the U.S. State Department invited Falk to a meeting in a New York hotel room with a representative from Romania.
(Excerpt) Read more at avclub.com ...
jessica fletcher could never pull this off
I love the episode where the social worker thought Lt. Columbo was a bum. When he showed ID she said his undercover costume was perfect for skid row.
it was a good show.
They could have spoiled them with 2 hours of “The Cheap detective”.
I don’t think I would riot over it though.
I cant imagine the turmoil created when McGyver was cancelled...
I always amazed how easily Mr. Goody Good Guy, Dick Van Dyke, slipped into playing a villain.
I remember in the Communist-era in Poland, they would deliberately show Kojak on Sundays to discourage church attendance.
I cant imagine the turmoil created when McGyver was cancelled...
“Is there anything he cant do?”
Breathing is currently an issue for Peter Falk. But the doctors say his condition is stable.
Mrs Columbo has a cousin in Romania.......
That was a time when TV was worth watching and entertaining.
Those days are gone.
The original “In-Laws” movie was great.
I have season 2 on DVD and that has the John Cassavetes episode (which also features Myrna Loy) as well as the Leonard Nimoy one (A Stitch in Crime) and Anne Baxter’s Requiem for a Falling Star and also (one of my favourites) Dagger of the Mind.
Bet Ceausescu wished they were still making Columbo episodes in 1989.
Currently? Umm, breathe.
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