AS TV detectives go, Columbo lives long in the memory. More than 50 years after his debut, a new book celebrates the landmark American TV series that continues to air to audiences around the world.

 

Cigar-chomping, raincoat-sporting Columbo?

That’s the one. The rumpled American detective in the beige raincoat who was always very polite and yet relentless in his investigations, forever returning to the room to say “just one more thing” and putting his suspect off-guard in the process. Columbo was “event TV” in its heyday, drawing millions of viewers.

 

Played by…?

Peter Falk - who died 10 years ago at the age of 83 - made the character his own, from the pilot episode in 1960 and on to the first season - which began with the episode "Murder by the Book" in 1971, directed by none other than Steven Spielberg in one of his first major directing gigs - to the last episode in 2003.

 

It was formulaic?

In a way that was new at the time, yes, with Columbo popularising the “inverted detective story” format, as viewers learned the culprit in the opening scenes and then watched shambling but shrewd Columbo solve the clues. 

 

How many episodes were made?

Sixty-nine shows were made of the detective series that also became known for featuring repeat guest stars as different murderers, notably George Hamilton, William Shatner, Jack Cassidy and Patrick McGoohan, who also directed a number of episodes. Other star turns over the years included Billy Connolly, Honor Blackman, Rock Hudson, Faye Dunaway and Johnny Cash.

 

So there’s a new book out?

The new tome "Shooting Columbo" has just gone on pre-sale ahead of its September release, written by author David Koenig, who hails from Illinois in the US. He said the book “provides a blow-by-blow account of the making of all 69 classic mysteries”.

 

He’s a fan?

The California-based author told The Herald the behind-the-scenes look at the making of Columbo has been a labour of love. He said: “When I was growing up in the 1970s, Columbo was my mom’s favourite TV show. And with just one TV set in the house, my entire family watched - and came to love - Columbo. There were so many rumours over the years of how difficult Peter Falk could be on the seat, yet the episodes turned out so wonderfully. I had to find out what really happened.”

 

And as well as the book and TV repeats…?

The show has a sizeable social media following, with fan pages set up dedicated to the series and its star, including Columbophile on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, with thousands of followers.

 

So the show lives on?

Prior to his death, Falk had expressed interest in returning to the role he was best known for, but it was not to be. Fans keep the memory alive, though. Columbophile states, “Columbo is a wonderful antidote to the aggro world we live in” adding that the “satisfaction of seeing the ‘little guy’ take down the morally-bankrupt privileged elite of society never gets old”.