List of Columbo episodes

The following is an episode list for the crime fiction television series Columbo. After two pilot episodes, the show originally aired on NBC from 1971 to 1978 as one of the rotating programs of The NBC Mystery Movie. Columbo then aired less frequently on ABC beginning in 1989. The last installment was broadcast in 2003.

Because the Columbo episodes from 1989 to 2003 aired infrequently, different DVD sets have been released around the world. In Region 2 and 4, all episodes have now been released as 10 seasons, with the 10th season covering the last 14 shows from "Columbo Goes to College" (1990) to the most recent "Columbo Likes the Nightlife" (2003).[1][2] However, in France, and The Netherlands (also Region 2) the DVDs were released as 12 seasons.[3] And in Region 1, all episodes from season 8 are grouped differently; all the episodes that are originally aired on ABC were released as the COLUMBO: The Mystery Movie Collections.[4] For the sake of clarity, all episodes in this article are arranged as they appear in the UK release.

Series overview

Season Network Episodes Originally aired
First aired Last aired
Pilots NBC 2 February 20, 1968 March 1, 1971
1 NBC 7 September 15, 1971 February 9, 1972
2 NBC 8 September 17, 1972 March 25, 1973
3 NBC 8 September 23, 1973 May 5, 1974
4 NBC 6 September 15, 1974 April 27, 1975
5 NBC 6 September 14, 1975 May 2, 1976
6 NBC 3 October 10, 1976 May 22, 1977
7 NBC 5 November 21, 1977 May 13, 1978
8 ABC 4 February 6, 1989 May 1, 1989
9 ABC 6 November 25, 1989 May 14, 1990
10 and
Specials
ABC 14
[DVD 1]
December 9, 1990 January 30, 2003
  1. The Season 10 DVDs released in Regions 2 and 4 cover the last 14 episodes.

Episodes

Before Peter Falk

Before Peter Falk was cast in the role of Columbo, Bert Freed played the character in "Enough Rope", a 1960 episode of The Chevy Mystery Show, a TV anthology series. In 1962, that episode became a stage play titled "Prescription: Murder" (starring Thomas Mitchell as Columbo). The play was adapted as a made-for-TV movie in 1968, with Falk debuting in the role. In this pilot episode, Columbo--rather than making the rumpled presentation that would later become the character's trademark--is less shabbily dressed, wearing suits, shorter hair, and heavier stage makeup. He carries a raincoat, which would become a staple, during some scenes. He also appears somewhat more aggressive when confronting suspects.

The NBC years (1968–1978)

Pilot episodes

No. in
series
Title Directed by Written by Length Original air date
1"Prescription: Murder"Richard IrvingRichard Levinson, William Link
based on their play
98 minutesFebruary 20, 1968 (1968-02-20)
Dr. Ray Fleming (Gene Barry), a psychiatrist, murders his wife (Nina Foch) and persuades his mistress Joan Hudson (Katherine Justice), who is an actress and one of his patients, to support his alibi by impersonating her.
2"Ransom for a Dead Man"Richard IrvingTeleplay: Dean Hargrove
Story: Richard Levinson, William Link
92 minutesMarch 1, 1971 (1971-03-01)
Leslie Williams (Lee Grant), a brilliant lawyer and pilot, murders her husband Paul (Harlan Warde) to get his money, arranging the act to look as if he had been kidnapped and killed by his captors. Columbo and Leslie's stepdaughter Margaret (Patricia Mattick) who hates her, successfully work together to get Leslie to implicate herself by revealing where she is keeping the money.

Season 1

Main article: Columbo (season 1)
No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Runtime Original air date
31"Murder by the Book"Steven SpielbergSteven Bochco73 minutesSeptember 15, 1971 (1971-09-15)
42"Death Lends a Hand"Bernard L. KowalskiRichard Levinson, William Link73 minutesOctober 6, 1971 (1971-10-06)
53"Dead Weight"Jack SmightJohn T. Dugan73 minutesOctober 27, 1971 (1971-10-27)
64"Suitable for Framing"Hy AverbackJackson Gillis73 minutesNovember 17, 1971 (1971-11-17)
75"Lady in Waiting"Norman LloydTeleplay: Steven Bochco
Story: Barney Slater
73 minutesDecember 15, 1971 (1971-12-15)
86"Short Fuse"Edward M. AbramsTeleplay: Jackson Gillis
Story: Lester Pine, Tina Pine, Jackson Gillis
73 minutesJanuary 19, 1972 (1972-01-19)
97"Blueprint for Murder"Peter FalkTeleplay: Steven Bochco
Story: William Kelley
73 minutesFebruary 9, 1972 (1972-02-09)

Season 2

Main article: Columbo (season 2)
No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Runtime Original air date
101"Étude in Black"Nicholas ColasantoTeleplay: Steven Bochco
Story: Richard Levinson & William Link
98 minutesSeptember 17, 1972 (1972-09-17)
112"The Greenhouse Jungle"Boris SagalJonathan Latimer73 minutesOctober 15, 1972 (1972-10-15)
123"The Most Crucial Game"Jeremy KaganJohn T. Dugan73 minutesNovember 5, 1972 (1972-11-05)
134"Dagger of the Mind"Richard QuineTeleplay: Jackson Gillis
Story: Richard Levinson & William Link
93 minutesNovember 26, 1972 (1972-11-26)
145"Requiem for a Falling Star"Richard QuineJackson Gillis73 minutesJanuary 21, 1973 (1973-01-21)
156"A Stitch in Crime"Hy AverbackShirl Hendryx73 minutesFebruary 11, 1973 (1973-02-11)
167"The Most Dangerous Match"Edward M. AbromsTeleplay: Jackson Gillis
Story: Jackson Gillis and Richard Levinson & William Link
73 minutesMarch 4, 1973 (1973-03-04)
178"Double Shock"Robert ButlerTeleplay: Steven Bochco
Story: Jackson Gillis and Richard Levinson & William Link
73 minutesMarch 25, 1973 (1973-03-25)

Season 3

Main article: Columbo (season 3)
No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Runtime Original air date
181"Lovely But Lethal"Jeannot SzwarcTeleplay: Jackson Gillis
Story: Myrna Bercovici
73 minutesSeptember 23, 1973 (1973-09-23)
192"Any Old Port in a Storm"Leo PennTeleplay: Stanley Ralph Ross
Story: Larry Cohen
98 minutesOctober 7, 1973 (1973-10-07)
203"Candidate for Crime"Boris SagalTeleplay: Irving Pearlberg & Alvin R. Friedman and Roland Kibbee & Dean Hargrove
Story: Larry Cohen
98 minutesNovember 4, 1973 (1973-11-04)
214"Double Exposure"Richard QuineStephen J. Cannell73 minutesDecember 16, 1973 (1973-12-16)
225"Publish or Perish"Robert ButlerPeter S. Fischer73 minutesJanuary 13, 1974 (1974-01-13)
236"Mind Over Mayhem"Alf KjellinTeleplay: Steven Bochco and Dean Hargrove & Roland Kibbee
Story: Robert Specht
73 minutesFebruary 10, 1974 (1974-02-10)
247"Swan Song"Nicholas ColasantoTeleplay: David Rayfiel
Story: Stanley Ralph Ross
94 minutesMarch 3, 1974 (1974-03-03)
258"A Friend in Deed"Ben GazzaraPeter S. Fischer94 minutesMay 5, 1974 (1974-05-05)

Season 4

Main article: Columbo (season 4)
No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Runtime Original air date
261"An Exercise in Fatality"Bernard L. KowalskiTeleplay: Peter S. Fischer
Story: Larry Cohen
94 minutesSeptember 15, 1974 (1974-09-15)
272"Negative Reaction"Alf KjellinPeter S. Fischer92 minutesOctober 6, 1974 (1974-10-06)
283"By Dawn's Early Light"Harvey HartHoward Berk94 minutesOctober 27, 1974 (1974-10-27)
294"Troubled Waters"Ben GazzaraTeleplay: William Driskill
Story: Jackson Gillis and William Driskill
94 minutesFebruary 9, 1975 (1975-02-09)
305"Playback"Bernard L. KowalskiDavid P. Lewis & Booker T. Bradshaw73 minutesMarch 2, 1975 (1975-03-02)
316"A Deadly State of Mind"Harvey HartPeter S. Fischer73 minutesApril 27, 1975 (1975-04-27)

Season 5

Main article: Columbo (season 5)
No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Runtime Original air date
321"Forgotten Lady"Harvey HartWilliam Driskill92 minutesSeptember 14, 1975 (1975-09-14)
332"A Case of Immunity"Ted PostTeleplay: Lou Shaw
Story: James Menzies
73 minutesOctober 12, 1975 (1975-10-12)
343"Identity Crisis"Patrick McGoohanWilliam Driskill94 minutesNovember 2, 1975 (1975-11-02)
354"A Matter of Honor"Ted PostBrad Radnitz73 minutesFebruary 1, 1976 (1976-02-01)
365"Now You See Him..."Harvey HartMichael Sloan85 minutesFebruary 29, 1976 (1976-02-29)
376"Last Salute to the Commodore"Patrick McGoohanJackson Gillis98 minutesMay 2, 1976 (1976-05-02)

Season 6

Main article: Columbo (season 6)
No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Runtime Original air date
381"Fade in to Murder"Bernard L. KowalskiTeleplay: Lou Shaw and Peter S. Feibleman
Story: Henry Garson
73 minutesOctober 10, 1976 (1976-10-10)
392"Old Fashioned Murder"Robert DouglasTeleplay: Peter S. Feibleman
Story: Lawrence Vail
73 minutesNovember 28, 1976 (1976-11-28)
403"The Bye-Bye Sky High IQ Murder Case"Sam WanamakerRobert Malcolm Young73 minutesMay 22, 1977 (1977-05-22)

Season 7

Main article: Columbo (season 7)
No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Runtime Original air date
411"Try and Catch Me"James FrawleyTeleplay: Gene Thompson & Paul Tuckahoe
Story: Gene Thompson
70 minutesNovember 21, 1977 (1977-11-21)
422"Murder Under Glass"Jonathan DemmeRobert van Scoyk73 minutesJanuary 30, 1978 (1978-01-30)
433"Make Me a Perfect Murder"James FrawleyRobert Blees94 minutesFebruary 25, 1978 (1978-02-25)
444"How to Dial a Murder"James FrawleyTeleplay: Tom Lazarus
Story: Anthony Lawrence
70 minutesApril 15, 1978 (1978-04-15)
455"The Conspirators"Leo PennHoward Berk
Based on an Idea by: Pat Robison
98 minutesMay 13, 1978 (1978-05-13)

The ABC years (1989–2003)

Season 8

Main article: Columbo (season 8)
No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Runtime Original air date
461"Columbo Goes to the Guillotine"Leo PennWilliam Read Woodfield89 minutesFebruary 6, 1989 (1989-02-06)
472"Murder, Smoke and Shadows"James FrawleyRichard Alan Simmons91 minutesFebruary 27, 1989 (1989-02-27)
483"Sex and the Married Detective"James FrawleyJerry Ludwig90 minutesApril 3, 1989 (1989-04-03)
494"Grand Deceptions"Sam WanamakerSy Salkowitz89 minutesMay 1, 1989 (1989-05-01)

Season 9

Main article: Columbo (season 9)
No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Runtime Original air date
501"Murder: A Self Portrait"James FrawleyRobert Sherman88 minutesNovember 25, 1989 (1989-11-25)
512"Columbo Cries Wolf"Daryl DukeWilliam Read Woodfield
Story by: Richard Levinson & William Link (uncredited)
90 minutesJanuary 20, 1990 (1990-01-20)
523"Agenda for Murder"Patrick McGoohanJeffrey Bloom88 minutesFebruary 10, 1990 (1990-02-10)
534"Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo"Vincent McEveetyPeter S. Fischer88 minutesMarch 31, 1990 (1990-03-31)
545"Uneasy Lies the Crown"Alan J. LeviSteven Bochco90 minutesApril 28, 1990 (1990-04-28)
556"Murder in Malibu"Walter GraumanJackson Gillis92 minutesMay 14, 1990 (1990-05-14)

Season 10 and specials

Main article: Columbo (season 10)
No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
561"Columbo Goes to College"E.W. SwackhamerTeleplay: Jeffrey Bloom
Story: Jeffrey Bloom and Frederick King Keller
December 9, 1990 (1990-12-09)
572"Caution: Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health"Daryl DukeSonia Wolf, Patricia Ford and April RaynellFebruary 20, 1991 (1991-02-20)
583"Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star"Alan J. LeviWilliam Read WoodfieldApril 29, 1991 (1991-04-29)
594"Death Hits the Jackpot"Vincent McEveetyJeffrey BloomDecember 15, 1991 (1991-12-15)
605"No Time to Die"Alan J. LeviTeleplay: Robert van Scoyk
Story: Ed McBain
March 15, 1992 (1992-03-15)
616"A Bird in the Hand..."Vincent McEveetyJackson GillisNovember 22, 1992 (1992-11-22)
627"It's All in the Game"Vincent McEveetyPeter FalkOctober 31, 1993 (1993-10-31)
638"Butterfly in Shades of Grey"Dennis DuganPeter S. FischerJanuary 10, 1994 (1994-01-10)
649"Undercover"Vincent McEveetyTeleplay: Gerry Day
Story: Ed McBain
May 2, 1994 (1994-05-02)
6510"Strange Bedfellows"Vincent McEveetyLawrence VailMay 8, 1995 (1995-05-08)
6611"A Trace of Murder"Vincent McEveetyCharles KippsMay 15, 1997 (1997-05-15)
6712"Ashes to Ashes"Patrick McGoohanJeffrey HatcherOctober 8, 1998 (1998-10-08)
6813"Murder With Too Many Notes"Patrick McGoohanTeleplay: Jeffrey Cava and Patrick McGoohan
Story: Jeffrey Cava
March 12, 2001 (2001-03-12)
6914"Columbo Likes the Nightlife"Jeffrey ReinerMichael AlaimoJanuary 30, 2003 (2003-01-30)

Repeat offenders

Here is a list of the actors who starred as murderers in more than one episode:

Index of killers by episode

Pilot episodes

Season 1 (1971–1972)

Season 2 (1972–1973)

Season 3 (1973–1974)

Season 4 (1974–1975)

Season 5 (1975–1976)

Season 6 (1976–1977)

Season 7 (1977–1978)

Season 8 (1989)

Season 9 (1989–1990)

Season 10 and specials (1990–2003)

Notes

References

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