Starring: Peter Falk
Murder, a Self Portrait - S9-E1
Character mistake: When Columbo is asking Barsini about one particular artist paintbrush, Barsini says it is a fluffy sable brush. It's actually one made from pig bristle. Natural sable brushes are soft red fur, while pig bristles are stiffer and a light beige color. There's no mistaking the two, and any experienced artist knows the difference.
Factual error: Probably an in joke - the wheels of the "airliner" shown landing at LA international airport are those of a B52 bomber. They are very distinctive and look nothing like those on any airliner ever made.
Trivia: A clever, subtle hint as to Mason's guilt - Columbo arrives at the animal pound just in time to stop him feeding Laurel and Hardy (the dogs he trained to kill on command) a large amount of chocolate treats. He has planned this murder meticulously, and he would be aware that chocolate is extremely toxic to dogs. The amount he is planning to feed them from the bulging bag of large chocolate balls he is holding would kill both dogs within hours if ingested.
Question: The examiner says he can't tell which blow hit the victim first. Columbo says he's lying on his back and says the blow to the forehead was first. Why did he think that? If the first blow hit him on the forehead and he fell on his back, how did he get the second blow on the back of his head while he was lying that way?
Answer: Columbo deduces that the first blow must have been to the front of the head, the force causing the victim to fall backwards and hitting the back of his head hard on the ground.
raywest ★