Columbo

Columbo (1971)

2 corrected entries in season 3

(34 votes)

Starring: Peter Falk

Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Publish or Perish - S3-E5

Corrected entry: Riley pays hired killer Eddie off with a wad of bills which he says totals a thousand dollars. But just the top note in the cash roll he hands Eddie is a $1000 bill - so obviously, it's more than a thousand dollars. (00:05:00)

Jean G

Correction: It is not a $1,000 bill, but a $100 bill. The $1,000 bill (last printed in 1945) has either a large portrait of the bald eagle or the words United States of America (depending on the year). The bill seen has neither of these, and in fact you can see part of the Independence Hall portrait that's on the $100 bill. Additional evidence it is a $100 is the way 100 is printed, curving around the border, the $1,000 bill has the numbers flat or curving in the opposite direction.

Bishop73

Publish or Perish - S3-E5

Corrected entry: When Columbo talks with a publisher and agent at a fancy restaurant, he asks for Chili, which the snobbish waiter indicates they don't have. However, when asked by the publisher to help him out, the waiter returns minutes later with a bowl of chili, which would be impossible. You don't need to be a chef to know that chili takes two or more hours to prepare.

Correction: What he brought was probably heated up chili from a can.

The Conspirators - S7-E5

Factual error: Devlin proclaims himself to be a staunch Irish Republican but he refers to the Northern Irish city of Derry as "Londonderry." This is the name imposed upon the place by the British and is despised and rejected by Republicans. Devlin would refer to the city as "Derry."

More mistakes in Columbo

Columbo: Oh, I didn't come to ask any more questions. I came to arrest you.

More quotes from Columbo

How to Dial a Murder - S7-E4

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.

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Show generally

Question: Why was Columbo never promoted, given that across the whole show he solves all the murders in such a spectacular fashion?

Answer: In the show, he was already a Lieutenant. A promotion would put him in the next rank up, which for the L.A.P.D. would be Captain. However, some of a Captain's duties would be overseeing other officers and ensuring they're compliant with policies, regulations, and standards. It would also most likely take him out of the field. This is something Columbo has no desire for as he rarely goes to police HQ's. Nor does he show interest in compliance and standards (for example, not going to his semi-annual evaluation at the firing range). However, he could still be assigned to a higher pay grade based on expertise, which is a form of promotion that does not include rank advancement. This would be going from Lieutenant I to Lieutenant II. I don't believe in the show it's ever started what his pay grade is. Although, in s02e01 (I believe) he mentions making $11K a year. Whether or not this was a true statement on his part, if you could find pay scale information for an LAPD Lieutenant in the 70's, it could give you an idea of his pay grade.

Bishop73

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