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.
Trivia: Columbo's first name is never mentioned throughout the series. However in a few episodes, such as "Dead Weight", "A Matter of Honor" and "Death Hits the Jackpot" he flashes his badge and the name "Frank" can clearly be seen.
Trivia: Peter Falk's real-life wife appeared in 6 episodes, each time as a different character.
A Deadly State of Mind - S4-E6
Trivia: Unusually enough for a television show devoted to a homicide detective and the way he unravels the plans of cunning murderers, the fact is that Columbo has nothing to do in this episode. Doctor Collier is seriously assaulted by Carl Donner who then goes on to violently attack his wife. Use of deadly force to prevent such an attack is allowed in the United States. Collier does not commit murder; he doesn't even commit a crime. You'd think such a hightly educated man would know enough to keep his head, call the police and explain what had happened. He wouldn't even be charged.
Suggested correction: Collier would have lost his licence to practice medicine as a result of his having a sexual relationship with a patient, and his killing the woman's husband - justified or not - would have made this much worse. For a start, the lucrative book deal he is about to sign would certainly have been cancelled. He stands to lose everything. Of course he is going to try to cover it up by any means possible, including committing another murder.
Trivia: Columbo's wardrobe for the show was Peter Falk's own clothes.
Trivia: When Columbo is leaving Kinsley's office, he says, "I set that up for tomorrow. That'll be good. You and me together, Pat. Three eyes are better than one." This is a nod to Peter Falk (Columbo) having only one eye, having lost one to retinoblastoma when he was three years old.
Dead Weight - S1-E4
Trivia: Columbo's first name is revealed when Columbo shows his badge at the door, freeze the picture. A little more light and a little turn - and you can read the signature: Frank Columbo. (00:12:20)
Trivia: In "Etude in Black," season 2, episode 1, Columbo uses the fact that the mileage on the car in the repair shop changes to help solve the crime. In "Mind Over Mayhem," season 3, episode 6, he again uses the mileage change to help solve the crime.
Death Hits the Jackpot - S11-E1
Trivia: The car Freddy is looking at is a Dino 308 GTS (made by Ferrari, but not officially a Ferrari), which was manufactured from 1977 to 1980. (The photo and the car in the dealership has the rear side window slats from the later 308GTSi.) Freddy is going to pay $175,000 for the car. That car, when new, cost slightly more than $30,000, and the most expensive 308 Dino ever sold went for $159,500. (The Magnum P.I. Dino was at auction, expecting to fetch $150,000 to $250,000).
Trivia: In episode 10-3 the murderer smokes "Victory" brand cigarettes. In episode 10-2 the victim smokes "Victory." I have a suspicion that "Victory" cigarettes would be the only brand seen in any episode.
Dead Weight - S1-E4
Trivia: Kate Reid in this episode plays Mrs. Walters, the mother of Helen Stewart (Suzanne Pleshette). In real life, Reid was only seven years older than Pleshette.
Trivia: While Columbo's first name is never said, "The Trivia Encyclopedia" by Fred L. Worth listed his first name as "Philip." When the board game "Trivial Pursuit" used this fact as a question, Worth sued "Trivial Pursuit" for copyright infringement because he had actually made up that fact to catch anyone violating his copyright, the same way a mapmaker or dictionary company would add something fake to catch unauthorized copiers.
Death Hits the Jackpot - S11-E1
Trivia: Freddy's fake watch is a "Le Sur 2600." It has a day window across the 12 position (like a Rolex Day-Date), but it does not display a day.
Trivia: When Benedict conducts Beethoven's Sixth Symphony, the recording was actually the NBC Symphony, conducted by Toscanini.
