One of the clips that most intrigues me in this week's video playlist for Columbo is the 1989 promo for the ABC revival of the series, a commercial that has Mark Linn-Baker doing his Columbo impression for the camera. Let's take another look:
It's not bad, eh? Maybe it's a little "cringy" today--maybe it was then--but you can't blame him for giving it a shot. The fact is, Peter Falk is up there with Peter Lorre and Jimmy Cagney as actors who are difficult to not imitate after watching them.
Linn-Baker had some in-house competition in 1989, though. It's Growing Pains star Jeremy Miller, an unexpected challenger to be sure, but one who gives it his all:
Are there more of these floating around? What other 1989 season ABC stars would you like to see in promos doing their best Columbo? Here's my quick list:
1) Burt Reynolds (then playing BL Stryker on the ABC Mystery Movie alongside Falk and Louis Gossett's Gideon Oliver): 'Nuff said.
2) Jackie Mason (Chicken Soup): I might pay to see this.
3) Timothy Busfield (Thirtysomething): I don't know why this idea amuses me, but it does.
4) Christopher Hewitt (Mr. Belvedere): Like YOU haven't pondered what his Peter Falk would sound like!
5) Diane Sawyer (Primetime Live): Why not?
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