Top Ten #90

1) Lt. Columbo: One of the best characters in TV history and also one of the biggest pains in the butt--but in a good way. if you didn't get enough of him from our podcast this week, here's another glimpse:

2) Leonard Nimoy: As we discussed this week, Nimoy's Barry Mayfield (yep, I get joy from writing that name as well as saying it) is one of the series' best villains, and seeing him match up with Columbo is a riot.

3) DeForest Kelley: Just because we talked about Shatner and Nimoy on the podcast this week, and I feel bad Kelley wasn't on Columbo.

4) The BBC: Founded on this day in 1922 for--as far as those of us in the States are aware--the express purpose of running Are You Being Served and Keeping Up Appearances hundreds of times a year.

5) Pam Dawber: Happy birthday to the underrated straight man of the Mork and Mindy team.

6) Nita Talbot: She is one of the more interesting parts of "A Stitch in Crime."

7) Supermarket Sweep: Finally, because...someone demanded it, a revamp of this one premieres on ABC tonight. My own criterion for a good game show: Was Orson Bean on it? If not, it probably isn't worthwhile.

8) Tom Kennedy: If they made a game show called Who Hosted the Most Game Shows? he would have to have made the speed round. R.I.P.

9) Louis Gossett: I for one had no idea he did Oreo commercials in the Eighties:

10) Conchata Ferrell: R.I.P. to the popular actress, who was in many, many things before Two and a Half Men, none of which had a theme this awesome:

YouTube Spotlight: Everyone's got a Columbo impression...

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?

The Columbo video playlist is now live!

 After listening to this week's podcast, how about enjoying just one more thing? Actually, there are dozens of things to enjoy in our video playlist for this episode! Click below to see vintage promos, Emmy speeches, glimpses of Mrs. Columbo, and more! If you ever wanted to see Mark Linn-Baker impersonate Peter Falk, this is your chance!

And remember to visit our official YouTube channel for more episode-specific playlists like this plus every edition of our podcast!

Show Notes: Episode 8-4: Columbo

 *Columbo has 43 episodes (plus 2 pilots) in its 1970s run on NBC and 24 in its second stint on ABC from 1989-2003. It was part of the NBC Mystery Movie on NBC from 1971-1978, starting as a Wednesday show and moving to Sunday.

*The series won 13 Emmy awards, including 4 for peter Falk as Outstanding Lead Actor (3 were for Drama Series, but 1 was from a year Columbo  was classified as a Limited Series).

*Thanks to The Consummate Culp for this Mad scan of Mort Drucker's rendition of Falk as Columbo (as well as frequent and beloved guest star Robert Culp:

*A Stitch in Crime premiered February 11, 1973. It was preceded on NBC by part 1 of Rascal (a 1969 movie with Billy Mumy and a pet raccoon) on The Wonderful World of Disney and followed by the premiere of Jack Webb's Escape. 

ABC offered an episode of The F.B.I. and part 1 of 1962 WWII epic The Longest Day, while CBS started the night with Play It Again, Charile Brown and The Flintstones on Ice (!). At 9:00 CBS presented Duke Ellington...We Love You Madly, a tribute starring Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Sarah Vaughan, and more.

*The Dick Van Dyke episode we mention is season 2's "Negative Reaction."

*Leonard Nimoy is the star of this episode, but William Shatner was in season 6's opener "Fade in to Murder" and 1994's "Butterfly in Shades of Gray." Walter Koenig appears in the former.

*Mrs. Columbo lasted two seasons and 13 installments on NBC, becoming Kate Loves a Mystery midway through as the network tried to retool it by changing the lead character to a divorcee named Kate Callahan and shedding references to Columbo. One possible reason (besides the fact that people hated the very idea of a spinoff of the unseen character) for the change is here. Hint: Mike totally got the problem and pointed it out on the podcast.

*Check out our discussion of The Waltons and Will Geer right here!

*Moviemaps.org lists Sharaton Universal Hotel in L.A. as a location for exterior hospital shots in the episode. The locale is not listed on IMDB as one of the exterior locations used for Medical Center.

*Charlie, is the pressure OK? Just thought we'd ask one more time to be on the safe side.

Episode 8-4: Columbo "A Stitch in Crime"

Classic detective Columbo squares off with a doctor as arrogant as Columbo is rumpled. That doctor--Leonard Nimoy. We're not sure, but it might be possible that Columbo, if things go right, could maybe catch him...but will we ever really know?

Check out this episode!

Tomorrow on Battle of the Network Shows...

 

Looking at the new RetroFan magazine

My favorite magazine going today is TwoMorrows' excellent bimonthly RetroFan. Each issue features stunning design, glossy pages, bright colors, and most importantly tremendous material covering retro movies, music, toys, collectibles...and of course television!

The current issue's main feature is Fifty Years of Shaft, which mentions the CBS telemovies with Richard Roundtree, and it also contains interviews with Family Affair's Kathy Garver and Geri Reischl (AKA Fake Jan) from The Brady Bunch Hour.  

There's a great piece on Godzilla toys which touches on the NBC cartoon series and a story on humorous presidential campaigns showcasing Pat Paulsen. I love the Will Murray article pointing out similarities between Spider-Man and pulp hero The Spider, and there is much, much more to enjoy here.

My favorite article once again is Andy Mangels' look at network Saturday morning preview specials. This issue's part 2 focuses on 1978-1983, combining research and commentary to provide an entertaining view of a longtime television staple. It leaves you wanting more not because Mangels' work is lacking, but because so many of these specials are rare and unavailable for viewing.

it may be tough to find this September 2020 issue in a store right now, but if you head over to the company's website, they have print and digital versions as well as other fine publications like Back Issue. I say this only as a satisfied subscriber: Head on over there and tell 'em BOTNS sent ya!