# Now That Peter Falk And James Garner Are Both Dead **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 3, 2014, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355 "2014-09-03T13:11:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/21 "2014-09-04T09:48:42Z")
I vote for Columbo I may be biased by Peter Falk love, though - from _Wings of Desire_ to _Princess Bride_, he’s been in films I absolutely love. ---
**Author:** ![Orwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/22 "2014-09-04T12:24:29Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Joe Friday, as played by Jack Webb, was a cynic about people, but not his job or government. After Vietnam and Watergate and all the crap after that, a cop who did not understand the inherent bullshit of government would have come off looking like a complete fool. Look around you, and read the papers. Most cops and prosecutors are absolutely authoritarian and totally believe in state/government/police power and authority. Look at the DEA agents who go out on “raids” at the crack of dawn to arrest some mopes who sold $50 worth of pot to an informant. Look at the SWAT teams now in every large, medium and small city who get to play dress up and pretend to be soldiers. Soldiers who treat citizens like the enemy. There are lots of cops who don’t “understand the inherent bullshit of government”. OK. Rant over. I didn’t see the newer Dragnet, but I always loveed the old version precisely because of how ridiculous Jack Webb’ Friday was, with his stilted walking and sanctimonious sermons. Unintentional camp at its best. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/23 "2014-09-04T12:30:54Z")
I was hoping the completion would be worthy of the setup. “. . . I can finally talk about the strangest night of my life.” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/24 "2014-09-04T12:48:01Z")
> [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](#): > > [Link](http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1989-04-02/features/8903310956_1_peter-falk-bodyguards-gideon-oliver) > > What’s Rockford got on that? James Garner didn’t cave to Communist demands! ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/25 "2014-09-04T15:14:50Z")
Speaking of cool cars, who had the coolest car of all? Cannon! The middle-aged balding fat guy drove a big Lincoln that must have carried a high price tag. That car totally outclassed Rockford’s Camaro. As for Columbo–well, his pathetic little car isn’t even worth considering. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/26 "2014-09-04T15:43:30Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > As for Columbo–well, his pathetic little car isn’t even worth considering. 😃 Hey, it’s a classic! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/27 "2014-09-04T17:41:57Z")
> [@orangeapples](#): > > (My vote for coolest car on TV is the Impala from _Supernatural_. It even helped save the world once. The same could probably be said about the Batmobile, I suppose.) My first car was a 1967 BelAir. It was also a 4-door and had the front corner lights. It wasn’t black or jacked up like that though. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/28 "2014-09-04T18:41:30Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > That car totally outclassed Rockford’s Camaro. Firebird. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/29 "2014-09-04T19:01:28Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Firebird. Firebird _Esprit_! :o ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/30 "2014-09-04T20:14:14Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Firebird. OK, Firebird. And I should know better. I rented one in San Francisco once. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/31 "2014-09-04T20:34:22Z")
For 20 minutes. In 1963. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/32 "2014-09-04T22:10:21Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > OK, Firebird. And I should know better. I rented one in San Francisco once. For one week. In 1979. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/33 "2014-09-04T22:30:51Z")
I love Columbo, it’s one of my favorite shows ever. I just admire the way he puts together the clues. The best example is the episode “Negative Reaction”, with Dick Van Dyke as the killer. He creates a seemingly foolproof murder, complete with an obvious perpetrator, yet Columbo figures it out. I like The Rockford Files a lot, too. Don’t get me wrong. But Columbo appeals to me on a deep level. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/34 "2014-09-04T23:42:07Z")
What I liked about both shows was the subdued nature of the characters. Both used their wits in a different way but got there in the end. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/35 "2014-09-05T03:15:24Z")
> [@Orwell](#): > > OK. Rant over. I didn’t see the newer Dragnet, but I always loveed the old version precisely because of how ridiculous Jack Webb’ Friday was, with his stilted walking and sanctimonious sermons. Unintentional camp at its best. You sound like a hop head kid on the train to nowhere. I loved the looks Henry Morgan used to give those speeches. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/36 "2014-09-05T03:47:52Z")
> [@Orwell](#): > > Look around you, and read the papers. Most cops and prosecutors are absolutely authoritarian and totally believe in state/government/police power and authority. Look at the DEA agents who go out on “raids” at the crack of dawn to arrest some mopes who sold $50 worth of pot to an informant. Look at the SWAT teams now in every large, medium and small city who get to play dress up and pretend to be soldiers. Soldiers who treat citizens like the enemy. There are lots of cops who don’t “understand the inherent bullshit of government”. > > OK. Rant over. I didn’t see the newer Dragnet, but I always loveed the old version precisely because of how ridiculous Jack Webb’ Friday was, with his stilted walking and sanctimonious sermons. Unintentional camp at its best. Stilted walking? Sanctimonious sermons? I rarely noticed how he was walking; I don’t scrutinize things like that. And give me an example of a “sermon” and what was “sanctimonious” about it. I have the entire 1960s series on DVD, including the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Orwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/37 "2014-09-05T12:38:20Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > Stilted walking? Sanctimonious sermons? I rarely noticed how he was walking; I don’t scrutinize things like that. > And give me an example of a “sermon” and what was “sanctimonious” about it. I have the entire 1960s series on DVD, including the movie. Holy cow. My friends and I used to watch Dragnet on reruns and howl in laughter and imitate Sergeant Friday. He walks without moving his head and upper body - at all. He looks like on of those costumed mascots at a baseball game where only the legs move. As for sermons, there was at least one every episode, where he lectured somebody on how society works, why we need laws, why cops are the greatest and why “you, you little punk with the walnut brain, you need to figure out how things really are.” This is one uninterupted soliloquy in one episode, according to [Dragnet - Wikiquote](http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Dragnet) . Check it out, there are lots of examples there. > [@](#): > > It’s awkward having a policeman around the house. Friends drop in, a man with a badge answers the door, the temperature drops 20 degrees. You throw a party and that badge gets in the way. All of a sudden, there isn’t a straight man in the crowd. Everybody’s a comedian. ‘Dont drink too much,’ somebody says, ‘or the man in the badge will run you in.’ Or, ‘How’s it goin’ Dick Tracy? How many jaywalkers did you pinch today?’ And then there’s always the one who wants to know how many apples you stole. All at once, you lost your first name. You’re a cop, a flatfoot, a bull, a dick, John Law, you’re the Fuzz, the heat, you’re poison, you’re trouble, you’re bad news. They call you everything, but never a policeman. Maybe she’s right. It’s not much of a life unless you don’t mind missing a Dodger game because the “Hotshot phone” rings. Not unless you like working Saturdays, Sundays, holidays at a job that doesn’t pay overtime. Oh, the pay’s adequate. You count your pennies, you could put your kid through college, but you better plan on seeing Europe on your television set. And then there’s your first night on the beat. When you try to arrest a drunken prostitute in a Main Street bar and she rips your new uniform to shreds. You’ll buy another one out of your own pocket. And you’re going to rub elbows with all the elite: pimps, addicts, thieves, bums, winos, girls who can’t keep an address and men who don’t care. Liars, cheats, con men, the class of Skid Row. And the heartbreak: underfed kids, beaten kids, molested kids, lost kids, crying kids, homeless kids, hit-and-run kids, broken arm kids, broken leg kids, broken head kids, sick kids, dying kids, dead kids. The old people that nobody wants: the reliefers, the pensioners, the ones who walk the street cold and those who tried to keep warm and died in a three-dollar room with an unvented gas heater. You’ll walk your beat and try to pick up the pieces. You have real adventure in your soul, Culver? You better have. Because you’re going to do time in a prowl car. Oh, it’s gonna be a thrill a minute when you get and “unknown trouble” and hit a backyard at two in the morning, never knowing who you’ll meet: a kid with a knife, a pillhead with a gun or two ex-cons with nothing to lose. And you’re going to have plenty of time to think. You’ll draw duty in a “Lonely Car” with nobody to talk to but your radio. Four years in uniform, you’ll have the ability, the experience and maybe the desire to be a detective. If you like to fly by the seat of your pants, this is where you belong. For every crime that’s committed, you’ve got three million suspects to choose from. Most of the time, you’ll have few facts and a lot of hunches. You’ll run down leads that dead-end on you. You’ll work all-night stakeouts that could last a week. You’ll do legwork until you’re sure you’ve talked to everyone in the state of Calfornia. People who saw it happen, but really didn’t. People who insist they did it, but really didn’t. People who remember. Those who try to forget. Those who tell the truth. Those who lie. You’ll run the files until your eyes ache. And paperwork? You’ll fill out a report when you’re right, you’ll fill out a report when you’re wrong, you’ll fill one out when you’re not sure, you’ll fill one out listing your leads, you’ll fill one out when you have no leads, you’ll make out a report on the reports you’ve made. You’ll write enough words in your lifetime to stock a library. You’ll learn to live with doubt, anxiety, frustration. Court decision that tend to hinder, rather than help you: Dorado, Morse, Escobedo, Cahan. You’ll learn to live with the district attorney, testifying in court, defense attorneys, prosecuting attorneys, judges, juries, witnesses. And sometimes, you’re not going be happy with the outcome. Maybe your girlfriend’s right, Culver. But there’s also this: there are over 5,000 men in this city who know that being a policeman is an endless, glamourless, thankless job that’s gotta be done. I know it, too, and I’m damn glad to be one of them. Gotta hand it to Jack Webb. That’s a lot of words to memorize. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/38 "2014-09-05T14:47:30Z")
I read it. As I said, I have all that on DVDS and have heard it over and over. Now: Answer the question I asked you in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Orwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/39 "2014-09-05T14:48:46Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > I read it. As I said, I have all that on DVDS and have heard it over and over. Now: Answer the question I asked you in the first place. I thought I did. Both questions. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2014, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-peter-falk-and-james-garner-are-both-dead/697355/40 "2014-09-05T15:14:46Z")
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