I’ve been watching reruns of the old “COLUMBO” TV show, with Peter Falk. I really enjoyed the series, especially the way that Falk played dumb to get the guilty parties to talk. Anyway, was this series based on a real detective? Years ago somebody told me that there really was a Det. Columbo, of the NYC police force-is this true? And, did this guy ever write his memoirs?
There was a friendly, bumbling, but observant detective in Fyodor Dostoyevski’s Crime and Punishment. The first time I read the book, I thought he was the basis of the Columbo character.
jack@ss is correct; I remember reading an interview with the creator of Columbo who said he based the character on the detective in Crime and Punishment (whose name escapes me at the moment).
You wanted the Straight Dope? Here ya go, gumshoe. This informative and amusing Peter Falk Site includes the following information:
Cartooniverse
I’m sure part of the inspiration for the character came from the detective in the 1995 French film Les Diaboliques (either that or the novel it was based on, which I’ve never read). But if you watch the movie, you’ll recognize him as Columbo.
I think you might mean the 1954 movie.
-Bubba.
Bing Crosby?
“Um, excuse me ma’am - you said your husband was murdered in the bu-bu-bu-bu-bedroom?”
Meant 1955, not sure how I typed 1995…sticky keyboard, maybe.