Columbo Trivia

1. James Read played the murdering dentist in 'Uneasy Lies the Crown' in 1990; he framed his wife as being the murderer of her lover during a rendezvous in the pool house. Which substance did he use to kill Adam Evans, the popular actor?

From Quiz Sex and the Married Detective

Answer: digitalis

The wife, Lydia, was a highly-strung woman with a history of mental instability; following the death of her first husband on their honeymoon she spent time in an institution, and then she married Wesley (James Read). He then set the scene to recreate the death of husband number one in order to implicate her in the murder, using her heart medication to kill her lover and a group of famous people acting as his alibi.

From Quiz Columbo

Answer: Lieutenant & Lt

Faye asked this of Columbo in 'It's all the Game'. 'Trivial Pursuit' once claimed his name to be 'Philip' but this has no foundation in the programme at all, and later editions changed this to state that the name was unknown.

From Quiz The Lieutenant Columbo Quiz

Answer: Basset Hound

From Quiz Endearing, Enigmatic Columbo

Answer: He chews, rather than cuts, the ends off the cigars

The murder suspect feels only a savage chews the ends of cigars; a gentleman uses a cutter. Columbo tries the cigar in the suspect's way and is revolted by the amount of tobacco in his mouth.

From Quiz Sex and the Married Detective

Answer: Columbo Cries Wolf

There is a lovely mistake in this episode. If you watch the opening scene (with the credits) carefully, you will see Columbo walking alongside the swimming pool. But, ladies, don't expect your fellas to spot him, because there are so many nubile bikinied beauties lounging around they might get a little distracted.

From Quiz Columbo

Answer: 'Forgotten Lady'

Former film star, Grace Wheeler, kills her husband, and as Columbo discovers the truth, he finds out that she has only a short time to live, and that she does not remember doing the deed. He agrees to arrest her friend, with the expectation that by the time his innocence is established Grace will be dead.

From Quiz The Lieutenant Columbo Quiz

Answer: 'Etude In Black'

Columbo spent much of the episode trying to come up with a name for Dog.

From Quiz Endearing, Enigmatic Columbo

Answer: Boiled eggs

Columbo often shows up with boiled eggs in one hand and shells in the other. He then spends the better part of the scene looking for a repository for the shells. In one episode a young police officer has the shells dumped in his hands with instructions to find a suitable means of disposal.

From Quiz "Columbo": Notable Villains

Answer: Johnny Cash

Although primarily known as one of the greatest country and gospel singers of his time, Johnny Cash also appeared from time to time as a guest star on various television programs. His life and career are portrayed in 2005's "Walk the Line."

From Quiz Columbo

Answer: Although pouring with rain when Columbo goes in to the building it is dry underfoot when he comes out a moment later

Columbo goes out to the bins with the cleaner, and we see that although there was a thunderstom raging when he went into the front of the building, out the back it was a beautiful sunny day with no sign anywhere that any rain fell at all.

From Quiz The Lieutenant Columbo Quiz

Answer: Beethoven

When he took Dog to the vet, the vet recommended calling his dog Fido, Jet, or Munch.

From Quiz Endearing, Enigmatic Columbo

Answer: "This Old Man"

With a knick knack, paddy whack, give a dog a bone! Often the accompanying soundtrack includes versions of the tune as well.

From Quiz Leftenant Columbo

Answer: Billy

Dame Judi played Queen Victoria in 'Mrs Brown' while Scottish Billy Connolly played John Brown; he played Findlay Crawford in 'Murder with Too Many Notes' in 1999. Billy is best known in the UK as a no-holes-barred stand-up comedian, but he has had many parts in films in his career, and has produced television series of his journeys through the UK and Australia which have proved popular.

From Quiz Columbo

Answer: London

Bond Girl Honor Blackman co-starred in this episode with Richard Basehart, as husband and wife who murdered Sir Roger Haversham.

From Quiz The Lieutenant Columbo Quiz

Answer: Ice cream

Dog also likes to watch some television.

From Quiz Endearing, Enigmatic Columbo

Answer: He can't shoot and doesn't like guns

In one episode, Columbo is tracked down by superior officers and required to submit to a test of his shooting ability, because he hasn't completed his annual firearm test for five to ten years. Under questioning, he is forced to admit that he isn't even sure where his police issued pistol is. He eventually convinces an expert shot on the force to take the required test in his stead.

From Quiz "Columbo": Notable Villains

Answer: Laurence Harvey

According to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB), Harvey was the first Lithuanian-born actor nominated for an Oscar (in 1960, for Best Actor for "Room at the Top"). His most memorable role, however, is probably that of tortured Raymond Shaw, a Korean War veteran who unknowingly has been brainwashed to become a political hitman.

From Quiz Columbo

Answer: 'rosebud'

Columbo had the dogs 're-programmed' so the command induced them to 'kiss' instead.

From Quiz Endearing, Enigmatic Columbo

Answer: A basset hound named Dog

Columbo never comes up with a name for his canine companion, other than Dog. In one episode he explains that the dog won't come to him, no matter what he is called, so Dog is good enough.

From Quiz "Columbo": Notable Villains

Answer: Jackie Cooper

Cooper, who began acting before the age of nine, was a fixture in the "Our Gang" series of the late 1920's and early 1930's. According to IMDB, he is also a two-time Emmy Award winner for directing achievements during the 1970's. In the episode titled "Candidate for Crime," he runs for office as a senator who will be tough on criminals. Problem is, he's become a pretty dastardly one himself, and Lt. Columbo is on hand to pester him until his guilt is proved.

From Quiz Leftenant Columbo

Answer: Bernard Fox

Bernard Fox also appeared in 'A Night to Remember' (1958) as the man who gave the iceberg warning, and 39 years later in 'Titanic' as Colonel Archibald Gracie, who comments on Jack saving Rose - "Well, the boy's a hero! Good for you, son. Well done." William Lamb was Lord Melbourne's name (he was one of the Prime Ministers during Queen Victoria's reign), Michael Fish was a British weather-man and John Bull is a British symbol just as Uncle Sam is an American image.

From Quiz Columbo

Answer: 'Troubled Waters'

The Mexican police chief tells Columbo he heard about the case he solved on the cruise liner and wanted his input in a case in his area. Columbo goes on to solve the murder.

From Quiz The Lieutenant Columbo Quiz

Answer: Hard boiled egg

He also likes to have his coffee black.

From Quiz Endearing, Enigmatic Columbo

Answer: Playing the tuba

In one episode, he delights a group of school children by playing a ditty on the tuba. He admits it was the only instrument left in high school when he signed up for band.

From Quiz "Columbo": Notable Villains

Answer: Dick Van Dyke

It may be hard to imagine the lovable star of such family favorites as "Mary Poppins" and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" playing a calculating killer. This episode is also memorable for Larry Storch's brief appearance as the harried examiner who must give Columbo a driving test when the detective lets his license expire.

From Quiz Leftenant Columbo

Answer: 'Dagger of the Mind' / 'Last Salute to the Commodore'

In 'Last Salute to the Commodore' Hyde-White played the family lawyer who was one of the least-likely suspects in the first Columbo film which does not identify the murderer in the first scenes. He played Sir Roger Haversham's butler in 'Dagger of the Mind'; he worked out what happened and ended up framed and dead himself.

From Quiz Columbo

Answer: Patrick McGoohan

Patrick played Col Lyle C Rumford in 'By Dawn's Early Light', Nelson Brenner in 'Identity Crisis', Oscar Finch in 'Agenda For Murder and Prince in 'Ashes to Ashes' He also directed 'Last Salute To The Commodore'. Robert Culp and Jack Cassidy each played the murderer three times and William Shatner played the murderer twice.

From Quiz The Lieutenant Columbo Quiz

Answer: 1950 Peugeot

Columbo says it is a 1950 Peugeot, but it is actually a 1959 Peugeot, Model 403.

From Quiz Endearing, Enigmatic Columbo

Answer: It's not known for sure

It was never clear in the series whether Columbo and Mrs. Columbo had children or not. For instance, in one show Columbo indicates that he and his wife never had children; in another episode, however, he assures a suspect he will bring his wife to dinner, provided he can find a babysitter. Maybe he means a babysitter for Dog? This can be explained in a couple of ways: in many episodes, Columbo was known to provide contradictory information as he often manipulated suspects by so doing, or it could have been that his family was growing as the series progressed; thus he may not have had children in the earlier shows, but had a family as the years went by.

From Quiz Columbo's Children

Answer: the chimp left foot prints on the murderer's medallion

This adorable little primate wore little dresses and had a liking for shiny objects - as shown by a series of photographs found in the victim's flat. Columbo noticed this and checked out the murderer's fancy dress costume, which included a large shiny medallion - and sure enough there were foot prints all over it, proving that the medallion had been at the scene of the crime, and that Leon had to have been there with it.

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