Gone but not forgotten. Since his death on 23rd June, 2011, Peter Falk continues to hold a large part of the hearts of millions of fans. He remains a pop culture icon, thanks in no small part to his work on Columbo.
I like to to take some time each June and September (his birthday month) to remember what he brought to the world. It’s hard to come up with new ways of paying my respects to Peter, but in this article I thought I’d share some of my favourite images and videos of the great man throughout his life.
I’ve put these forward because they’re ones that I think show off his charm and character, as well as a few of his greatest hits and variety of his work. And, naturally, Columbo looms large amongst them.
I keep adding new images to this gallery as more and more lovely images come to my attention. I hope you’ll enjoy them as much as I do.
Young Peter – perhaps 10?
Peter in the role of Abe Reles in 1960’s Murder Inc – the film that really put him on the map
Alongside Elaine May in 1967 promotional photo for the movie Luv
Playing ball with daughter Catherine
One of the iconic production stills from ‘Husbands’, 1970
Eight months after they teamed up in Ransom For a Dead Man, Peter Falk and Lee Grant starred in ‘The Prisoner of Second Avenue‘ on Broadway
Sharing a joke with Dagger of the Mind co-star Bernard Fox in 1972
Alone at the LA Coliseum in 1972’s Columbo The Most Crucial Game
Peter’s Emmy Award acceptance speech from 1972 is legendary!
Hanging with James Caan in the mid-70s. What a cool pair!
On the set of Columbo, circa 1973
Rocking the Oscars as an award presenter in 1974
Peter Falk image from the February 1974 issue of Photoplay magazine
Magnificent portrait of Peter from the Dan Wynn archive
Peter Falk talks Columbo with Johnny Carson in 1974
Peter with Jack Nicolson and Michelle Phillips, sometime in the 1970s
Peter looking gorgeous in his casual outfit in 1974
Delightful publicity shot for Columbo, mid 70s
Alongside Truman Capote and David Niven in 1976’s Murder by Death
Looking utterly loveable in Inspector Lucerne’s hat in Fade In To Murder in 1976
Wearing the Columbo mac on the streets of Paris during a 1976 promotional tour for A Woman Under the Influence
Talking ‘Columbo’ on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, May 1977
Lookin’ slick in a tux in 1978’s Murder Under Glass
Peter having a hoot in what appears to be a mobile home, late 1970s. Could he BE having any more fun?
Fooling around on a night out in Noo Yoik, 1985
Just hanging out at home in LA, 1990s
Columbo the silver fox from 2000’s Murder With Too Many Notes
At home with Shera and the dogs, 2000s
What a boss! At home with a cigar, 2000s
Peter was posthumously awarded a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in July 2013
Awesome tribute: statues of Columbo and Dog were unveiled in Budapest, Hungary, in May 2014. Every city should have one…
Of course there are a million more I could have put forward, but these represent some great highlights from the life of a fine and much-loved man, who is with us in spirit as much as ever.
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What’s your favourite memory of Peter? Were you lucky enough to meet him? Let me know in the comments section below. And thanks, as always, for reading.
