Courtesy of the official Columbo YouTube channel, full episodes of the greatest TV show of all time are now available in the public domain. HUZZAH and HURRAH!
The first episode made available on the channel was the seminal Murder by the Book, which opened Columbo‘s first season in September 1971. Starring the irrepressible Jack Cassidy as Ken Franklin, and directed by Steven Spielberg, it remains one of the best pieces of episodic television ever made and you can view in HD glory below.
- If you’re keen to compare notes, you can read my full review of the episode here.
- You can also check out my personal top 5 scenes from Murder by the Book here.
- Visit the full episode listing page to view more!
- Visit and subscribe to the official Columbo YouTube channel here.
great work, lovely website. There is so much to learn here
A little insight from a Mercedes enthusiast:
Ken’s car is a Mercedes W111 280 SE Cabrio, nearly the most expensive Merc money could buy at the time
At 1:02 you can see the glove compartment has a light that turns on as Ken opens it.
That light has the double purpose of illuminating the glove compartment and the passenger’s knees.
This way a passenger can read a map in the dark without disturbing the driver.
This very fancy accessory was soon dropped and never seen again on other cars.
best wishes from Italy
Works in Cyprus either
Really strange thing about Jack Cassidy who was my favorite Columbo bad guy. Most of you probably know he died in an apartment fire in December 1976. I grew up near King’s Road which is where his apartment building is located. I was driving past the building the next day and could see the smoke stains on the stucco. What was strange was that the actor Sal Mineo had been stabbed to death in the same area in February and Art Linkletter’s daughter had fallen to her death in the same area in 1969. I know Jack had a German mother and believe he was fluent in German like I heard Brad Pitt is. He spoke German in a Columbo show.
very glad to report it works in India!
From IMDb website: (Lily LaSanka)
Actress Barbara Colby, at age 36, was on the brink of TV character stardom when the native New Yorker was senselessly shot and killed one evening on the streets of Los Angeles. The tall, toothy, husky-voiced, frizzy-haired actress equipped with a keen, Brooklyn-tough sensibility and dead-on comedy instincts had just started to make a name for herself on the West coast when tragedy occurred. Hollywood lost a wonderful personality and promising talent that summer evening, someone who was proving to the TV masses that she was a bona fide contender.
Works great. I am in USA.
It’s viewable in Belarus.
works in denmark
It’s viewable in Spain.
Result!
It doesn’t play in Poland, either. Thank you for discovering the channel, though – at least some of us can watch.
And there are loads of good clips aside from the full episodes that appear to be viewable wherever you are.
Same I’m from Poland and can’t view this which is a shame as I only discovered this show on TV and absolutely love it and I’m only 21
It seems to play in Ireland! Yay!! I only watched the first minute or so to check; I’ll watch it all as soon as I get a chance! 😀
You didn’t hear it from me.. but if you change the ‘you’ in youtube to ‘hook’ i.e. hooktube.com, you can get around international blocks. Just tested here with this video in the UK and it works. It’s a site which just mirrors the raw YouTube video.
The video works on Canada, but only via a US-based VPN. In the meantime, I shall enjoy my Blu-ray collection of Columbo by Universal Japan on my 133″ front projection screen. Yay!
Nope. No joy in Canada, even with a “Private Browsing” window opened. Scumbags. But good on you to get it for the masses.
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I’d be interested to know where it does work, as several folk are struggling. So far it’s OK in US and Australia. Anywhere else, folks?
Works fine in Finland. I take no joy in it however, knowing that certain countries don’t have the privilege of viewership, everyone should be able to enjoy a good Columbo every now and then.
I agree with you there, but I’m pleased to hear you’re able to view OK.
Works fine in Hong Kong!
Hurrah!
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Crap! What do I do with my full set of Columbo DVDs now? Some museum? I’m keeping them because (1)I’m old, (2) I want them around, and (3) my internet sucks sometimes. Order your own, Canadians and Britons!
….and apparently Germans too
I see these YouTube episodes as a bonus option I can use if needed when I’m away from home or for those episodes I have on scratched DVDs.
Makes me sad to report the video won’t play in Germany 🙁
Oh dear, I’m sorry to hear that.