Thanks to those lovely people at the Columbo YouTube channel, Robert Culp’s magnificent Columbo debut in 1971’s Death Lends a Hand is now available to view in full HD glory.
This version naturally includes the iconic ‘montage-over-glasses’ scene often scandalously edited out by TV networks! So sit back and enjoy one of the greatest TV episodes of all time with confidence!
Further reading
- Let’s compare notes! You can read my full review of Death Lends a Hand here.
- You can also check out my personal top 5 scenes from Death Lends a Hand here.
- Go here to access the catalog of full Columbo episodes available to view online.
- Visit and subscribe to the official Columbo YouTube channel here.
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I love to hate Robert Culp in his Columbo roles. He makes it so easy. It kills me that every episode, there’s some common word that he gives a bizarre pronunciation to — like PERmeditated in this one. And if I have to hear him eat fish one more time… It isn’t as blatant if I’m watching, but listening only, all I can hear is him masticating.
Hello, I really like the cool jazz music playing along when Columbo drives his car before being arrested. And most generally I love the music in every episode of Columbo. Do you know if all those music have been compilated on a CD or record ? Thank you, greeting from France
The soundtrack to Ransom for a Dead Man was released on vinyl. The other scores have, scandalously, never been released. Hopefully the upcoming DVD release will allow the music to be listened to in isolation.
I liked this episode because unlike other murders Columbo investigated this was one wasn’t premeditated and i think even Columbo knew the murder wasn’t planned and that it was a heat of the moment thing.
These are just great and I’m enjoying watching them very much. So, here we have Oscar-winner Ray Milland (Best Actor for “The Lost Weekend” in 1946.) What distinguishes an academy award-level actor from all the others? This: Watch his acting in this episode at the 23:00 mark, when he thanks Columbo for the coffee as Columbo leaves. Look at Milland’s body language, his movements, his facial expression. He begins to bring the paper cup to his mouth, stops, and then puts it back down as his face shows another wave of immense grief wash over his spirit. This wasn’t in the script nor was it in any stage direction. It was totally spontaneous by Milland, playing the part. It was perfect. Very few actors can do that.
Great observation. Right you are!
Well said. You’ve nailed it!
Milland once apologized to
Hitchcock for flubbing a line,
hoping to do it over. Hitch said he knew, as
they left it on the cutting room floor.
That was from “Dial M For Murder”. Incidentally
one of the screen’s first inverted (how-catch-em)
murder mysteries.
The killer here is not too bright. Trying to blackmail the woman right after telling her husband she is innocent makes no sense. Even the victim is unimpressed and just sneers and walks away (of course she doesn’t get very far).
Later the killer makes other dumb mistakes, like not changing rings and letting Columbo read his palm, and trying to bribe Columbo with a job offer (which Columbo naturally refuses, having seen first hand how he abuses his employees).
Once a person starts on his/her desent in to the murky depths of the underworld his/her brain starts to shrink and get dumber and dumber.
Great episode, Robert Culp was such a good villian, he does remind me of Peter Fonda though! Thanks!
A great episode. Did anyone catch how they thought $30,000 per year was an extremely high salary? This was only in 1971. Man how things have changed.
using a simple online inflation calculator $30,000 in 1971 had the same purchasing power as $194,825 in 2021 – so yes, it was an extremely high salary
Not much of a story,, ——a man accidentally kills a women because she refused to spy on her husband. Even the reason . “ provide Information, “ is completely ambiguous. He wants information about a judge. What information?
I’ve seen better Columbo’s
Information could be worth big money to the competition.
Accidentally kills her? He whacked her. A whack so hard it knocked her off her feet. Did you mistake his intention for an attempt to give her flowers? Okay -I accept that he maybe did not intend her death. But she died as a result of his criminal intended injury. Or in pursuit of a fellony. In some countries that is first degree murder and not an accident. If a person runs over some one whilst fleeing from the cops after a bank robbery thinking he killed the person by accident. Then the criminal court prosercutor may be telling the jury it was no accident. It was murder. The perpertrator should not have been doing the crime in the first place and that intended bank robbery crime was premeditated. Not accidental. He whacked her because she would not be victimised by his criminal blackmail. He was engaged at the time in attempting to force her against her will.
I certainly wasn’t an accident. Brimmer committed a violent assault that caused Lenore’s death. In some jurisdictions, that is manslaughter; in others, with no weapon involved, it might be some other crime.
However, one slap — even a vicious slap — that results in an unintentional death is an unlikely basis for a murder charge. Your “felony murder” theory overlooks the fact that, in most states (including California), the underlying felony necessary to support a felony murder charge must be a crime inherently dangerous to human life: e.g., robbery, rape, kidnapping, burglary, etc. Brimmer was engaged in no inherently dangerous crime before Lenore was slapped. Threatening to tell a woman’s husband about an affair doesn’t qualify. [In fact, his assault was in direct response to the threat Lenore made against him (to tell her husband how Brimmer runs his business, and how Brimmer lied to him).]
I’m a huge Columbo fan from England… I really enjoy this episode.
Yes it is a great one, any Culp episode is a winner.
For those interested, i created a “Theatre of the Mind” audio podcast of Columbo DEATH LENDS A HAND.
Completely FREE / no membership required. http://DLH.projectwasabi.com
Brian, if you have a ridiculous number of views from the same couple of IPs, they are me. I often play Columbo at work and at home when doing chore that keep my hands busy, but not my mind, or if I’m stressed and want to feel more calm.
You radio play versions of Columbo and a couple of other programs are some of my favorites to listen to on repeat. I only wish you would make more! The level of detail and added context and atmosphere is amazing.
It stands out for its compact
script and really good acting
all around. Other aspects – a smarter killer, tougher
clues – would have made it even better.
Great Episodes! it was by good chance I viewed a few ,but very short ones on YouTube …and wanted to watch full episodes .Thanks found your site !I am sorry that being old and retired couple ,not able to give even 3dollars ,from India !
The episode runs, but white play button persists in center of screen, not watchable. I am in USA and with Cox Cable.
I love your site. Have been here many times.
Hope this feedback helps.
Hi to all the Columbo fans.
Mine ran well. No remaining button. You could try to download.
Love Columbo. I have the whole box set on DVD
WHAT A FUN (& “COMPREHENSIVE”) WEBSITE! Respect!
In the opening scene of “Death Lends a Hand” Robert Culp in hiw downstairs shooting range and he is firing two guns “Rambo-Style” (“Dual wielding”). When he finishes shooting, he laments, “This one’s as crooked as a dog’s hind leg!”
QUESTION: Do you happen to know what type of pistol Culp is firing?
Thanks again for this informative & pleasant website. Cheers!
– Brian Newberry
i love this episode. murdered woman’s husband is so cool.
I just watched this on youtube and it was great. The quality was top notch and the stream was flawless. I have the DVD collection but just didn’t feel like bypassing HDMI ports lol Hopefully more episodes make it to youtube, as this was a much better viewing experience than the Hallmark Channel. (they show Columbo every morning when I get up) Don’t get me wrong, it’s cool that they play it as I usually watch unless its a newer one. I think Hallmark edits the episodes for time as I just watched “Lady in Waiting” and it went by too fast and seemed incomplete. It’s not my favourite episode but I swear it was chopped up. The constant commercials don’t help either, which aren’t a problem on youtube.