WHAT THE FALK? 

One of the iconic characters in television history, Lieutenant Columbo, will be back to annoy the heck out of murder suspects, “Whenever I can think of a good story for him,” says Peter Falk, who reveals he’s working on a script for another Columbo Movie of the Week.  Falk now juggles his writing duties along with his current book-signing tour promoting his autobiography Just One More Thing.  The tome is a great read, with fascinating stories about the adventures in his life with the giants in show business, everyone from Marlon Brando, Frank Capra, Arthur Miller, and Neil Simon, to his great films with John Cassavetes. 

But equally as interesting are tales about his personal life—his school days, a hitch in the Merchant Marines as a cook, his passion for drawing and painting, and his wild relationship with wife and actress Shera.  His book has reprints of some of his artwork, which reveals him to have a good eye for the craft.  Actually, Falk is the first to make fun of his missing eye, removed because of cancer when he was three.

When the four-time Emmy winner was honored at the Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters luncheon, Falk made sure he retold the legendary story of how movie mogul Harry Cohn balked at signing him because he said, “For the same price, I can get an actor with two eyes.”

Among those on hand to roast and toast Falk at the PPB tribute were his good friends Joe Mantegna, Ed Begley Jr., Dabney Coleman, Shera, and veteran comedy writer Hal Kanter.