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An area where fans from all over can ask each other questions and voice their own ideas and opinions on anything Columbo.

This Forum is fondly dedicated in memory of  "cassavetes45"  (Carleen Zink),
Columbo's greatest fan and a great friend to us all.
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Columbo and Me - Backstory on the Columbo poem

Sir, ma'am, I hate to bother you, I know I'm a pest... But some of you may not know the tale of the "Christmas with Columbo" poem, or might even want to hear it again if you do, so here goes. And since Christmas is a time for nostalgia, here's a bit more of the backstory of Columbo and Me.


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The year was 2002, and for a while I had the idea rattling around in my head, you know like a marble in a boxcar, that maybe I could write something for Peter Falk and send it to him, just a token of appreciation for all he has done.

By then it had been about 5 years since I started contributing to this site, begun in 1995 by a great lad from Scotland named Stephen Burns. We collaborated across the ocean by email, although we also got to meet in NYC when Steve and his beautiful bride came to the USA on their honeymoon. This photo was taken, by the way, at Trump Tower, which Steve wanted to see for some reason.

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The webmasters have met in person only one other time -- a year later, on my own honeymoon, in London, with my own lovely Mrs Kerin (who, like Mrs Columbo, does not appear in photos):

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Steve and I had the extraordinary luck to be in contact with Peter's office, through a wonderful woman who worked with him, and another fellow who wrote a certain Columbo book. We owe Fran and Mark a world of gratitude. I had drawn a cartoon of Peter a few years earlier, and heard that it adorned the wall of his outer office.




We were having great fun with the site, and I even had the extraordinary experience of appearing "with" Peter (from across the studio) when he appeared on "The View".

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My adventures with Columbo had been a fun ride, and I wanted to thank the guy who started it all, so I thought....why not give it a shot.

So I wrote this Christmas poem, and sent it off to his home address, which I happened to find someplace. As it turned out, my mistake was sending mail to his house, where apparently his mail fell into a black hole of chaos, unlike his office where he had great people to help him keep organized.

And a few months went by. Then I got this letter, which as you can see, is unmistakably in his "voice". After explaining (sort of) what goes on with his mail, Peter recalled "The View", where I had made the bizarre choice of appearing on camera in full Columbo costume (actually it was the producer's request, I swear!). But I'll let Peter tell it (hoping it is big enough to read in this space):

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I have no idea whether Peter actually read the poem aloud at the big anniversary party, but it was especially kind of him to say that he would do it. He was a great actor and very kind to his fans, and he will be missed. RIP, Peter. Thanks for all the entertainment.

And thanks to all of you for "listening" to me ramble here. Thanks also to everyone for posting your messages on the Forum. and for visiting the site. I wish all of you and your families the best of Christmas and the winter holidays. As I've always said, Columbo fans are the greatest.

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Re: Columbo and Me - Backstory on the Columbo poem

What a great story!!! Thank you Ted for that, for the poem, and for all that you do for this site! Merry Christmas to you and yours and to all fellow Columbo fans!!

Re: Columbo and Me - Backstory on the Columbo poem

A great yuletide tradition! Thanks, and Merry Christmas, Ted!!

Re: Columbo and Me - Backstory on the Columbo poem

Another year and we're still alive! Merry Xmas Ted to you and yours! All the best- Mark D.

Re: Columbo and Me - Backstory on the Columbo poem

Thanks Ted, and thanks for keeping up this great site.

Merry Christmas!