It would have been interesting to see this character in another Columbo episode. Maybe a few years down the road after he spent more time in homicide. Kind of like Sergeant Wilson although after two episodes I don't think I could have taken any more Sergeant Wilson.
Dennis Dugan later directed "Butterfly in Shades of Grey," one of the Shatner episodes. He's not in the acting credits but maybe you spotted him as an extra. He has directed other things, and tends to appear in small roles in them, including 3 or 4 Adam Sandler movies.You might have seen him in the Sandler's movie "Big Daddy". He directed it, he has a small role in it, and the movie features clips of his Columbo episode, that the guys are watching on TV. I think it's the Rob Schneider character who says (in a foreign accent) something like "You know this Columbo, he acts stupid but he's really smart!"