The Lt. Columbo Forum

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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The Lt. Columbo Forum
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Re: Robert Culp

Actually, I believe Hanlon knew that his phones were being bugged. He used that as his means of showing that he was in his "office" talking to Eric when, in fact, he was only minutes from his house.

Re: Robert Culp

And I just love the end scene when the clock chimes... Ace!

Re: Robert Culp

Yeah. One of the best Columbo endings...ever. Columbo hands him the drink. Hanlon gulps and realizes he has screwed the pooch...

Re: Robert Culp

Mark, I'm not sure about Hanlon knowing his own phone was bugged. He definitely knew the OTHER phone was bugged, but it was actually the family lawyer who planted the bug on Hanlon's phone without his knowledge.

Re: Robert Culp

There's two really great scenes I love and they both come from Double Exposure.

The first is where Columbo persuades Keppel to go to the scene of Rogers murder with him. When they pull up at the exit of the institute and Keppel asks Columbo which way to go because he wasn't told by Columbo and couldn't possibly know the way. The pay off line of 'nice try though'is wonderful.

The othere scene from the same episode is where Columbo interupts Keppel's golf match. The interaction between the two is superb with both protagonists thinking they have the upper hand at different points.

Re: Robert Culp

Keppel slowly becoming more and more agitated by Columbo repeatedly calling him Mr Keppel - 'that's Dr Keppel,' he sneerily corrects every time.

And finally when Columbo turns the tables by using subliminal cuts to persuade Dr Keppel to reveal the hiding place of that caliber conversion sleeve. Both Columbo's admission he had never thought of that (I guess Columbo had presumed it was another gun.) But also Culp's some what manic laughter right at the end of the episode.

It may have its faults - the validity of subliminal advertising of course. But I do think that Dr Keppel was one of the very best adversaries Columbo ever had. And that's got a lot to do with Robert Culp's performance I think.

Re: Robert Culp

Yes, I agree with that.

The fact that Keppel is so smooth and in control until the very end when that manic laugh suggests he's about to breakdown. I wouldn't be surprised if, after conviction he was sent to an institute himself. Wearing a jacket that buttons up behind his back. LOL

Re: Robert Culp

I also love the golf scene in Double Exposure. Columbo keeps ruining Dr. Kepple's shots with well-timed factoids, but the best exchange is:

Columbo: "I called Tanya Baker."
BK: "And did you find out anything?"
C: "No. Only that you knew her." SWOOSH! His shot goes way off.
BK: "Lieutenant, you're bluffing. There's no way Ms. Baker said that I knew her."
C: "You're right Doc. But you see when I called, I called collect from a Dr. Bart Kepple. When she answered the phone I said, "Ms. Baker", and she said: "You're not Bart Kepple", and hung up. So I assume you know her."

At the end Kepple finally makes a good shot and Columbo says:

C: "Nice shot Doc. For a while I thought I was going to ruin your game for you."
BK: "Not a chance Lieutenant!"

A great scene with two fantastic actors from one of the best Columbo episodes.

As an aside, my ex-girlfriend from college is married to Robert Culp's son. When he passed I contacted her on Facebook to let her know how highly regarded her father-in-law was by Columbo fans.

As a further aside, I ran into Robert Vaughn a few years back at the mall in Danbury, Connecticut. I didn't want to bother him but when he overheard my wife telling me to approach he actually came to me. I told him how much I loved Troubled Waters (I ignored Commodore) and how much I enjoyed his performance in Baseketball. No selfies back then and I didn't want to trouble him for an autograph. But it was cool meeting him.

Re: Robert Culp

That's great Pete! Running into Robert Vaughn but too afraid to bring up Commodore - lol. I also like in Superman III when he says:

"You mean to tell me that I ask you to kill Superman and you can't even do that one simple thing??"