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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Grace Wheeler or Nora Chandler

Someone mentioned Forgotten Lady recently and I was curious who would be considered more notorius in their respective murders.

Nora of course killed two people so she gets my vote (along with a lengthy cover up). However I still wonder how Jean found out that Nora killed her husband.

I surmise that there is some sort of sympathy in respect to Grace Wheeler since she was going to die anyway. Just throwing it out there.

Re: Grace Wheeler or Nora Chandler

There's probably no one on this site who hasn't seen "Requiem," so this wouldn't be a "spoiler."
There's one obvious extra thing about Nora, and that's that she decides to put a stop to the person she considers her actual enemy by killing SOMEONE ELSE. Which Grace at least couldn't be accused of.

Re: Grace Wheeler or Nora Chandler

Nora was more sinister. For years she had to carry the burdeon of knowing where she buried her husband's body. You have to remember that the studio offered to buy her out many times and she would not sell. Specifically for that reason. Howard secretary found out about it is left up to the viewer to determine on his own. When it became obvious that Jean and Jerry Parks were to be married and she would no longer be Noras gopher, the "fear switch" went off in Noras head because she probably felt that it was only a matter of time before she confided in Jerry Parks the big secret.

Re: Grace Wheeler or Nora Chandler

Quite some time ago, someone on this site suggested that maybe Jean herself was the girl that Nora caught her husband with! And that after the murder, they somehow came to an understanding. I'm a little curious about what others think of that theory.

Re: Grace Wheeler or Nora Chandler

I don’t think that was the case. Jean seemed far too sweet, and Nora’s husband probably had lots of starlets he was connected to. But I think Jean always was an underlying threat to Nora and her new relationship with Jerry Parks was the final straw. And that’s why she killed Jean instead of Jerry Parks. Jean always was and always would be a threat.

Re: Grace Wheeler or Nora Chandler

Grant
Quite some time ago, someone on this site suggested that maybe Jean herself was the girl that Nora caught her husband with! And that after the murder, they somehow came to an understanding. I'm a little curious about what others think of that theory.
Interesting concept. I dont recall seeing that on here. Im still curious how Jean simply knew about the killing Trying to run down Jerry Parks was a sloppy idea (sort of like the killing of Lilly in Murder by the Book). Although Nora was just trying to establish that Jerry was the target the 1st time around.

Re: Grace Wheeler or Nora Chandler

I liked "The Forgotten Lady" better. I thought that was a well done story. Especially at the end when Columbo, for the first time, does not take the murderer into custody. Janet Leigh did a great job. She should, in my opinion, received an Emmy.

I looked up "Walking My Baby Back Home," and that was a movie that Janet Leigh actually made.