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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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"Live" Performance

Unlike the bogus piano playing of Charlie Sheen in "Three and a Half Men", sometimes performers actually have talent and display it on TV. Watching Poupee Bocar on "Troubled Waters", who is still performing live (as of 2015), made me think of others who performed during a Columbo episode. Here's the list I came up with:

Shera Danese - sang the main song from "Murder of a Rock Star", even though she didn't play the part of the rock star.

Patrick Culliton - sang as the Great Santini's daughter's boyfriend in "Now You See Him" and actually wanted to be a magician (according to IMDB).

Jack Cassidy - performed the magic tricks in "Now You See Him" - I remember reading an article about this back in the 70's.

Janet Leigh - In "Forgotten Lady" we get to see her films, in which she is most definitely singing and dancing, along with her duet with John Payne in the Willis household. Additionally, she is seen running dance scenes in rehearsal.

Carole Hemingway - might count, as she is a radio talk-show host and appeared as such in "The Conspirators".

John Cassavetes - briefly plays a Beethoven piece on the piano in the beginning of the episode.

Does anybody have any more?

Re: "Live" Performance

I never knew that piece that Cassavetes was playing is an actual Beethoven piece. I always thought he was just banging on the keys making noise.

Re: "Live" Performance

I think I'm mistaken - the piece he's "playing" on the piano is the one used for the Nazi documentary he's making (when he goes to show Paul how he wants a certain note played - "DaDaDaBomBom". I'm not sure what piece that is or if it was made for the movie. Alex Benedict turns on Beethoven upstairs while he's getting things ready to murder Jennifer Welles.

Re: "Live" Performance

Of course there's Johnny Cash!

Re: "Live" Performance

If I remember right, "The Columbo Phile" revealed that Theodore Bikel belonged to the real-life Mensa Society, which is the basis for the "Sigma Society" in "Bye-Bye Sky High etc."

And of course in "Dagger of the Mind," both Richard Baseheart and Honor Blackman portray actors, and they are also actors in real life! :grin:

Re: "Live" Performance

Yes, I believe I read that somewhere, too. And of course, Johnny Cash!

As for Peter Falk, he does appear able to play a few notes of "Chopsticks" (Etude in Black) and "This Old Man" (Try and Catch Me?) on the piano and tumble down hills by himself (Greenhouse Jungle). However, the tuba in "Sex and the Married Detective" does not seem to be a live performance by Falk.

Re: "Live" Performance

There was also Clive Revill from "The Conspirators." He is a genuine multifaceted entertainer who appeared in many stage musicals.

One of only a handful of murderers in the original series who is still alive.:+1:

Re: "Live" Performance

I know that Larry Storch couldn't have been a driving instructor, because I read somewhere that he's never been a driver! (Something I sympathize with.)

Re: "Live" Performance

Interesting about Larry Storch. Maybe it’s a case of “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.”?

Re: "Live" Performance

Don't know if this is true or not, but supposedly, it was Larry Storch who was responsible for "Judy, Judy, Judy" being associated with Cary Grant.

Among his many talents, he was an impressionist.

Story goes that he was doing a nightclub routine and doing his Cary Grant imitation. In walks Judy Garland, and without breaking stride, he greeted her with that phrase.

Makes a great story, even if it's not true.:smile:

Re: "Live" Performance

Interesting tidbit about Larry Storch. I did a little bit of research and found this: https://tralfaz.blogspot.com/2013/04/whoopee-for-agarn.html

According to the article, Storch's father was a cab driver - how's that for irony come full circle! Storch also has a popular Facebook page and appears to still be going (fairly) strong at 96. Amazing!

Re: "Live" Performance

D'oh - how did I leave out my favorite villain from my favorite episode? Revill's performance was terrific and gave him a chance to showcase his variety of talents.

Re: "Live" Performance

Great topic as long as we don't have to listen to 90 minutes of Volare

Re: "Live" Performance

How about Mickey Spillane in "Publish or Perish?" He was an author and he played an author.

Excellent topic.

Re: "Live" Performance

Thanks, Cindy! Mariette Hartley (from "Publish or Perish") was also in "Try and Catch Me", where she is in a scene in a belly-dancing class, performing quite well. Perhaps she actually danced at one time?

Re: "Live" Performance

Surprised nobody has said William Shatner, an actor playing an actor in Fade In To Murder.

Re: "Live" Performance

Has anybody mentioned Little Richard yet? Wasn’t he in the “Rock Star” episode? I can’t remember if he performed or not.

Re: "Live" Performance

Yes, Little Richard plays and sings a bit of "Boogie Woogie" in this episode.

Re: "Live" Performance

In "Make Me a Perfect Murder," Lainie Kazan, who plays Valerie Kirk is a singer. Lainie Kazan is a singer. Also, in "By Dawns Early Light," most of the cadets in the show are actual cadets. At the end of the show, they thank the people of the Citadel where it was filmed. The Citadel can be included in this topic because it is a military teaching academy.

Re: "Live" Performance

I forgot another example. In "Identity Crisis", Marie Silva-Alexander plays the belly dancer in the restaurant. In real life she is a belly dancer and formed the MECDA (Middle Eastern Culture and Dance Association).

Re: "Live" Performance

cindy
I forgot another example. In "Identity Crisis", Marie Silva-Alexander plays the belly dancer in the restaurant. In real life she is a belly dancer and formed the MECDA (Middle Eastern Culture and Dance Association).
Actually, she was the belly dance instructor in Try and Catch Me.