The book is out. Going through it on Kindle it's biggest importance is access to all of the shooting scripts and filling us in on scenes that were filmed and cut. There's a new revelation about cut material from "Dagger Of The Mind" and the big confirmation at last is that yes, "Double Exposure" was filmed as two hours and the missing Arlene Martel scene took place before the episode begins in its final 90 minute cut.
My birthday is coming up, and since my wife just happened to receive an email a while back, about the pre-release sale of the book, there's a good chance I will be reading it soon. I am looking forward to it! I suppose there was a chance that somebody could produce a badly done book on the subject, but all reports so far are positive. It has the "unqualified endorsement" of Mark Dawidziak, for one. I hope you are enjoying it.
You'll enjoy it, Ted! I ended up learning a lot. I think my only quibble was that he would sometimes overlook the names of guest killers and guest cast on certain episodes (especially the initial seasons) and he made one mistake in his "Prescription Murder" write-up by calling Joan Hudson "Susan" which was the character's name in the stage play. But for those of us who never understood or realized the difficulties that went on behind the scenes between Falk and studio/network executives, now we know.
When there was casting information it was really priceless. Can you picture Lloyd Bridges or Robert Ryan in "Dead Weight"? Edward Asner in "By Dawn's Early Light"? Robert Wagner in "Suitable For Framing"? Probably the most off the wall idea of them all was Falk wanting Peter Sellers for "Negative Reaction"! (not even remotely possible under the budget but the idea of Columbo vs. Clouseau is an idea you can't shake after reading that).
I asked my library to order this and they did!
I wonder if it discusses the change of the ending in PRESCRIPTION MURDER?
And, the original script for ETUDE.
I'll find out soon!