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: Re: No African American Killers...why?

I condemn everything evil that whites did, but blacks did a lot more than nothing, e.g.

Burundi
1972 Burundi genocide
October 21, 1993 – August 2005 Burundi Civil War
December 28, 2000 Titanic Express Massacre
September 9, 2002 Itaba Massacre
August 13, 2004 Gatumba Massacre
April 26, 2015 – 17 May 2018 Burundian unrest
Rwanda
October 1, 1990 – July 18, 1994 Rwandan Civil War
April 7, 1994 – July 15, 1994 Rwandan genocide
Kenya
1963–1967 Shifta War
1980 Garissa Massacre
February 10, 1984 Wagalla massacre
1987–1990 Kenyan-Ugandan border conflict
2005 Turbi Village Massacre
2007–2008 Kenyan crisis
2017 2017 Kenyan general election violence
South Sudan
May 26, 2009 – ongoing Sudanese nomadic conflicts
January 7, 2011 – ongoing Ethnic violence in South Sudan
May 19, 2011 – ongoing Sudan–SRF conflict
March 26, 2012 – September 26, 2012 Sudan–South Sudan Border War (Heglig Crisis)
December 15, 2013 – February 22, 2020 South Sudanese Civil War
Tanzania
1964 Zanzibar Revolution
1972 Invasion of Uganda
1978–1979 Uganda–Tanzania War
Uganda
January 25, 1971 Coup d'état
1972 Invasion of Uganda
July 4, 1976 Operation Entebbe
October 30, 1978 – April 11, 1979 Uganda-Tanzania War
April 11, 1979 Fall of Kampala
1980–1985 Uganda National Rescue Front
1982–1986 Ugandan Civil War
1986–1988 Uganda People's Democratic Army
1986–1987 Holy Spirit Movement
1987–1990 Kenyan-Ugandan border conflict
1987–ongoing Lord's Resistance Army
1996–ongoing Allied Democratic Forces
1996–2002 Uganda National Rescue Front II
Central Africa
Cameroon
1804–1808 Fulani War
1835–1836 Fula jihads
July 28, 1914 – November 11, 1918 World War I
September 1, 1939 – September 2, 1945 World War II
July 2 2006 - ongoing Bakassi conflict
March 2014 – ongoing Boko Haram insurgency
September 9 2017 - ongoing Anglophone Crisis
Central African Republic
1928–1931 Kongo-Wara rebellion
1987–present Lord's Resistance Army insurgency
2004–2007 Central African Republic Bush War
2012–present Central African Republic Civil War
13 April 2013 – 10 January 2014 Central African Republic conflict under the Djotodia administration
Chad
Kanem Empire
c. 1203–1243 Dunama Dabbalemi, of the Sayfawa dynasty, mai of the Kanem Empire, declared jihad against the surrounding tribes and initiated an extended period of conquest
c. 1342 - c. 1388 Fall of Kanem
c. 1342 - c. 1352 Sao Resurgence
c. 1376 - c. 1388 Bulala Invasion
Republic of Chad
1 November 1965 Mangalmé riots
1965-2010 War in Chad
1965-2010 Chadian Civil War
1965-1970 Civil war in Chad
1979-1982 Civil war in Chad
1998-2002 Civil war in Chad
18 December 2005 - 15 January 2010 Civil war in Chad
18 December 2005 Battle of Adré
6 January 2006 Borota raid
6 March 2006 Amdjereme raid
13 April 2006 Battle of N'Djamena
1 May 2006 Dalola raid
2-4 February 2008 Battle of N'Djamena
18 June 2008 Battle of Am Zoer
7 May 2009 Battle of Am Dam
24-28 April 2010 Battle of Tamassi
1978-1987 Chadian-Libyan conflict
1983-1984 Operation Manta
13 February 1986-2014 Opération Épervier
1986 Tibesti War
16 December 1986 - 11 September 1987 Toyota War
11 April 2002 - ongoing Insurgency in the Maghreb
Congo (Republic of)
1665–1709 Kongo Civil War
Republic of the Congo Civil War (1993–94)
1997–1999 Republic of the Congo Civil War (1997–1999)
2016–2017 The Pool War
Congo (Democratic Republic of)
1892–1894 Congo Arab war
July 5, 1960 – November 25, 1965 Congo Crisis
1964 Simba Rebellion
1960–ongoing Katanga insurgency
March 8, 1977 – May 26, 1977 Shaba I
May 11, 1978 – June 1978 Shaba II
1987–ongoing Lord's Resistance Army insurgency
1996–ongoing ADF insurgency
October 24, 1996 – May 16, 1997 First Congo War
August 2, 1998 – July 18, 2003 Second Congo War
1999–ongoing Ituri Conflict
2004–ongoing Kivu Conflict
2012–2013 M23 rebellion
December 2013 – c. 2018 Batwa-Luba clashes
8 August 2016 – c. 2019 Kamwina Nsapu rebellion
São Tomé and Príncipe
February 3, 1953 Batepá Massacre
Horn of Africa
Djibouti
November 1991 – December 1994 Djiboutian Civil War
June 10, 2008 – June 13, 2008 Djiboutian–Eritrean border conflict
Federation of Ethiopia and Eritrea
1 September 1961 - 29 May 1991 Eritrean War of Independence
24 July 1967 - 172 men killed in Hazemo
1967 - 50 students suspected of being members of the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF) had been hanged in the centre of Agordat.
17 January 1970 - 60 village elders in Elabared had been rounded up for supporting the Eritrean Liberation Front and killed.
30 November 1970 - 121 people in Basik Dera had been rounded up into the local mosque and killed.
1 December 1970 - Ethiopian Army units surrounded and killed 625 people in Ona, and burned the village down
28 December 1974 - 45 students in Asmara were strangled to death and their bodies dumped in alleyways and doorsteps
2 February 1975 - During an engagement with the EPLF and the ELF, the Ethiopian Army attacked the church where 103 villagers in Woki Duba had taken refuge
14 February 1975 - Ethiopian troops fired on and killed 300-3,000 civilians in Asmara and nearby villages
9 March 1975 - Ethiopian troops killed 208 civilians in Agordat
August 1975 - 250 villagers in Om Hajer were machine-gunned in front of a river
April 1988 - Three killed by aerial attacks in Agordat
5 December 1988 - 400 killed in She'eb
3-4 April 1990 - Aerial attacks in Afabet killed 67 and wounded 125
24 April 1990 - Aerial attacks and cluster bombs in Massawa killed 50 and wounded 110
1977-1978 Battle of Massawa
1977 Siege of Barentu
17-20 March 1988 Battle of Afabet
8-10 February 1990 Battle of Massawa
Ethiopian Empire
February 1972 - 13 October 1974 First Eritrean Civil War
Provisional Military Government of Socialist Ethiopia
February 1980 - 24 March 1981 Second Eritrean Civil War
Transitional Government of Ethiopia
15-17 December 1995 Hanish Islands conflict
State of Eritrea
6 May 1998 - 25 May 2000 Eritrean-Ethiopian War
10-13 June 2008 Djiboutian-Eritrean border conflict
1 January 2010 Eritrean-Ethiopian border skirmish
Ethiopia
Axumite Empire
c. 300 CE Ezana of Axum is said to have launched several military campaigns and destroyed the Kingdom of Kush
525 Conquest of the Himyarite Kingdom by Axum
570-578 Aksumite-Persian wars
Battle of Hadhramaut
Siege of Sanaa (570)
c. 900 King of Aksum Degna Djan led military expeditions as far south as Ennarea
c. 960 Axumite Empire is said to have been destroyed by Gudit of the Kingdom of Simien
Makhzumi Dynasty
c. 1270 Makhzumi Sultan assisted Yekuno Amlak rebellion against Zagwe dynasty
c. 1285 the Conquest of Makhzumi by the Ifat Sultanate
Ethiopian Empire
1314-1344 Conquests of the Emperor Amda Seyon I
c. 1316 Early military actions
c. 1316 Emperor Amda Seyon I successfully campaigned against the Muslim kingdoms of Damot and Hadiya
c. 1320 Rebellion of Haqq ad-Din I
c. 1329 Northern campaigns
c. 1332 Later campaigns
c. 1320-1415 Abyssinian wars against the Sultanate of Ifat
1529-1543 Ethiopian-Adal War
March 1529 Battle of Shimbra Kure
1531 Battle of Antukyah
28 October 1531 Battle of Amba Sel
24 April 1541 Battle of Sahart
2 February 1542 Battle of Baçente
4-16 April 1542 Battle of Jarte
August 1542 Battle of the Hill of the Jews
28 August 1542 Battle of Wofla
21 February 1543 Battle of Wayna Daga
1769-1855 Zemene Mesafint
12 January 1872 - 10 March 1889 Conquests of Yohannes IV of Ethiopia
1875-1881 War with Ottoman Egypt
1885 War with Sudan
1887 war with Emirate of Harar
9 January 1887 Battle of Chelenqo
1881-1899 Mahdist War
14 October 1888 Battle of Guté Dili
1 March 1896 Battle of Adwa
7 December 1895 Battle of Amba Alagi
13 January 1895 Battle of Coatit
12-20 January 1936 Battle of Genale Doria
20-24 January 1936 First Battle of Tembien
1-19 February 1936 Battle of Amba Aradam
27-29 February 1936 Second Battle of Tembien
29 February - 2 March 1936 Battle of Shire
31 March 1936 Battle of Maychew
14-25 April 1936 Battle of the Ogaden
Federation of Ethiopia and Eritrea
1 September 1961 - 29 May 1991 Eritrean War of Independence
Ethiopian Empire
12 September 1974 - 28 May 1991 Ethiopian Civil War
Provisional Military Government of Socialist Ethiopia
13 July 1977 - 15 March 1978 Ethio-Somali War
June - August 1982 Ethiopian-Somali Border War
Transitional Government of Ethiopia
1992 - ongoing Oromo conflict
1994-2018 Insurgency in Ogaden
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
6 May 1998 - 25 May 2000 Eritrean-Ethiopian War
7 October 2002 - ongoing Operation Enduring Freedom - Horn of Africa
4 November 2020 - ongoing Tigray conflict
Somali Democratic Republic
13 July 1977 - 15 March 1978 Ethio-Somali War
6 April 1981 - 18 May 1991 Somaliland War of Independence
June-August 1982 Ethiopian-Somali Border War
26 January 1991 - ongoing Somali Civil War
1978 - 1991 Somali Rebellion
3-4 October 1993 Battle of Mogadishu
Transitional Federal Government
26 January 1991 - ongoing Somali Civil War
4 June - 20 December 2006 Advance of the Islamic Courts Union
7 May - 11 July 2006 Battle of Mogadishu
20 December 2006 - 30 January 2009 War in Somalia
20-26 December 2006 Battle of Baidoa
23-25 December 2006 Battle of Bandiradley
24-25 December 2006 Battle of Beledweyne
27 December 2006 Battle of Jowhar
28 December 2006 Fall of Mogadishu
31 December 2006 - 1 January 2007 Battle of Jilib
1 January 2007 Fall of Kismayo
5-12 January 2007 Battle of Ras Kamboni
21 March - 26 April 2007 Battle of Mogadishu
31 May - 3 June 2007 Battle of Bargal
8-16 November 2007 Battle of Mogadishu
19-20 April 2008 Battle of Mogadishu
1-26 July 2008 Battle of Beledweyne
8 July 2008 - 26 January 2009 Siege of Baidoa
20-22 August 2008 Battle of Kismayo
31 January 2009 - ongoing War in Somalia
22 February 2009 African Union base bombings in Mogadishu
24-25 February 2009 Battle of South Mogadishu
7 May - 1 October 2009 Battle of Mogadishu
11 May - 1 October 2009 Battle for Central Somalia
5 June 2009 Battle of Wabho
18 June 2009 Beledweyne bombing
1-7 October 2009 Battle of Kismayo
10-14 January 2010 Battle of Beledweyne
May-July 2010 Ayn clashes
1 May 2010 Mogadishu bombings
20 July 2010 Kenya-Al-Shabaab border clash
8 August - 17 October 2010 Galgala campaign
23 August 2010 - 6 August 2011 Battle of Mogadishu
27 April 2011 Battle of Gedo
4 October 2011 Mogadishu bombing
16 October 2011 - June 2012 Operation Linda Nchi
28 September - 1 October 2012 Battle of Kismayo
11 January 2013 Bulo Marer hostage rescue attempt
June 2007 - May 2008 Ethiopian crackdown in Ogade
1 May 2008 Dhusamareb airstrike
Federal Republic of Somaliand
c. 1700 BCE Invasion of Ancient Egypt by the Kingdom of Kush and the Land of Punt
1529–1543 Ethiopian-Adal War
1827 Battle of Berbera 1827
1900–1920 Somaliland Campaign
July 2, 1945 – July 7, 1945 1945 Sheikh Bashir Rebellion
July 13, 1977 – March 15, 1978 Ethio-Somali War
April 6, 1981 - May 18, 1991 Somaliland War of Independence
1998 - ongoing Puntland-Somaliland dispute
Algeria
647 – 709 Muslim conquest of the Maghreb
November 1, 1954 – March 19, 1962 Algerian War
October 1963 Sand War
1970 – ongoing Western Sahara conflict
December 26, 1991 – February 2002 Algerian Civil War
April 11, 2002 – ongoing Insurgency in the Maghreb
Egypt
1803–1807 Muhammad Ali's seizure of power
1881–1899 Mahdist War
June 5, 1967 – June 10, 1967 Six-Day War
July 1, 1967 – August 7, 1970 War of Attrition
October 6, 1973 – October 25, 1973 Yom Kippur War
July 21, 1977 – July 24, 1977 Libyan–Egyptian War
January 25, 2011 – ongoing 2011 Egyptian Revolution and Aftermath
January 25, 2011 – February 11, 2011 Egyptian Revolution
Egyptian crisis (2011–14)
February 23, 2011 – ongoing Sinai insurgency
November 22, 2012 – July 3, 2013 Egyptian protests
June 28, 2013 – July 3, 2013 June 2013 Egyptian protests
July 3, 2013 – ongoing Political violence in Egypt
2013 – ongoing Insurgency in Egypt (2013–present)
Libya
c. 1279 BC – 1213 BC Ramesses II's Campaigns in Libya
647 – 709 Muslim conquest of the Maghreb
1551 Siege of Tripoli
1793 – 1795 Tripolitanian civil war
1797 Action of 16 May 1797
1801 – 05 First Barbary War
1825 Sardinian-Tripolitanian war of 1825
1911 – 43 Libyan resistance movement
1977 Libyan-Egyptian War
1978 – 87 Chadian-Libyan conflict
August, 1980 Tobruk incident
May 8, 1984 Bab al-Azizia siege
2011 Libyan Civil War
2011 – 2014 Post-civil war violence in Libya
2014 – 2020 Second Libyan Civil War
Morocco
647–709 Muslim conquest of the Maghreb
739–743 Berber Revolt
1130–1147 Almoravid-Almohad War
1215–1269 Almohad-Marinid War
1125–1269 Almohad-Marinid War
1299–1370 Morocco-Tlemcen conflict
1527–1554 Wattassid-Saadian War
September 1497 Conquest of Melilla
1554–1830 Moroccan-Turkish border conflict
1577 A Moroccan expedition occupied Taghaza
1582 A first expedition to Timbuktu was defeated
1591 A Moroccan expeditionary force defeated the Songhay army at Tondibi and conquered Gao, Timbuktu and Djenné
1603–1627 War of Succession
1920–1926 Rif War
1914–1921 Zaian War
1957–1958 Ifni War
1963 Sand War
1970–ongoing Western Sahara conflict
1975–1991 Western Sahara War
April 11, 2002 – ongoing Insurgency in the Maghreb
Sudan
Nubia
c. 3050 BCE Hor-Aha, the second pharaoh of Egypt, led a campaign against the Nubians
Kingdom of Kerma
c. 1506 BCE - 1493 BCE During the reign of Thutmose I, the Kingdom of Kerma rebelled against Egyptian rule and Thutmose I traveled up the Nile and fought in the battle, killing the Nubian king.
Egyptian Empire
c. 1282 BCE Seti's military campaigns
c. 1279 BCE - 1213 BCE Remesses II's campaigns in Nubia
Kingdom of Kush
c. 300 CE Ezana of Axum launched several military campaigns, destroying the Kingdom of Kush
Kingdom of Makuria
1312 Mamluk Invasion
Sultanate of Darfur
1722-1786 Civil War
Egyptian Eyalet
February 1820 - October 1822 Invasion of Libya and Sudan
Khedivate of Egypt
1899-1901 Rabih War
1874 Rabih az-Zubayr conquered the Sultanate of Darfur
1881-1899 The Mahdist War
3-5 November 1883 Battle of El Obeid
4-29 February 1884 First and Second Battles of El Teb
13 March 1884 Battle of Tamai
13 March 1884 - 26 January 1885 Siege of Khartoum
17 January 1885 Battle of Abu Klea
10 February 1885 Battle of Kirbekan
22 March 1885 Battle of Tofrek
30 December 1885 Battle of Ginnis
20 December 1888 Battle of Suakin
9-10 March 1889 Battle of Gallabat
17 July 1894 Battle of Kassala
7 June 1896 Battle of Ferkeh
8 April 1898 Battle of Atbara
2 September 1898 Battle of Omdurman
25 November 1899 Battle of Umm Diwaykarat
Republic of the Sudan
18 August 1955 - 27 March 1972 First Sudanese Civil War
1969-1972 Anyanya rebellion
Democratic Republic of the Sudan
1 April 1983 - January 2005 Second Sudanese Civil War
Republic of the Sudan
1987 - ongoing Lord's Resistance Army insurgency
2003 - ongoing War in Darfur
10-12 May 2008 Attack on Omdurman and Khartoum
18 December 2005 - 15 January 2010 Chad-Sudan conflict
27-29 November 2006 Battle of Malakal
January 2009 - ongoing Sudanese nomadic conflicts
23 April 2010 South Darfur clash
7 January 2011 - ongoing South Sudan internal conflict
19 May 2011 - ongoing Sudan-SRF conflict
26 March - 26 September 2012 Sudan-South Sudan Border War
26-28 March 2012 First Battle of Heglig
17-18 April 2012 Abyei border clash
15 December 2013 - 22 February 2020 South Sudanese Civil War
Tunisia
Carthaginian Empire
264-146 BCE Punic Wars
264-241 BCE First Punic War
255 BCE Siege of Aspis
255 BCE Siege of Adys
255 BCE Battle of Tunis
240-238 BCE Mercenary War
Spring 240 BCE Battle of Utica
Autumn 240 BCE Battle of the Bagradas River
Autumn 240 BCE Hamilcar's victory with Navaras
238 BCE Battle of "The Saw"
238 BCE Siege of Tunis
218-201 BCE Second Punic War
203 BCE Battle of Utica
203 BCE Battle of the Great Plains
19 October 202 BCE Battle of Zama
149-146 BCE Third Punic War
147 BCE Battle of the Port of Carthage
147 BCE Battle of Nepheris
c. 149 BCE - Spring 146 BCE Battle of Carthage
Kingdom of Numidia
112-106 BCE Jugurthine War
111-104 BCE Battle of Thala
110 BCE Battle of Suthul
108 BCE Battle of the Muthul
647-709 Muslim conquest of the Maghreb
698 Battle of Carthage
Aghlabids
824-836 Military mutiny
879-880 Invasion of al-Abbas ibn Ahmad ibn Tulun
Fatimid Caliphate
909 Fatimid conquest of Ifriqiya from the Aghlabids
943-947 Rebellion of Abu Yazid
Almohad Caliphate
1160 Ifriqiya conquered and annexed by the Almohads
1171-1172 Conquest of North Africa and Nubia by the Ayyubid Dynasty
Ayyubid Dynasty
1171-1172 Conquest of North Africa and Nubias by the Ayyubid Dynasty
Hafsid Dynasty
Republic of Tunisia
19-23 July 1961 Bizerte Crisis
18 December 2010 - 14 January 2011 Tunisian Revolution
26 June 2015 - ongoing ISIL insurgency in Tunisia
Southern Africa
Angola
November 11, 1975 – April 4, 2002 Angolan Civil War
Lesotho
1880–1881 Gun War
22 September 1998 – May 1999 South African intervention in Lesotho
Malawi
Mozambique
May 30, 1977 – October 4, 1992 Mozambican Civil War
2013–2014 Internal conflict in Mozambique
October 5, 2017 – ongoing Insurgency in Cabo Delgado
Namibia
September 15, 1914 – February 4, 1915 Maritz Rebellion
August 26, 1966 – March 21, 1990 Namibian War of Independence
1994–1999 Caprivi conflict
South Africa
1817–1819 Ndwandwe–Zulu War
1779–1879 Xhosa Wars
August 26, 1966 – March 21, 1990 South African Border War
Zimbabwe
October 1893 – January 1894 First Matabele War
March 1896 – October 1897 Matabele and Mashona 'Revolts' Second Matabele War
July 4, 1964 – December 12, 1979 Second Chimurenga/Rhodesian Bush War
1982 – 1987 Gukurahundi genocide
West Africa
Benin
1724–1727 Abomey (Dahomey) conquests
1726–1730 First Oyo-Dahomey War
1738–1748 Second Oyo-Dahomey War
1764 Second Ashanti-Akim War
1768 Yoruba-Ashanti War
Burkina Faso
1985 Agacher Strip War
2015 – present Jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso
Côte d'Ivoire
1883–1898 Mandingo Wars
September 19, 2002 – March 4, 2007 First Ivorian Civil War
28 November 2010 – 11 April 2011 Second Ivorian Civil War
Gambia
2016–2017 2016–2017 Gambian constitutional crisis
2017 – ECOWAS intervention in the Gambia (2017)
Guinea
2013 Guinea clashes
Guinea-Bissau
1997–1999 Guinea-Bissau Civil War
Liberia
1989–1996 First Liberian Civil War
1999–2003 Second Liberian Civil War
Mali
647–709 Muslim conquest of the Maghreb
1075 Almoravid conquest of the Ghana Empire
c. 1230–1250 Early imperial expansion of the Mali Empire
1400 The Sandaki usurpation and second Mossi raid
1433 The Tuareg invasion
c. 1460s Songhai conquered Mema
1810–1818 Mopti Jihad
1848–1864 Initial conquests of El Hadj Umar Tall Jihad
1883–1886 Mandingo Wars
1962–1964 First Tuareg rebellion
1985 Agacher Strip War
1990–1995 Azawad insurgency and Malian civil war
April 11, 2002 – ongoing Insurgency in the Maghreb
2007–2009 Second Tuareg rebellion
2012 – Third Tuareg Rebellion
2012 – ongoing Northern Mali conflict
2020 Coup d'état
Mauritania
1970–ongoing Western Sahara conflict
April 11, 2002 – ongoing Insurgency in the Maghreb
Niger
1516–1517 Songhai Civil War
1916–1917 Kaocen Revolt
1990–1995 First Azawad insurgency
April 11, 2002 – ongoing Insurgency in the Maghreb
2007–2009 Second Azawad insurgency
2012 Tuareg Rebellion
Nigeria
1578–1608 Oyo-Benin War
1804–1808 Fulani War
1835–1836 Fula jihads
1873 – Rafin Jaki Jihad
1897 Benin Expedition
1953–ongoing Religious violence in Nigeria
1967–1970 Nigerian Civil War
1998–ongoing Communal conflicts in Nigeria (1998-present)
1999–ongoing Nigerian Sharia conflict
2009–ongoing Niger Delta conflict (2004–present)
2009–ongoing Boko Haram insurgency
2020 The End SARS Massacre
Sierra Leone
February 7, 1813 Action
1982 Ndogboyosoi War
March 23, 1991 – January 18, 2002 Sierra Leone Civil War
Western Sahara
October 23, 1957 – June 30, 1958 Ifni War
1970–ongoing Western Sahara conflict
October 30, 1975 – September 6, 1991 Western Sahara War

Re: No African American Killers...why?

Actually the answer is given as to why columbo has never had a black killer on any of the episodes quite disconcerting, and worrisome in its attempts to answer a question that is very obvious. Not having a black actor play the role of a killer was a failure to recognize african american contributions to TV and film, a kind of convenient "truth" a way of ignoring the fact that african American actors as well as Hispanics American actors could do the same. In the Film "the defiant ones Sidney portier played one half of a convict escaping from a chain gang tied to of all people Tony Curtis, with Sidney playing the smarter one. And there are others. I am always saddened when the establishment thinks for the individual and especially thinks for a whole race of people especially black people, on what would be best for them. Columbo was a great series of mysteries though we knew who did it from the very beginning. The formula tried not to go too far from that premise. But by the 1980s and 1990s and definitely by 2003 when the last episode aired the excuse of "we were doing black people a favor by not having them in primary or even secondary roles was quite frankly an inconvenient truth. The slovenly character played by columbo had truly run its course and the only "mystery was how he would catch the character who we all knew "did it" a African American actor could have played the role with class and style and still come off as respectable. And as for those that mention the old stand bus Roscoe lee, James Earl Jones, I submit Billy Dee williams (a man of the times Samuel L Jackson, and Denzel Washington just to mention some of several actors who could have pulled off being the "killer" and still cause no I'll will to african american causes of the times which really haven't changed since then. In all Livingston and the company turned their backs and maybe Peter Falk to a missed opportunity with an inconvenient "we think we know what's best for them" solution.

Re: No African American Killers...why?

Even Sidney Poiter or Bill Cosby in the 70s. It is unfortunate that the creators were not forward thinkers.

Re: No African American Killers...why?

Perhaps out of regard for black, brown, red and yellow people who are far too often depicted as the criminal element: thieves, killers, rapists, etc, the Columbo series gave people of color a break and didnt depict them as criminals which the magority are not, but are painted as such time and again.

Re: No African American Killers...why?

Actually the answer is given as to why columbo has never had a black killer on any of the episodes quite disconcerting, and worrisome in its attempts to answer a question that is very obvious. Not having a black actor play the role of a killer was a failure to recognize african american contributions to TV and film, a kind of inconvenient "truth" a way of ignoring the fact that african American actors as well as Hispanic American actors could do the same. In the Film "The defiant ones Sidney portier played one half of a convict escaping from a chain gang tied to of all people Tony Curtis, with Sidney playing the smarter one. And there are others. I am always saddened when the establishment thinks for the individual and especially thinks for a whole race of people especially black people, on what would be best for them. Columbo was a great series of mysteries though we knew who did it from the very beginning. The formula tried and true tried not to go too far from that premise. But by the 1980s and 1990s and definitely by 2003 when the last episode aired the excuse of "we were doing black people a favor by not having them in primary or even secondary roles was quite frankly an inconvenient truth. The slovenly character played by columbo had truly run its course and the only "mystery was how he would catch the killer character, who we all knew "did it" a African American actor could have played the role with class and style and still come off as respectable. And as for those that mention the old stand by Roscoe lee, James Earl Jones, I submit Billy Dee williams (a man of the times) Samuel L Jackson, and Denzel Washington just to mention some of several actors who could have pulled off being the "killer" and still cause no ill will to african american causes of the times which really haven't changed since then. In all Levine and company turned their backs on missed opportunities, and maybe even Peter Falk with an inconvenient "we think we know what's best for them" solution.

Re: No African American Killers...why?

This is something I am now realising as I am currently watching some of the older versions. Please note that there were many African American bartenders, maids and other servant-like side characters and therefore the show type-casted them as secondary. The height of racism here projected by the creators of this program. The theory behind the show is that the major character is 'more' prominent than Columbo and potentially more intelligent in his/her delivery. So the America in which this was first delivered didn't accommodate for a famous AA trying to outwit the sometimes wily Lieutenant. Such a shame as it could have matured and delivered someone like James Earl Jones, Sammy Davis Jr or Diahann Carroll as the main character.

Re: No African American Killers...why?

I message Peter Falk's daughter maybe 3 years ago to ask her the same thing , the woman I think got a little heated with me cause I simply ask her WHY ! She also told me on an after thought that " James Earl Jones was asked but busy at that time" I said - Huh there are a lot other Black American actors/actress other than Mr.Jones .I truly think that my question caught her off guard, she mentioned and I'm busy right now with my family , I told her so am I and I will let my family know her reply.
I use to watch that show every sunday as a kid and on Metv as an adult but after conversing with her I have NOT watched it anymore. I never heard of a Peter Gunn and I started watching that on metv EVEN they had black actors starring on that show & that was from my understanding in the 1950's

Re: No African American Killers...why?

Ann Pleasants
I message Peter Falk's daughter maybe 3 years ago to ask her the same thing , the woman I think got a little heated with me cause I simply ask her WHY ! She also told me on an after thought that " James Earl Jones was asked but busy at that time" I said - Huh there are a lot other Black American actors/actress other than Mr.Jones .I truly think that my question caught her off guard, she mentioned and I'm busy right now with my family , I told her so am I and I will let my family know her reply.
I use to watch that show every sunday as a kid and on Metv as an adult but after conversing with her I have NOT watched it anymore. I never heard of a Peter Gunn and I started watching that on metv EVEN they had black actors starring on that show & that was from my understanding in the 1950's
..and as a child I pay no attention but as an adult abd woman of color I said to myself one day while watching an episode , he never have blacks on his show playing co-star .
He had pull he could've made it happen but he DIDN'T & that was in the 1970's ??!!
I have not watched it since and I think cause how his daughter respond to my message on messenger.. I have some of the series on cd but not the entire collection after her reply I will NOT waste my money..For what? Never again

Re: No African American Killers...why?

Hollywood was still stuck in the "No African Americans " allowed era.

Re: No African American Killers...why?

Eve
posted by Mike Rafoan:

For the same reason they didn't shoot an episode on location in an Inuit village, but what difference could it have made then, and of what relevancy does it have to the topic now? I mean, come on ... the show is out of production.

Well, Mike I don't understand your reply. I can understand why Columbo never had any Inuit murderers on the show (after all, as you said, the show didn't take place in an Inuit village). But Columbo was shot in Los Angeles and took place in Los Angeles. Are you saying there were no black people in Los Angeles? And why use the reason "the show is out of production" to negate the purpose of this topic? By that logic, this entire fan forum is redundant (and we can't have that!)

That's a thought-provoking question, and it made me realize that I can't even recall any black victims on Columbo. Can anyone jog my memory about this? I wonder why that was...
In the crumpled detectives defence... I think the answer might, and I stress might have been a little more due to $$$'s. The only African American actors of the time we're....
Sidney Poitier
(maybe) James Earl Jones
Bill Cosby?
Richard Prior?
Richard., (The guy who played Shaft)?
Singers and female stars of the time could also could be added to the list.

Loads more names but I can't think of any more as my memory is shocking

All these people were top of there game STARS and so could have asked for far more $$ than this TV show could offer.

Add to to that what would the storylines have been
Waiter kills massa
Chauffer kills massa
Bell boy kills massa
.. you get the drift.
Thoughts welcome.

Re: No African American Killers...why?

Eve
posted by Mike Rafoan:

For the same reason they didn't shoot an episode on location in an Inuit village, but what difference could it have made then, and of what relevancy does it have to the topic now? I mean, come on ... the show is out of production.

Well, Mike I don't understand your reply. I can understand why Columbo never had any Inuit murderers on the show (after all, as you said, the show didn't take place in an Inuit village). But Columbo was shot in Los Angeles and took place in Los Angeles. Are you saying there were no black people in Los Angeles? And why use the reason "the show is out of production" to negate the purpose of this topic? By that logic, this entire fan forum is redundant (and we can't have that!)

That's a thought-provoking question, and it made me realize that I can't even recall any black victims on Columbo. Can anyone jog my memory about this? I wonder why that was...
In the crumpled detectives defence... I think the answer might, and I stress might have been a little more due to $$$'s. The only African American actors of the time we're....
Sidney Poitier
(maybe) James Earl Jones
Bill Cosby?
Richard Prior?
Richard., (The guy who played Shaft)?
Singers and female stars of the time could also could be added to the list.

Loads more names but I can't think of any more as my memory is shocking

All these people were top of there game STARS and so could have asked for far more $$ than this TV show could offer.

Add to to that what would the storylines have been
Waiter kills massa
Chauffer kills massa
Bell boy kills massa
.. you get the drift.
Thoughts welcome.

Re: No African American Killers...why?

The chauffer in the episode, "Short Fuse" was African/American. He wasn't the main target, but he was still a victim.

Greg Morris, perhaps best known as Barney Collier on "Mission: Impossible" would have made a terrific "Columbo" murderer.

Re: Re: No African American Killers...why?

This is an interesting question, and something that had never occured to me.

Like the earlier post I agree that with the episodes in the 70s you can probably attribute the absence of a black actor to the social context of the time.

However, given that there's been another 25 or so Columbo's since it's revival, it is very, very surprising that in near enough 70 episodes there has been not one black actor playing opposite Falk. I don't know what the explanation is.

Interesting that James Earl Jones was considered for a role. He would have been fantastic. Can imagine him being very dismissive and patronising to Columbo throughout the episode making his fall at the end all the sweeter.

Roscoe Lee Browne would also have been good. He had a great way with slick charm and would have made for a similarly entertaining episode.

Re: Re: Re: No African American Killers...why?

What exactly is a "Jilted Barfly?"

Re: Re: Re: Re: No African American Killers...why?

It's very easy to misuse this phrase, in a sort of "knee-jerk" way, but maybe there was some degree of "reverse discrimination." In other words, maybe it wasn't so much that they didn't decide to have a smart black character, as that they didn't decide to have a black character who commits murder. I'm not saying that's the reason, but it could have figured into it a little.
("Jilted Barfly" is one of my favorite user names too, either here or elsewhere.)

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: No African American Killers...why?

As Columbo might say, "Not bad. Not bad." That's actually a different way to look at it. None of this has ever hampered my enjoyment of this show. As Columbo might say, 'it's just one of those things that gets stuck in my head and rolls around like a marble in there.'

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Replying to:

It's very easy to misuse this phrase, in a sort of "knee-jerk" way, but maybe there was some degree of "reverse discrimination." In other words, maybe it wasn't so much that they didn't decide to have a smart black character, as that they didn't decide to have a black character who commits murder. I'm not saying that's the reason, but it could have figured into it a little.
("Jilted Barfly" is one of my favorite user names too, either here or elsewhere.)

Re: Re: No African American Killers...why?

Roscoe Lee Browne would have been a more than formidable villain. He literally screen tested his believable depth in Rest In Peace, Mrs. Columbo. Without opportunity in these lead roles, talent is languishing and ideologies perpetuate about capabilities that couldn't be more farther from the truth. African-Americans didn't lead in the older episodes neither the later episodes ending in 2003. I am a mammoth Columbo fan, but that ostentatious lack of opportunity would have to be my Just One More Thing question and not necessarily for the character himself, but for the stakeholders behind the scenes.

Re: No African American Killers...why?

I think there were no Black killers because they couldn't come up with a storyline which would have a brilliant rich Black person devising an intricate murder plot.
They wore the blinders which were common at the time - Black people were considered to be intellectually inferior.
But, consider Johnny Cash's character. They cast a Southern country & gospel musician as a killer who comes up with a plot that almost fools Columbo. A Southerner! Like me! Other than that one part, I don't remember any other time when a Southerner nearly outsmarts Columbo. That's because we were often depicted as laughably ignorant.
What about Ricardo Montalban's Mexican bullfighter? He is rich and has Caucasian facial features. But his victim does not look like an upper class white man. That episode is cringe-worthy because of the stereotypical Mexicans, like the taxi driver and the fat lady.
Black people in Columbo were cops, football players, cab drivers, servants, or background extras.

Re: No African American Killers...why?

My sentiments exactly.

Re: No African American Killers...why?

Yup

Re: No African American Killers...why?

It was crucial that Columbo always be the underdog, and never be seen (even in the viewer's unconscious mind) as "picking on" somebody who is socially disadvantaged compared to himself.

There were real-life black millionaires, even then, but we had not yet reached a point in TV-Land where viewers could readily accept a black character as an oppressor, rather than the oppressed -- especially in a show as "class"-oriented as "Columbo". It's a very, very sticky subject, and it has to do with the archetypes (or if you insist,stereotypes) of TV story-telling in shows that present parables rather than real life. Yet, it's interesting that, as was pointed out, the producers actually did want to do an episode with James Earl Jones.

Re: Re: No African American Killers...why?

That's probably true. Of course, along with James Earl Jones, there were some other black actors, even when Columbo started, who were so "high-profile" that what you mention wouldn't have been a problem with them. As far as TV actors in, say, 1971, I can't help thinking of Bill Cosby and Dianne Carroll.

Re: Re: No African American Killers...why?

Diahann Carroll would have worked. She could have played the character of the fading dancer who killed her unsupportive husband and was bailed out by her dance partner. It's simple where there is a will there is a way.

Re: Re: No African American Killers...why?

I'm glad I posted the original question, because responses like this have given me what I was looking for. It's given me different ways to look at a situation that was really perplexing to me. I have a feeling that each of us who has given their theories have probably hit on the true reasons. I also have no doubt that if Peter Falk were young enough to have Columbo be a regular series again, we would finally have our first black murderer! (Gary Coleman, anyone?? just joking...)

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Replying to:

It was crucial that Columbo always be the underdog, and never be seen (even in the viewer's unconscious mind) as "picking on" somebody who is socially disadvantaged compared to himself.

There were real-life black millionaires, even then, but we had not yet reached a point in TV-Land where viewers could readily accept a black character as an oppressor, rather than the oppressed -- especially in a show as "class"-oriented as "Columbo". It's a very, very sticky subject, and it has to do with the archetypes (or if you insist,stereotypes) of TV story-telling in shows that present parables rather than real life. Yet, it's interesting that, as was pointed out, the producers actually did want to do an episode with James Earl Jones.

Re: Re: Re: No African American Killers...why?

Levinson and Link are on record as saying they always wanted to have a black guest star, particularly James Earl Jones or Sammy Davis, Jr.

However, at a panel discussion in Los Angeles in the 1990s, Peter Falk said he would certainly have objected to the idea, had he ever heard it during production. He said, and I am paraphrasing, that the audience roots for Columbo because he is a regular guy, and the murderer is someone with every advantage in the world. Falk said that a black murderer would seem more like Columbo than like a villain who has squandered his advantages in life. He went on to say that it might have become different by the time of the event--perhaps society had evolved enough to allow the lack of sympathy he felt was necessary.

The most interesting part for me was seeing that Falk and Levinson & Link had obviously never discussed the question in 25 years.

Re: Re: Re: Re: No African American Killers...why?

Thanks, Lee. I'd say you can't get any more accurate an answer than what you posted...coming from the mouth of Peter Falk, himself. To hear that he was honest enough to say that he would have rejected the notion of a black murderer back then was surprising, but his reasoning makes sense to me, especially given the time period.

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Replying to:

Levinson and Link are on record as saying they always wanted to have a black guest star, particularly James Earl Jones or Sammy Davis, Jr.

However, at a panel discussion in Los Angeles in the 1990s, Peter Falk said he would certainly have objected to the idea, had he ever heard it during production. He said, and I am paraphrasing, that the audience roots for Columbo because he is a regular guy, and the murderer is someone with every advantage in the world. Falk said that a black murderer would seem more like Columbo than like a villain who has squandered his advantages in life. He went on to say that it might have become different by the time of the event--perhaps society had evolved enough to allow the lack of sympathy he felt was necessary.

The most interesting part for me was seeing that Falk and Levinson & Link had obviously never discussed the question in 25 years.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: No African American Killers...why?

I can understand Falk's comments in the context of the 1970s, but can that same defence be used for the episodes which ran throughout the 90s and the 00s?

I am from the UK so cannot lay claim to being an expert on social class in the US, but it strikes me as bizarre that even in the 1990s a black person, whatever their job or upbringing, would not have enough social status to be a workable Columbo villain.

Re: Re: Re: No African American Killers...why?

Thanks Lee for sharing the research information you gathered. I understand what Peter is saying but view it from the angle that Peter was speaking in terms of extreme absolutes when a character such as Tommy Brown or Beth Chadwick to a lesser extent or Kay Freestone, for example, may be considered sympathetic villains. Again, thanks for your research.

Re: Re: Re: No African American Killers...why?

I can't help thinking that James McEachin would have made a good killer, along with the two roles he did play. And he was all over TV at the time, so a third COLUMBO wouldn't be strange.
Maybe he never got completely out of the "character actor" category, but in a way that's true of some other actors who played killers, like Clive Revill (at least in this country).

Re: Re: Re: No African American Killers...why?

James would have been an excellent choice.

Re: Re: No African American Killers...why?

It's late, I'm tired, I want to go to sleep but I don't like your answer Ted for too many reasons. No matter what the 'times' that this particular show was produced, writers are all about creativity and different techniques. They were smart enough to have done a show or shows with African-American lead actors.

Re: No African American Killers...why?

I can't speak for Peter Falk but, in fairness, I'm not sure he would have had the same thoughts on this subject in the 1990s, or would have given the same quote, as he did during the original series.

Re: Re: No African American Killers...why?

In answering the question at the event I saw, which was in the 1990's, Falk seemed to decide right at that moment that things might have changed enough for it to work. He was not running out to call casting agents, but he acknowledged that race relations had progressed in the previous 20 years.

And just to clarify...there was no implied racism in Falk's analysis at all! Just the opposite, actually, as he cited prejudicial treatment of black Americans as the reason he had not favored the casting choice earlier.