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: The Most Crucial Game

Funny to have this debate about ice cream. Here in Philadelphia, ice cream is not the number one choice of food during football season.

Re: Re: Re: The Most Crucial Game

I think that is is implied that, at some point prior to the murder, Hanlon discovered the bugs. He therefore knew that he could use them to set up his "perfect" alibi. He was on to Eve Babcock, so he paid her off and let her go. Columbo notes that Hanlon had to leave Eric's house so he could contact Eve from an outside line, and the only reason he would have had to do that was because he knew about the bugs and didn't want that conversation recorded. Also, why would Hanlon have had the radio playing in the background in the phone booth unless he wanted to make it appear (on the recording) that he was at the stadium.

There never is any concrete proof that Hanlon knew about the bugs, but Columbo probably figured that it would have been too much of a coincidence if Hanlon didn't know, that such a good alibi would emerge.

Re: The Most Crucial Game

Well...you definitely proved your point to me.....the things you said really prove that he did know about the bugs.

I don't know why I didn't think about all that stuff. But it has been so hot here in Jersey lately I think my brain has melted!!!

Re: Re: The Most Crucial Game

Thanks to all who have replied to my question. The only think I have on my mind, which is bugging me still, is how Hanlon was so confident in his ability to stage manage events so that Columbo should be suspicious about the buzzing noise. This seems a risky strategy to me becuse if Columbo did not spot somehthing wrong, then this would blow a hole in Hanlon's alibi, would it not?

Re: Re: Re: The Most Crucial Game

Columbo hearing the buzzing was probably just a coincidence. I think that had Columbo not discovered the bugs himself, Hanlon knew that Walter would have eventually released the tapes to Eric's wife hoping that there would be something there that would diminish Hanlon. At that point, if necessary, Hanlon could have used the tapes as his alibi.