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: Gratuitous characters or guest appearances

How about Phyllis Brandt (Celeste Holm) in Old Fashioned Murder...her character was ridiculous. Yes she was needed for the plot but she could have been unseen.
The boyfriend Danny Green in Now You See Him...what purpose did he serve?
Arthur Midas, the brother-in-law in Playback...what was the point of him?
Buddy Castle (Pat Harrington) in An Exercise in Fatality....did we really need him?

Re: Re: Gratuitous characters or guest appearances

Yes, Celeste Holm was just totally ridiculous...an Academy Award winner reduced to a fainting stereotype. The original idea for that project, involving Burgess Meredith as the killer who bumps off his two nephews, was much better (see Dawidziaks's (sp?) book). In fact, that whole episode was gratuitous.

I don't know about Buddy Castle, though. I think Castle was the one who gave Columbo the link to Janus'motive for the murder. However, the drunk wife wasn't really needed in my opinion, even though her suicide attempt allowed Columbo to lose his temper and that was a fresh approach.

Re: Re: Re: Gratuitous characters or guest appearances

Have you ever read the script for the Burgess Meredith episode? It's titled "In Deadly Hate". I happen to have a copy of it. Probably would have been a better episode than what they ended up with.

It's pretty bad when we have a useless character in the 90 minute episodes. Most of them you'll find in the 2 hour episodes, most of which probably could have been run betther at 90 (I.E. Etude In Black at 90 minutes).

Re: Gratuitous characters or guest appearances

shomrig, you might be right about Buddy Castle...he did serve a purpose....but the wife..Ruth Stafford?...........(well..here I go again guys!!!! ) .........when she eats that sandwich I just go wild!! I couldn't live without it!!

Re: Gratuitous characters or guest appearances

Yes, Etude was quite good in the 90minute version.

And Rex, I was looking at the scrapbook section of this site and I see your name is mentioned under "Original Columbo Titles"....cool!