He always put in a great performance, even though
you are right, "Publish or Perish" is the weakest
of the three stories he appeared in. It was a wise
move to cast him to be in the first regular season
episode of the series, because as I pointed out in the "Gene Barry" thread, the show is not just built on Columbo, but also on the villain.

Yes, YM, I thought he was great in "The Andersonville Trial". For those who haven't seen it, Jack was the suave Southern defense lawyer for the sadistic commandant of a Confederate prison camp, where huge numbers of Union prisoners died from starvation, neglect and disease during the Civil War. It was based on a Broadway play, and on the true story.

Other "Columbo" faces included William Shatner as the obsessed prosecutor, Richard Basheart ("Dagger Of The Mind") as the defendant, Martin Sheen ("Lovely But Lethal") in a smaller role, and also, in a non-speaking part as one of the jurors, Bert Freed -- "the very first Columbo", from the teleplay "Enough Rope".

Shatner entertains by hamming it up -- viewers' opinions will vary as to whether he's completely over-the-top and laughable here. But Cassidy is definitely excellent. It's available on tape. George C Scott directed (he played the Shatner part on Broadway) this PBS TV drama, and does the introduction, which was all presented live.

Can't understand why people are not keen on Publish or Perish. Good Cassidy performance. He's plays a very good drunk and I like his scene's with Eddie Caine, where his contempt for the man is palpable.

I have always found Now You See Him a little bit stagey, especially the bit at the end where everyone whips out the bits of paper. It's these creeping comedy moments which I think have resulted in the comedy interludes we get in the 80s revival.

www.20six.co.uk/jiltedbarfly

You misunderstand me--Jack Cassidy's performance is outstanding in this one, it's just that the story line is not as good as the others.

Happy to stand corrected on that point. But I prefer Publish or Perish over Now You See Him - I reckon it's that episode where the plot is weaker.

www.20six.co.uk/jiltedbarfly

Jilted, I too thought he played a great drunk. He did it just enough. He didn't go over the top with it. And the pure disdain he shows for Eddie Kane is so fitting for his character. And then there is that scene when he is obviously watching a porno flick and Columbo interrupts him...and he just gets all ticked off!