I have been watching Etude in Black on my new series 2 DVD. In the episode Columbo says how much of a fan he is of Alex Benedict.

It made me think if this is one of the few times we actually find out something which Columbo likes. Normally we only learn about his wife's passions. The only other episode I can think of where Columbo reveals himself to be a fan is Forgotten Lady.

Are there other episodes where it's Columbo and not his wife who is the fan?

It's been a while since I've seen Etude, but doesn't Columbo also talk about how it's his wife who buys his albums, etc. Yeah, he says he's a fan, too--but my impression was that he was a fan as a result of his wife's influence. Maybe I'm splitting hairs here.

I believe in Etude that it is really a shared experience between him and his wife. He says "we" just bought your latest album...Alex comes back and says that he had no idea that he was interested in piano concertos..(which always struck me as funny because he had just met Columbo!!!)..and then Columbo says no..it was the Strauss Waltzes..the Blue Danube and that "we" listen to it every once in a while.
In Publish or Perish Columbo expresses the desire to write a book.
In Short Fuse he tells Roger that he has a good knowledge of cigars.
He obviously loves football as is shown in The Most Crucial Game.
He loved Nora Chandler, Requiem, that was also a shared experience with his wife.
He loved to cook...Murder Under Glass.
He loves to read...Murder by the Book..Double Exposure.

Yeah, quite an impressive list! Did you ever suspect our Columbo was actually a Paladin (sp) type, in the sense that he may have been extraordinarily sophisticated and erudite at home--but then put on the guise of an ordinary guy to do his police work? A reason we never see his real home . . . a leatherbound library, a bar for martinis, etc. This posting is just for laughs if you can't tell!!!

"He loved to cook...Murder Under Glass."

Except this had to be an acquired hobby over the course of the series since he did say in "Murder By The Book" to Joanna Ferris, "I'm the world's worst cook."

Good list, thanks. I remember some of these now you mention them. I think a lot of the villains must have wished he just wasn't so interested in solving crime.

Well it gave me a laugh!....and also intrigued me....

You are correct Mr. Eric...but couldn't that have been yet another ploy of Columbo to throw someone off?...maybe..maybe not....who knows? The man was a man of mystery..what did he really know?..and what did he teach himself?..and what did he not know? I guess we will never know..........and I have to stop using the word "know"!!!

I don't want to be accused of going off on nonColumbo topics, but this may be a issue similar to the Sherlock Holmes short stories and novels. Many's the critic who's pointed out contradictions in the descriptions of recurring characters (especially Watson and the exact location of his Afghan war wound!)--but the best reply was that although there were some discrepancies when all 50-some stories were compared, there were none within each story. Perhaps we've discovered The Sherlock Defense: contradictions between stories don't count but discrepancies within stories do count.

Could be, but the "world's worst cook" line was said to the victim's very innocent spouse. :) That's why I tend to take that as the gospel truth and feel "Murder Under Glass" has to be set in an alternate universe.

"Alex comes back and says that he had no idea that he was interested in piano concertos..(which always struck me as funny because he had just met Columbo!!!).."

Yes Cassa...That always struck me as strange...A very odd thing to say to someone you have just met five minutes ago!

Knowing him, he probably just screwed up the line!

Maybe it had something to do with the editing. From what I recollect, that's the ep where Alex has a scene with Columbo visiting his sumptuous home after he'd had a haircut--rest of ep he has long locks.

That's a good theory Michael...but when Columbo visits him at his home he says something like he wanted to mention something to him(getting the autograph) 'last night' but suicide is depressing and he didn't want to bring it up.
I have the Canadian 90 minute version at home and I know there is different dialogue in that particular scene...I will check it out when I get home from vacation.

I gotta hand it to ya--you've got a better memory than I have. I should remember this one as it was the very first ep I saw.

Michael...Michael...Michael...you have to understand that this is not memory on my part......this episode is etched upon my brain...and sadly also on my son's brain!! He and I can recite all the lines to the show...it is so pathetic!! He will pull a line on me from time to time....from Etude..and also other Johnny flicks that I watch over and over....and he gets me sometimes...I can't remember what JC movie it was from right away...but he remembers them all......what's not to love there????
And how cool is that, that it was your first Columbo episode..that is terrific!!....what an induction!!....again...I will say "Terrific!'

Etude came up again in my reading in the local library this afternoon. While scanning a bio of Bogart, I read about the film Conflict, which he starred in with Sydney Greenstreet. In this film a very similar situation appears like the carnation. Bogart says he remembers the last time he saw his murdered wife she was wearing a rose--but Greenstreet knows he gave her the rose from his own rose garden not long before she was murdered. So, of course, he concludes Bogie killed his wife. Don't think Conflict was amongst Bogie's best, but interesting this was used albeit somewhat differently in Columbo.

Michael..I am ashamed to admit that I have not seen Conflict....I love all those old B&W films...Double Indemnity..Murder Inc.....all the old war films...Castle Keep...Anzio...but the ones I savor are the ganster pics........Bogart was the best...but you had Cagney and Raft and E.G. Robinson..and so many others...
I checked out Conflict on IMDB and it is sadly one that I haven't seen...I can't believe it....it sounds kinda good......the guy on IMDB sounded just like you, he said he didn't think it was a great Bogie film but it was ok.......
I would love to see this one, just for the fact that you mention the flower thingy.................please TCM..come through for me again.

hey jilted???what is your website again? i think i lost it.....i really like your site...very eclectic and funny..............so i will post something there, as i have in the past, and you will totally ignore me again!!!!.....yea!!!!! it sounds like fun!!!
hey.....just post it again...i will write to you on there...and i would invite anyone on this site to check out jilted's site too....it is really cool...

I don't recall ever seeing Conflict in video rental--probably on AMC many years ago. Greenstreet plays an English professor.

Well I checked out the scene in Etude on the 90minute Canadian version and it is just as I had posted earlier....JC must have just screwed up the line!!
In the Canadian one Columbo says.."I'm a fan of yours...a really big fan...." and Alex says..."Are you interested in piano concertos?"

And on the 2 hour version and the 90minute one Columbo says about the typewriter..."Why would a woman who's going to commit suicide type a goodbye note...put it in the machine and take it out again." That is obviously a flubbed line also...he should have said the reverse. Obviously the 2 friends were doing a little partying on the set!!!

Good observations.