OH!! I didn't give you the last clue!?!?....ok..Well......It seems Mr. StripClub owner was a really good dresser...he loved his tuxedos and he loved to put a flower in his lapel when he emceed the strip acts. Well...he inadvertantly dropped his lapel flower under his dining room table when he was preparing the cement shoes for Giovanni. But luckily he came back after the police discovered the body...and found the little boutineer and pinned it on his lapel. He and Columbo talked about classic music for a bit, the Strauss Waltzes and the Blue Danube.....and then Paul Rifken came in and started saying something about...oh no...oh NO!!...wrong episode!!!!

But the thing is....Columbo gets a warrant for the flower and he takes it into police custody...and when forensics checks it over.......it is covered in Ricin...Benny's Poison Of Choice......

Well..I tried!!

I think Bing Crosby would have made a fantastic Columbo murderer, playing himself (a laid-back crooner). I would have loved to see Richard Dawson as a gameshow host killer, too. My all-time favorite "old school" pick would go to Christopher Lee - just look at all the great villains he's played. The guy just oozes class and creepiness.

As for nowadays, I'd like to see Tim Curry (as a Simon Cowell-esc judge on an "American Idol"-type show), Leonard Nimoy (returning for a second guest spot as an Isaac Asimov kind of sci-fi fellow) or James Woods (as a professional gambler). I guess Woods might not do the show, but heck, where's his career been lately? Same goes for Curry.

Ever see "Doctor Cook's Garden"?

Joe

Wow -- great old TV movie. You know it was written by Ira Levin (Stepford Wives, Rosemary's Baby, Boys from Brazil). And if you want to play a modified Kevin Bacon game, Crosby was Levinson and Link's first choice for Columbo.

With Wood on the new Hollywood blacklist right now, he might just consider it. Betcha Curry would snap it up in a second, and be terrific.

Hey...thanks Martin.....(this is from that post waaaay above in this thread)....
So how bad was my plot??? Really bad, right?? Kinda Dumb, yup?........come on tell me it stunk.......although I did like how you said it was "flipping marvelous"......Thanks!

So I figure I should start cooking now and see you later. We will have a pleasant dinner together.....if my husband manages to stay awake!!!!

I loved it -- I'm a Food Network addict, so the victim's last meal (all my Italian favorites) had my mouth watering. And I'm getting to that age where I love to see the great old stars showing they can still kick some young punk butt. The show House (best medical show since St. Elsewhere) has started featuring patient cameos by classic old-timers like Peter Graves ("Mr. Phelps, your mission, should you decide...") and Shirley Knight.

I meant it -- I think you have a great premise, both mysterywise and from the relationship standpoint. I loved Joe's idea above, too. In fact, I'm inviting you both to try your hands at writing them up for my Columbo fanfic site. I see yours (ideal title given the background and means of poisoning: Pasties and Pastries) being written first person, very film noir, from Gazzara's POV. Try it -- it's all for fun.

oh!!!....I'll hold the Ricin!!!!.....

I loved Joe's idea too. And that name is great...Guy Bennefield III...terrific!

Now as far as writing this up for your site...that is very flattering. You know I am familiar with your site and I have read and enjoyed many of the stories there.
As I mentioned to you once before...I am a writer...basically unpublished...but I still consider myself a writer....the only thing is, I am not really a writer of mysteries.......I write about emotions and things like that.
I loved your title Pasties and Pastries!! Perfect!
And the idea of making it a first-person story from Gazzara's POV is an excellent idea. I would have a bit of a problem though, because I stole a lot of that from John Cassavetes' terrific A Killing of a Chinese Bookie...which was a film noir type film. I wouldn't want to be accused of plagiarism!!!
Heck...I'll mull it over and see if I have a story in me....who knows......but thanks for the compliment anyway.