So I got my season 1 Rockford set and i'm watching an episode on disc 1 ("This Case Is Closed") and what do I see? A scene from Columbo! It's the one from Amy Old Port where Columbo goes to the Tennis Club (?) to tell Ric's fiance his body's been found. There's a couple dancing at the beginning - that's the scene. They only show the beginning part in Rockford. I thought it was kind of cool. I also spotted two actors from Columbo in the same episode. One's the policeman assigned to guard Nelson Hayward - the one he sends to get the box of 'Panatella's" - he was at the tennis club and says a few words to Rockford. The other one is the guy from Etude that works for Alex in the orchestra, the one who calls the cops from Alex's dressing room. He plays a federal agent that saves Rockfords life but then has a clash with him. Kind of cool to see all that, just thought i'd mention it.

Both shows, (in addition to another police show
that is a favorite of mine, "Kojak") were made
by Universal Studios. They, at least in those
days, must have had character actors under contract,
so they would shuttle them from one show to another
that they were producing. Thus, it is not suprising
to see props go from one show to another, either
(the painting of the fictional detective lady in
"Murder by the Book" appeared in an episode of Rockford as well). Universal made a golden era of TV in the early 1970's, having top actors, directors and
facilities.

I know the reasons but it's fun to see, and I thought i'd let everyone know.

The most notable Columbo-Rockford connection that comes to mind of course, would be Gretchen Corbett (Beth Davenport on Rockford) as Janus's secretary in "Exercise In Fatality."