On my local NPR station, I just heard an interview with an architectural photographer named Julius Shulman. Much of the discussion was about a particular photo, which was called the greatest or most famous architectural photo of all time.

"Columbo" fans should recognize the house in that photo. At least 3 "Columbo" characters have lived there: Susan Hudson in "Prescription: Murder", Ken Franklin in "Murder By The Book", and Eric Wagner in "The Most Crucial Game".

This link might only be good today (12/13/05), although it might later be searchable at NPR.org:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5051514

For more about this iconic house, see the "Columbo Flashbacks" article in the Scrapbook area of our site.

That house was definitely recycled for many episodes. Wasn't it Leonard Nemoy's home in "A Stitch in Crime" as well? For what it's worth.

The best part about that scene in the home of Barry Mayfield (Leonard Nimoy) was that they played the theme song from "Ransom For a Dead Man" in the background.

Being a huge Murder by the Book fan, I enjoyed this post.

Is there any similar info on Ken's Log Cabin?

I didn't know about the music. I'll have to listen more carefully. I got caught up watching Columbo helping himself to the buffet and then getting indigestion.

I think "Publish or Perish" also reuses the tune from "Ransom for a Dead Man", much in the same way as "A Stitch in Crime" does. There is a scene where Riley Greenleaf (Jack Cassidy), seemingly very drunk, chrashes a party to meet the author and soon-to-be murder victim Mallory (Mickey Spillane) as well as his agent (Mariette Hartley) and his new publisher. In the background, the tune in question is being played on the piano.

"Ransom for a Dead Man", "A Stitch in Crime" and "Publish or Perish", among several other early episodes, all had scores by Billy Goldenberg. Of course, if it is possible to rearrange an old tune for scenes like this, then that is what the composer is going to do (rather than create completely new music every time background music etc. is needed). So it is only natural that music was recycled in Columbo as well as houses.