People forget that the ID badge is just a prop. Many prop makers have a bit of fun when making something for movies or TV. I agree that the name looks like Frank but I don't think that is Columbos 1st name. Maybe it was the name of the person who made it, just as a bit of fun. They needed an ID badge. Whats Columbos name? Don't know it, I know I'll use my name :)

They probably didn't think that fans would be magnifying screencaps in an attempt to read it.

A good example of propmakers having a bit of fun is in the new Superman movie. I've been watching the online making of's. The editor of the Daily planet has awards on the wall behind him. All of these were invented by the prop makers. One award is the Bryan Singer award. Bryan Singer is the director, no such award exists. All a bit of fun.

My advice, don't take that ID seriously, it isn't real.

WD

If we should decide on an honorary first name for Lt. Columbo, I think the perfect choice is "Peter," in honor of the man who embodies him so perfectly.

how bout vito???

paul..........i am missing your zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz's

But I'm not certain we should be so quick to dismiss "Frank" as the Lt.'s first name. If we were to disqualify all the props on a show for their "unreality," wouldn't that throw a curve in discussions of other evidence/clues, too?

But I'm not certain we should be so quick to dismiss "Frank" as the Lt.'s first name. If we were to disqualify all the props on a show for their "unreality," wouldn't that throw a curve in discussions of other evidence/clues, too?

Give me an example of what you mean? The ID prop was never made to move the story forward. We all know who Columbo is. He just needs something to flash at other chartacters. Doesn't matter what the prop says his name is. His picture was the important part.

And I know I've argued the other side of this, too. But it also occurs to me that we could challenge other props as well--because we know that they're just props that represent something real (guns, etc). His ID moves the plot forward as that's the usual process for a detective.

Since this topic comes up so often I will make a point which was brought up by some one in the past. (sorry I forget who it was.)
Levinson & Link, the creators of Columbo, have stated that they never gave Columbo a first name. Now if the creators didn't give him one....then who did?

For me Columbo is just that..........he is just Columbo....Lieutenant Columbo.

You know--I may have said that (but probably others have said it, too!). On the other hand--and I stress this is on the other hand--if the name appeared on the show, why isn't it considered as valid as other "props"?

But it also occurs to me that we could challenge other props as well--because we know that they're just props that represent something real (guns, etc)

Yes guns exist in the real world but Columbo doesn't. I think you may have missed my point. The prop guys get a script which says man A shoots man B. OK they need a gun for this scene, simple. Another scene is something like.. Columbo reveals his ID.. Ok then, we have a wallet with a picture but no name. They ring the producers and ask Columbos name. They say he hasn't got one, make it up. Hey presto he writes Frank. As stated above if the creators didn't give him a name then he hasn't got one.

If the prop needed was a post mortem report stating a cause of death then that information would need to be spot on. If the prop guy felt like having a joke here and wrote, cause of death :- HICCUPS then that just doesn't work. Its relevant to the plot.

Yep, the photo definitely say Frank Columbo.
Now we know!

Well...since Paul isn't here, I'll speak for him.......
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Since I've played both sides of the fence on this one, I'll come up with a third angle. Unlike novels or short stories which usually have a single author, films are a collaborative effort (director usually gets credit though. With so many people involved, you often can't say ONE person is responsible for any ONE thing. Levinson and Link say they didn't give Lt. a name; somebody else or possibly 2-3 others in production did give him a name. Maybe this is a cop-out, but does this mean we can accept what we want to accept? Kinda like we like the episodes written or directed by some writers or directors and don't like others written by someone else?

But Michael...Michael....Michael....the actual CREATORS of Columbo did not give him a first name. They, in a sense, gave birth to him. They named him. They christened him Columbo...not Frank Columbo, or Phillip Columbo or Vito Columbo, or Ricky or Lou Tenant Columbo (sorry Headache!)
It is the same as an author of a book who has a character who goes only by their last name. How, as readers, can we assume that the character's name is this or that.....we can't...because the author never told us. They created the charater, and if they chose not to give them a first name...then we must deal with it.
I guess we all have our own conceptions and thoughts on this topic. Heaven knows it comes up enough. And even though it gets tiresome sometimes, I secretly enjoy seeing it pop up over and over again. It always brings on some really cool discussion.

Oh....by the way...........his first name is really Carlo...named after my grandfather, who I am named after!!!

Sorry Cass, a few days late...

ZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Somewhere in the archive part of this site (where's ted?) it says that the creators (parents if you like) never gave columbo a first name. Therefore regardless of whether it came from billy the man who made the prop cop badge or that guy who made up a quiz and jokingly gave Columbo a first name to see if anyone faked their own edition, its immaterial. Columbo has never had a first name tho for some reason this is deemed as unacceptable and it must exist. Simply put, he doesnt. Never has, never will. Therefore as far i am am concerned you can call him anything you want, im sure many of the killers, people he spoke too did, tho off camera lol.

God bless,

Matthew

I knew you would pop in sooner or later Paul!!!

Maybe the prop guys asked Peter what he wanter to be called and he decided on Frank.