The mention of our hero's fear of flying got me thinking about the episode with Roddy McDowell--did he indicate his fear of being so high in the climactic scene?

he definitely did the first time he rode in the tram, when he went to inspect the accident scene.

on that last trip, he makes a nervous comment when they first get on, about having heard the tram was safe and hoping the person was right. but the fear disappears as they begin the ascent and he starts the mind game on stanford.

columbo has a way of putting aside his fears when he is doing something more important...nailing a killer.

i love columbo.

Yet in "RIP, Mrs. Columbo" he does fly to San Francisco to meet Mrs. Dimitri's shrink. There was no mention of his fear in this episode, and we know he had to take a plane to see this guy.

thanks for the happy 4th wish, Steve.
It was indeed a happy 4th: Italy won to Germany in the semi-finals of the world cup (and I am italian) :-)

I apologize for the OT.

And I also enjoy lieutenant's fear of flying: that's a nice quirk.