No one is going to like this...but... Rudy Strassa in No Time to Die...was the most sinister and evil...in continued fear for the victim...at least all the others killed the victim and the terror was over.
Strassa's delight and "affectatious" speech made me sick.
Vento- I think thatI agree with you because we are such visual people. I think the murderer that annoyed me the most was Paul Gerard (Louis Jourdan)"Murder Under Glass". He was so condescending to Columbo, and the french accent made it worse. For me, the murderer I felt most sorry for(from physical appearance) was Oliver Brandt(Theodore Brinkel)"Bye-bye sky-high murder mystery".
I agree with all murderers you mentioned as being very annoying, especially Ed Begley.
Another victim I hoped it'll die soon, was wife of Johnny Cash, I don't remember the name, she really got on my nerves with preaching about churches all the time.And on the other hand Johnny Cash was murderer that I have a sympathy for, I think he wasn't so sinister and evil.
And Francis Galesko, of course.Maybe Columbo should investigate private relations and in case he finds it proper to make a murder, let the murderer know about how he commited the crime, but not arrest him/her.
What's wrong with you people? Harry Stone on Candidate for Crime. Ken Swofford is a master of playing loudmouthed blowhards and here he is in his element. Portraying a brash, grating, jerk. Letting the man he is managing know he will never be shed of him. When he speaks, Nelson grimaces. When Nelson shoots him, repeatedly, the look Nelson's his face is one of such deep satisfaction. It is amazing people like Harry have any life span at all.
I agree about Jennifer Welles, she is slimy.
The best victim was Frances Galesko-Antoinette
Bower played the part beautifully (most victims
in the series were basically ciphers, some never
even got to say a word-e.g. "Suitable for Framing").
Her best line is "what is this, Paul, some newly
found masculinity?" (after she was tied up!).
The most UNINTERESTING murderers were Viveca Scott
(Vera Miles in "Lovely but Lethal") and General
Hollister (Eddie Albert in "Dead Weight"). Both
were indifferent actors in uninteresting episodes.