Columbo - "Prescription Murder" (1967)

Season One
2 Pilots (See Newsletter for explanation)
September 15th 1971 to February 9th 1972

"Prescription Murder" (1967)
Season:
1, Episode - Pilot

Director: Richard Irving

Written by: Richard Levinson, William Link (based on their play)

Produced by: Richard Irving

Originally aired: February 20, 1968

Run Time: 99 (mins)

Cast:
Peter Falk as LT. Columbo

Guest Starring

Gene Barry as Dr Ray Flemming
Katherine Justice as Joan Hudson
William Windom as Burt Gordon
Nina Foch as Carol Flemming
Virginia Gregg
Andrea King
Katherine Justice
Susanne Benton
Ena Hartman
Sherry Boucher
Anthony James

Plot:

High priced psychiatrist Dr. Ray Fleming has guests completely baffled.
The game Botticelli (a variation on "Who-am-I ") and, as usual, he revels in the chance to show
off his intelligence. Everyone concedes defeat. The historical personality Ray is pretending to be
is exceedingly obscure. He is Joseph Brewer, Freud’s collaborator on Studies in Hysteria. The party
is in honor of Ray and Carol Fleming’s wedding anniversary. The phone rings. It’s Ray’s mistress,
aspiring actress Joan Hudson. She has to see him.

Ray tells his enraged wife that he must see a patient. Carol suspects the truth. Six months ago,
she warned him to end his extramarital affairs or face divorce and drastically reduced finances.
Since that ultimatum was issued, Ray has been plotting his wealthy wife’s murder.

For More Indepth Information

Click here if you wish to know additional information.

Columbo - "Ransom for a Dead Man" (1971)

"Ransom for a Dead Man" (1971)
Season:

1, Episode - Pilot

Director: Richard Irving

Written by: Dean Hargrove (from a story by Levinson and Link)

Produced by: Dean Hargrove

Originally aired: March 1, 1971

Run Time: (mins)

Cast:

Peter Falk as LT. Columbo

Lee Grant as Leslie Williams ( Murderer )
Harlan Warde as Paul Williams ( Victim )
Harold Gould as Mr. Carlson
Patricia Mattick as Margaret Williams
Paul Carr as Hammond
Jed Allen as Phil
Charles Macaulay as Richard
Henry Brandt as Attorney
Jeane Byron as Pat
Richard Roat as Perkins
Norma Connolly as Celia
Bill Walker as Crowell
Timothy Carey as Bert
Judson Morgan as Judge
Richard O'Brien as Priest
Celeste Yarnell as Gloria
Lisa Moore as Nancy
Lois Battle as Waitress
Reginald Fenderson as Mechanic

Plot:

Lawyer Leslie Williams shoots her husband Paul and dumps the body
in the ocean. The next day, she creates the scenario that he has been
kidnapped. A trained crew from the FBI and a shopworn L.A.
Lieutenant named Columbo follow her in a helicopter as she flies her private
plane to the "drop site" and tosses out an empty bag, keeping the ransom
money for herself. All goes well until her stepdaughter Margaret comes
home from Zurich and immediately suspects Leslie of foul play. Margaret
finds an ally in Columbo, who has already noticed little details such as
the oddity of criminals in a hurry taking the cash and leaving the
bag, the small caliber bullet used to murder Paul Williams (so that blood
wouldn't splatter in the house), the car keys instinctively
removed from the ignition, the fact that the seat was moved up (to accommodate
the shorter Leslie) and Leslie's odd behavior--failing to inquire
about her husband's well being when he called (actually a tape Leslie made
from various legal conversations of Paul's) and then suddenly fainting
at the news of the discovery of his body. Margaret picks up on the
missing keys idea and tries to frame Leslie by having a set copied and claiming
the keys are her father's, but Columbo catches her in the act. Leslie
has had more than enough of Margaret when the young woman offers to go
away if Leslie will pay her off. Leslie does so and escorts Margaret to
the airport, where she is met by Columbo. It was a trick, predicated
upon the Lt.'s observation that Leslie has no conscience and would
therefore believe that Margaret would actually accept money to conceal the
murder of her own father. Leslie has to admit that Columbo is very good
at what he does.

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	`"Prescription Murder" (1967)`
`Season:`	`1, Episode - Pilot`
`Director:`	`Richard Irving`
`Written by:`	`Richard Levinson, William Link (based on their play)`
`Produced by:`	`Richard Irving`
`Originally aired:`	`February 20, 1968`
`Run Time:`	`99 (mins)`
`Cast:`	Peter Falk as LT. Columbo Guest Starring Gene Barry as Dr Ray Flemming Katherine Justice as Joan Hudson William Windom as Burt Gordon Nina Foch as Carol Flemming Virginia Gregg Andrea King Katherine Justice Susanne Benton Ena Hartman Sherry Boucher Anthony James
`Plot:`	High priced psychiatrist Dr. Ray Fleming has guests completely baffled. The game Botticelli (a variation on "Who-am-I ") and, as usual, he revels in the chance to show off his intelligence. Everyone concedes defeat. The historical personality Ray is pretending to be is exceedingly obscure. He is Joseph Brewer, Freud’s collaborator on Studies in Hysteria. The party is in honor of Ray and Carol Fleming’s wedding anniversary. The phone rings. It’s Ray’s mistress, aspiring actress Joan Hudson. She has to see him. Ray tells his enraged wife that he must see a patient. Carol suspects the truth. Six months ago, she warned him to end his extramarital affairs or face divorce and drastically reduced finances. Since that ultimatum was issued, Ray has been plotting his wealthy wife’s murder. `For More Indepth Information Click here if you wish to know additional information.`

	`"Ransom for a Dead Man" (1971)`
`Season:`	`1, Episode - Pilot`
`Director:`	`Richard Irving`
`Written by:`	`Dean Hargrove (from a story by Levinson and Link)`
`Produced by:`	`Dean Hargrove`
`Originally aired:`	`March 1, 1971`
`Run Time:`	`(mins)`
`Cast:`	Peter Falk as LT. Columbo Lee Grant as Leslie Williams ( Murderer ) Harlan Warde as Paul Williams ( Victim ) Harold Gould as Mr. Carlson Patricia Mattick as Margaret Williams Paul Carr as Hammond Jed Allen as Phil Charles Macaulay as Richard Henry Brandt as Attorney Jeane Byron as Pat Richard Roat as Perkins Norma Connolly as Celia Bill Walker as Crowell Timothy Carey as Bert Judson Morgan as Judge Richard O'Brien as Priest Celeste Yarnell as Gloria Lisa Moore as Nancy Lois Battle as Waitress Reginald Fenderson as Mechanic
`Plot:`	Lawyer Leslie Williams shoots her husband Paul and dumps the body in the ocean. The next day, she creates the scenario that he has been kidnapped. A trained crew from the FBI and a shopworn L.A. Lieutenant named Columbo follow her in a helicopter as she flies her private plane to the "drop site" and tosses out an empty bag, keeping the ransom money for herself. All goes well until her stepdaughter Margaret comes home from Zurich and immediately suspects Leslie of foul play. Margaret finds an ally in Columbo, who has already noticed little details such as the oddity of criminals in a hurry taking the cash and leaving the bag, the small caliber bullet used to murder Paul Williams (so that blood wouldn't splatter in the house), the car keys instinctively removed from the ignition, the fact that the seat was moved up (to accommodate the shorter Leslie) and Leslie's odd behavior--failing to inquire about her husband's well being when he called (actually a tape Leslie made from various legal conversations of Paul's) and then suddenly fainting at the news of the discovery of his body. Margaret picks up on the missing keys idea and tries to frame Leslie by having a set copied and claiming the keys are her father's, but Columbo catches her in the act. Leslie has had more than enough of Margaret when the young woman offers to go away if Leslie will pay her off. Leslie does so and escorts Margaret to the airport, where she is met by Columbo. It was a trick, predicated upon the Lt.'s observation that Leslie has no conscience and would therefore believe that Margaret would actually accept money to conceal the murder of her own father. Leslie has to admit that Columbo is very good at what he does.