“Columbo” Legend Peter Falk succumbs to Alzheimer at 83

“Columbo” Legend Peter Falk Succumbs to Alzheimer at 83

Peter Falk died at the age of 83 after battling Alzheimer’s disease for several years. The Columbo legend passed away peacefully at his Beverly Hills home on Wednesday evening, according to a statement issued by his wife's attorney.

The actor’s right eye was replaced with a glass eye; it was surgically removed due to a malignant tumour. It was one of Falk's major assets in his "Columbo" role, as the physical trademark enhanced the detective's image as a dishevelled and eccentric crime sleuth.

Columbo was a comic variation of the traditional detective. In each episode, Columbo would string his suspects along with questioning and flattery, just before nailing them with the final signature phrase: "Just one more thing..."

It was also the title of his memoir, published in 2006, that documented the appeal of the show.

Falk earned an Oscar, for supporting roles in the 1960's "Murder Inc" and in "Pocketful of Miracles" the following year. He also won his first Emmy award in a leading role in a 1961 production of "The Dick Powell Theatre", and 10 years later in 1972 he began a string of four Emmy wins that would see him claim US television's top honour four more times as Columbo.

The show became a smash hit after its prime-time debut on NBC in 1971 and continued on television for many years, even spawning several TV movies later in the actor's life.

Posted by Kade Quinn on Saturday June 25 2011, 7:15 AM EST. Ref: Aljazeera.net. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Entertainment. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0