Peter Falk
Birthday: Born in 1927-09-16 in New York City, New York, USA
Deathday: 2011-06-23
Peter Michael Falk (September 16, 1927 – June 23, 2011) was an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo in the television series Columbo (1968–2003), which earned him four Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. Falk was twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for Murder, Inc. (1960) and Pocketful of Miracles (1961). He is also known for his collaborations with filmmaker and actor John Cassavetes in films such as: Husbands (1970), A Woman Under the Influence (1974), Opening Night (1977), Elaine May's Mikey and Nicky (1976) and the Columbo episode: Étude in Black (1972). Falk's other film roles include It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963), The Great Race (1965), Anzio (1968), Murder by Death (1976), The Cheap Detective (1978), The In-Laws (1979), The Princess Bride (1987), Wings of Desire (1987), The Player (1992), and Next (2007).
TV Credits
Inside the Actors Studio
Character: Self
James Lipton sits down with some of the world's most accomplished actors and directors for penetrating, fascinating interviews....
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Character: Self
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to just Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres....
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Character:
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC....
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Character:
A morning talk show with A-list celebrity guests, top-notch performances and one-of-a-kind segments that are unrivaled on daytime television, plus spontaneous, hilarious and unpredictable talk....
The View
Character: Self
ABC Daytime's morning chatfest, currently featuring Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines, Alyssa Farah Griffin, and Ana Navarro discussing the most exciting events of the day. Hot topics in the news, the best experts in their field, celebrity interviews and general entertainment are all part of The View....
Naked City
Character: Extortionist
Naked City is a police drama series which aired from 1958 to 1963 on the ABC television network. It was inspired by the 1948 motion picture of the same name, and mimics its dramatic “semi-documentary” format. In 1997, the episode “Sweet Prince of Delancey Street” was ranked #93 on TV Guide’s “100 Greatest Episodes of All Time”....
The Merv Griffin Show
Character: Self
The Merv Griffin Show is an American television talk show, starring Merv Griffin. The series ran from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963 on NBC, September 20, 1965 to August 15, 1969 in first-run syndication, from August 18, 1969 to February 11, 1972 at 11:30 PM ET weeknights on CBS and again in first-run syndication from February 14, 1972 to September 5, 1986....
Studio One
Character: Carmen's Assistant
An American radio–television anthology series, created in 1947 by Canadian director Fletcher Markle, who came to CBS from the CBC. Studio One, presented by Westinghouse, was one of the first of the anthology TV programs. The episodes were often abridged remakes of movies from years gone by and many future well-known television and movie actors appeared in the productions....
The Islanders
Character: Hooker
The Islanders is an American adventure television series which aired on ABC from 1960 to 1961, starring William Reynolds, James Philbrook, and Diane Brewster. At the beginning of the series, Sandy Wade and Zack Malloy, co-owners of a Grumman Goose amphibious aircraft, start their one-plane airline in the Moluccas or Spice Islands of the southeastern Pacific Ocean. Throughout the series they experience a variety of adventures where seemingly harmless charter flights put them into danger. They ar...
The Twilight Zone
Character: Ramos Clementine
A series of unrelated stories containing drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, and/or horror, often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist....
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Character: Self - Guest
Stepping into the late-late slot vacated by David Letterman, Conan O'Brien stars in a show that far outdoes its competition in sheer strangeness. Along with the celebrity interviews and musical numbers typical of late-night talk shows, this program make frequent use of odd walk-on characters and frequent "visits" from celebrity guests....
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Character: Meyer Fine
A television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock featuring dramas, thrillers, and mysteries....
Target: The Corruptors!
Character:
Target: The Corruptors! is an American crime drama series starring Stephen McNally which aired on ABC from September 29, 1961 to June 8, 1962. The series was produced by Dick Powell's Four Star Television....
Have Gun, Will Travel
Character: Waller - Gambler
Have Gun – Will Travel is an American Western television series that aired on CBS from 1957 through 1963. It was rated number three or number four in the Nielsen ratings every year of its first four seasons. It was one of the few television shows to spawn a successful radio version. The radio series debuted November 23, 1958. The television show is presently shown on the Encore-Western channel. Have Gun – Will Travel was created by Sam Rolfe and Herb Meadow and produced by Frank Pierson, Don I...
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Character: Self
An American sketch comedy television program hosted by comedians Dan Rowan and Dick Martin....
The Aquanauts
Character: Jeremiah Wilson
The Aquanauts is an American adventure/drama series that aired on CBS in the 1960-1961 season. The series stars Keith Larsen, Jeremy Slate and Ron Ely....
Decoy
Character: Fred Dana
New York City policewoman Casey Jones' assignment to fight crime often entails her going undercover in some of the seediest and most dangerous parts of the city. Decoy is a groundbreaking American crime drama television series created for syndication and initially broadcast from October 14, 1957, to July 7, 1958, with thirty-nine 30-minute black-and-white episodes. It was the first American police series with a female protagonist. Many Decoy episodes are in the public domain....
Ben Casey
Character:
Ben Casey is an American medical drama series which ran on ABC from 1961 to 1966. The show was known for its opening titles, which consisted of a hand drawing the symbols "♂, ♀, ✳, †, ∞" on a chalkboard, as cast member Sam Jaffe intoned, "Man, woman, birth, death, infinity." Neurosurgeon Joseph Ransohoff was a medical consultant for the show and may have influenced the personality of the title character....
The New Breed
Character: Lopez
The New Breed is an American crime drama series that aired on ABC from October 3, 1961 to June 5, 1962, with thirty-six episodes....
Robert Montgomery Presents
Character:
Robert Montgomery Presents is an American dramatic television series which was produced by NBC from January 30, 1950 until June 24, 1957. The live show had several sponsors during its seven-year run, and the title was altered to feature the sponsor, usually Lucky Strike cigarettes, for example, Robert Montgomery Presents Your Lucky Strike Theater, ....The Johnson's Wax Program, and so on....
New York Confidential
Character:
New York Confidential is a British-American crime drama series that aired from 1958 to 1959. The series aired in syndicated in the United States and was broadcast on London's local ITV station, Associated-Rediffusion, in the UK. It was co-produced by ITC Entertainment, Metropolis Productions, Inc., and Television Programs of America....
Dr. Kildare
Character: Dr. Matt Gunderson
The story of a young intern in a large metropolitan hospital trying to learn his profession, deal with the problems of his patients, and win the respect of the senior doctor in his specialty, internal medicine....
Basketball: A Love Story
Character: Self (archive footage)
'Basketball: A Love Story' is a series of 62 interconnected short stories that creates a vibrant mosaic of the game, featuring 165 exclusive interviews. The cast encompasses basketball's most prominent figures and explores the complex nature of love as it relates to the game....
The Untouchables
Character: Duke Mullen
Special Agent Eliot Ness and his elite team of incorruptible agents battle organized crime in 1930s Chicago....
The Barbara Stanwyck Show
Character: Joe
The Barbara Stanwyck Show is an American anthology drama television series which ran on NBC from September 1960 to September 1961. Barbara Stanwyck served as hostess, and starred in all but four of the half-hour productions. The four she did not star in were actually pilot episodes of potential series programs which never materialized. Stanwyck won the Emmy Award in 1961 for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Series. Three of the shows in which Stanwyck starred were an attempt at spinni...
Naked City
Character: Gimpy (uncredited)
Naked City is a police drama series which aired from 1958 to 1963 on the ABC television network. It was inspired by the 1948 motion picture of the same name, and mimics its dramatic “semi-documentary” format. In 1997, the episode “Sweet Prince of Delancey Street” was ranked #93 on TV Guide’s “100 Greatest Episodes of All Time”....
Naked City
Character: Lee Staunton
Naked City is a police drama series which aired from 1958 to 1963 on the ABC television network. It was inspired by the 1948 motion picture of the same name, and mimics its dramatic “semi-documentary” format. In 1997, the episode “Sweet Prince of Delancey Street” was ranked #93 on TV Guide’s “100 Greatest Episodes of All Time”....
Wetten, dass..?
Character: Self
A long-running German-language entertainment television show based on the format of the British show You Bet! and the American show Wanna Bet?....
The Aquanauts
Character: Angel
The Aquanauts is an American adventure/drama series that aired on CBS in the 1960-1961 season. The series stars Keith Larsen, Jeremy Slate and Ron Ely....
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Character: Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night. For its first ten years, Carson's Tonight Show was based in New York City with occasional trips to Burbank, California; in May 1972, the show moved permanently to Burbank, California. In 2002, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was ranked #12 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time....
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Character: Self
In 1973 the American Film Institute initiated its Life Achievement Award, to be presented to a yearly recipient whose talent has fundamentally advanced the film art; whose accomplishments have been acknowledged by scholars, critics, professional peers and the general public; and whose work has stood the test of time....
Reading Rainbow
Character: Himself - Narrator (voice)
Journey to exciting places and build a lasting connection with your favorite books. Each episode centers on a theme from a book, or other children's literature, which is explored through a number of segments or stories....
The Mike Douglas Show
Character: Self - Co-Host
The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that originally aired only in the Cleveland area during much of its first two years on the air. It then went into syndication in 1963 and remained on television until 1982. It was distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations in Cleveland and Philadelphia....
Studio One
Character: Jack
An American radio–television anthology series, created in 1947 by Canadian director Fletcher Markle, who came to CBS from the CBC. Studio One, presented by Westinghouse, was one of the first of the anthology TV programs. The episodes were often abridged remakes of movies from years gone by and many future well-known television and movie actors appeared in the productions....
The Lost World
Character: Theo Kerr
Professor Challenger, on an expedition to South America, shoots an animal that he claims is a pre-historic pterosaur. On his return to England, his fellow Professor, Summerlee, and most of the scientific establishment dismiss it as a hoax. However, an ambitious hunter and womaniser John Roxton and journalist Edward Malone are prepared to undertake the mission to find the truth....
American Masters
Character: Self
American Masters is a PBS television series which produces biographies on enduring writers, musicians, visual and performing artists, dramatists, filmmakers, and others who have left an indelible impression on the cultural landscape of the United States....
The Larry Sanders Show
Character: Peter Falk
Comic Garry Shandling draws upon his own talk show experiences to create the character of Larry Sanders, a paranoid, insecure host of a late night talk show. Larry, along with his obsequious TV sidekick Hank Kingsley and his fiercely protective producer Artie, allows Garry Shandling and his talented writers to look behind the scenes and to show us a convincing slice of behind the camera life....
The Trials of O'Brien
Character: Daniel O'Brien
The Trials of O'Brien is a 1965 television series starring Peter Falk as a sordid Shakespeare-quoting lawyer and featuring Elaine Stritch as his secretary and Joanna Barnes as his ex-wife. The series ran for only 22 episodes. Among its guest stars: Milton Berle, Robert Blake, David Carradine, Faye Dunaway, Britt Ekland, Tammy Grimes, Buddy Hackett, Gene Hackman, Frank Langella, Angela Lansbury, Cloris Leachman, Roger Moore, Rita Moreno, Estelle Parsons, Joanna Pettet, Brock Peters, Tony Robert...
The Name of the Game
Character: Lewis Corbett
The Name of the Game is an American television series starring Tony Franciosa, Gene Barry, and Robert Stack that ran from 1968 to 1971 on NBC, totaling 76 episodes of 90 minutes. It was a pioneering wheel series, setting the stage for The Bold Ones and the NBC Mystery Movie in the 1970s. The show had an extremely large budget for a television series....
The Red Skelton Show
Character: Colonel Hush-Hush
The Red Skelton Show is an American variety show that was a television staple for two decades, from 1951 to 1971. It was second to Gunsmoke and third to The Ed Sullivan Show in the ratings during that time. Skelton, who had previously been a radio star, had appeared in several motion pictures as well. Although his television series is largely associated with CBS, where it appeared for more than fifteen years, it actually began and ended on NBC. During its run, the program received three Emmy Awa...
The DuPont Show of the Week
Character: Collucci
The DuPont Show of the Week is an American anthology drama series which aired for three seasons on NBC from September 17, 1961 to August 30, 1964....
The DuPont Show of the Week
Character: Danilo Diaz
The DuPont Show of the Week is an American anthology drama series which aired for three seasons on NBC from September 17, 1961 to August 30, 1964....
Jackie Gleason and His American Scene Magazine
Character: Cameo
...
Jackie Gleason and His American Scene Magazine
Character: Sammy
...
Wagon Train
Character: Gus Morgan
The series initially starred veteran movie supporting actor Ward Bond as the wagon master, later replaced upon his death by John McIntire, and Robert Horton as the scout, subsequently replaced by lookalike Robert Fuller a year after Horton had decided to leave the series. The series was inspired by the 1950 film Wagon Master directed by John Ford and starring Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr. and Ward Bond, and harkens back to the early widescreen wagon train epic The Big Trail starring John Wayne a...
The Dick Powell Show
Character: Aristede Fresco
The Dick Powell Show is an American anthology series that ran on NBC from 1961- 1963, primarily sponsored by the Reynolds Metals Company. It was hosted by longtime film star Dick Powell until his death from lymphatic cancer on January 2, 1963, then by a series of guest hosts until the series ended. The first of these was Gregory Peck, who began the January 8 program with a tribute to Powell, recognizing him as "a great and good friend to our industry." Peck was followed by fellow actors such as ...
The Dick Powell Show
Character: Dr. Alan Keegan
The Dick Powell Show is an American anthology series that ran on NBC from 1961- 1963, primarily sponsored by the Reynolds Metals Company. It was hosted by longtime film star Dick Powell until his death from lymphatic cancer on January 2, 1963, then by a series of guest hosts until the series ended. The first of these was Gregory Peck, who began the January 8 program with a tribute to Powell, recognizing him as "a great and good friend to our industry." Peck was followed by fellow actors such as ...
The Dick Powell Show
Character: Martin
The Dick Powell Show is an American anthology series that ran on NBC from 1961- 1963, primarily sponsored by the Reynolds Metals Company. It was hosted by longtime film star Dick Powell until his death from lymphatic cancer on January 2, 1963, then by a series of guest hosts until the series ended. The first of these was Gregory Peck, who began the January 8 program with a tribute to Powell, recognizing him as "a great and good friend to our industry." Peck was followed by fellow actors such as ...
Play of the Week
Character: Mestizo
This syndicated anthology series staged a different play every week covering all genres, dramas, comedies, musicals, fantasies, mysteries, et al, utilizing some of the best talent appearing on Broadway....
Play of the Week
Character:
This syndicated anthology series staged a different play every week covering all genres, dramas, comedies, musicals, fantasies, mysteries, et al, utilizing some of the best talent appearing on Broadway....
Armstrong Circle Theatre
Character: Petar Porovic
Armstrong Circle Theatre is an American anthology drama television series which ran from 1950 to 1957 on NBC, and then until 1963 on CBS. It alternated weekly with The U.S. Steel Hour....
Deadline
Character: Box
Deadline is a 1959-1961 American television drama series that re-enacted famous newspaper stories from the past. Hosted and narrated by Paul Stewart, the syndicated series was produced by Arnold Perl. Guest stars included Peter Falk, Diane Ladd, Robert Lansing, and George Maharis. Thirty-nine 30-minute episodes were produced....
87th Precinct
Character: Greg Brovane
87th Precinct is an American crime drama starring Robert Lansing, Gena Rowlands, and Ron Harper, which aired on NBC on Monday evenings during the 1961–1962 television season....
Columbo
Character: Columbo
Columbo is a friendly, verbose, disheveled-looking police detective who is consistently underestimated by his suspects. Despite his unprepossessing appearance and apparent absentmindedness, he shrewdly solves all of his cases and secures all evidence needed for indictment. His formidable eye for detail and meticulously dedicated approach often become clear to the killer only late in the storyline....
Bambi-Verleihung
Character: Self
The Bambi, often called the Bambi Award and stylised as BAMBI, is a German award presented annually by Hubert Burda Media to recognize excellence in international media and television to personalities in the media, arts, culture, sports, and other fields "with vision and creativity who affected and inspired the German public that year", both domestic and foreign. First held in 1948, it is the oldest media award in Germany. The trophy is named after Felix Salten's book Bambi, A Life in the Woods ...
The Mike Douglas Show
Character: Self
The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that originally aired only in the Cleveland area during much of its first two years on the air. It then went into syndication in 1963 and remained on television until 1982. It was distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations in Cleveland and Philadelphia....
Tony Awards
Character: Self - Presenter
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway productions and performances, and an award is given for regional theatre....
Tony Awards
Character: Self - Host
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway productions and performances, and an award is given for regional theatre....
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
Character: Self
A talk show presented by Michel Drucker...
Champs-Elysées
Character: Self
...
The Law and Mr. Jones
Character: Carbell Carney
The Law and Mr. Jones is a 45-episode half-hour television crime drama starring James Whitmore. The series aired on ABC in two nonconsecutive seasons from October 7, 1960, to September 22, 1961, and again from April 19 to July 5, 1962. The program was created and produced by Sy Gomberg, and was set in New York City....
The Dick Cavett Show
Character: Self - Guest
The Dick Cavett Show has been the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various television networks....
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Character: Self
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts is a NBC television special show hosted by entertainer Dean Martin from 1974 to 1984. For a series of 54 specials and shows, Martin would periodically "roast" a celebrity. These roasts were patterned after the roasts held at the New York Friars' Club in New York City. The format would have the celebrity guest seated at a banquet table, and one by one the guest of honor was affectionately chided or insulted about his career by his fellow celebrity friends. In 197...
Naked City
Character: Frankie O'Hearn
Naked City is a police drama series which aired from 1958 to 1963 on the ABC television network. It was inspired by the 1948 motion picture of the same name, and mimics its dramatic “semi-documentary” format. In 1997, the episode “Sweet Prince of Delancey Street” was ranked #93 on TV Guide’s “100 Greatest Episodes of All Time”....
The Jerry Lewis Show
Character: Self
The Jerry Lewis Show is an American variety series hosted by Jerry Lewis that aired on ABC from September 21, 1963 to December 21, 1963. The variety series was originally supposed to be 40 episodes long but only 13 episodes aired due to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963....
Golden Globe Awards
Character: Self - Nominee
An annual awards ceremony recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign, bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association....
Golden Globe Awards
Character: Self - Presenter
An annual awards ceremony recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign, bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association....
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
Character: Robert Evans
A continuation of the anthology series “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”, hosted by the master of suspense and featuring thrillers and mysteries....
The Danny Kaye Show
Character: Self
The Danny Kaye Show is an American variety show hosted by Danny Kaye that aired on CBS from 1963 to 1967 on Wednesday nights. Directed by Robert Scheerer, the show premiered in black-and-white, but later switched to color broadcasts. At the time, Kaye was at the height of his popularity, having starred in a string of successful films in the 1940s and '50's, made successful personal appearances at such venues as the London Palladium, and appeared many times on television. His most recent films ha...
30 millions d'amis
Character: Self
...
Vivement dimanche
Character: Self
...
Exclusiv - Das Star-Magazin
Character: self
...
The Untouchables
Character: Nate Selko
Special Agent Eliot Ness and his elite team of incorruptible agents battle organized crime in 1930s Chicago....
Golden Globe Awards
Character: Self - Audience Member
An annual awards ceremony recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign, bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association....
Golden Globe Awards
Character: Self - Nominee/Presenter
An annual awards ceremony recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign, bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association....
Dinah!
Character: Self
Dinah's show premiered 9 September 1974 and continued through to 4 September 1981. She started out the 70's with Dinah's Place which usually featured one guest and was more of a home oriented show about cooking, crafts and occasionally music. This format lasted until May of 1974. When the show came back in October of 1974 the format had changed drastically to a variety talk show which was called Dinah. and went on until 1981. This show was also known as "Dinah and Friends" during the summer of 1...
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Character: Self - Surprise Appearance
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night. For its first ten years, Carson's Tonight Show was based in New York City with occasional trips to Burbank, California; in May 1972, the show moved permanently to Burbank, California. In 2002, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was ranked #12 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time....
Kraft Television Theatre
Character: Radar Operator
Kraft Television Theatre is an American drama/anthology television series...
Kraft Television Theatre
Character: Izzy
Kraft Television Theatre is an American drama/anthology television series...
Étude in Black
Character: columbo
A ruthless conductor murders the gifted pianist with whom he is having an affair. Lt. Columbo is on the case....
Movie Credits
Wings of Desire
Character: The Filmstar
Two angels, Damiel and Cassiel, glide through the streets of Berlin, observing the bustling population, providing invisible rays of hope to the distressed but never interacting with them. When Damiel falls in love with lonely trapeze artist Marion, the angel longs to experience life in the physical world, and finds -- with some words of wisdom from actor Peter Falk -- that it might be possible for him to take human form....
Pocketful of Miracles
Character: Joy Boy
A New York gangster and his girlfriend attempt to turn street beggar Apple Annie into a society lady when the peddler learns her daughter is marrying royalty....
The Lost World
Character: Theo Kerr
This Lost World is a splendid BBC TV dramatisation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous adventure story. Bob Hoskins makes an unusually genial Professor Challenger, far less of a bully than Doyle's character, but his slightly stereotyped companions are nicely filled out by a solid cast. James Fox is Challenger's more timid but still covertly adventurous rival, Tom Ward is the moustachioed big game hunter who faces an Allosaurus with an elephant gun, and Matthew Rhys plays the tagalong reporter hop...
Next
Character: Irv
Las Vegas showroom magician Cris Johnson has a secret which torments him: he can see a few minutes into the future. Sick of the examinations he underwent as a child and the interest of the government and medical establishment in his power, he lies low under an assumed name in Vegas, performing cheap tricks and living off small-time gambling "winnings." But when a terrorist group threatens to detonate a nuclear device in Los Angeles, government agent Callie Ferris must use all her wiles to captur...
The Princess Bride
Character: The Grandfather
In this enchantingly cracked fairy tale, the beautiful Princess Buttercup and the dashing Westley must overcome staggering odds to find happiness amid six-fingered swordsmen, murderous princes, Sicilians and rodents of unusual size. But even death can't stop these true lovebirds from triumphing....
Arthur Miller: Writer
Character: Self (archive footage)
One of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century, Arthur Miller created such celebrated works as Death of a Salesman and The Crucible, which continue to move audiences around the world today. He also made headlines for being targeted by the House Un-American Activities Committee at the height of the McCarthy Era and entering into a tumultuous marriage with Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe. Told from the unique perspective of his daughter, filmmaker Rebecca Miller, Arthur Miller: Writer is an ill...
The Player
Character: Peter Falk
A Hollywood studio executive is being sent death threats by a writer whose script he rejected - but which one?...
Faraway, So Close!
Character: Peter Falk
Damiel is now married to Marion, runs the pizzeria “Da Angelo” and the two have a child. The solitarily remaining angel Cassiel is more and more dissatisfied with his destiny as a mere observer of human life and finally decides to take the great leap. As Karl Engel he soon gets into a dubious milieu and finds himself as the assistant of the German American Baker, who makes his money with shady arms deals and sends films east in exchange for weapons. Cassiel’s adventure turns into a “thriller” wh...
Vibes
Character: Harry Buscafusco
Medium Sylvia Pickel and psychometrist Nick Deezy meet at a psychic research facility in New York. Not long after, they're contacted by Harry Buscafusco, who offers them $50,000 to find his lost son in South America, in the heart of Incan territory where they discover an ancient mystical secret, and each other....
...All the Marbles
Character: Harry Sears
A two-bit promoter tries to take a women's wrestling team to the top....
Murder by Death
Character: Sam Diamond
Lionel Twain invites the world's five greatest detectives to a 'dinner and murder'. Included are a blind butler, a deaf-mute maid, screams, spinning rooms, secret passages, false identities and more plot turns and twists than are decently allowed....
The Great Race
Character: Max
Professional daredevil and white-suited hero, The Great Leslie, convinces turn-of-the-century auto makers that a race from New York to Paris (westward across America, the Bering Straight and Russia) will help to promote automobile sales. Leslie's arch-rival, the mustached and black-attired Professor Fate vows to beat Leslie to the finish line in a car of Fate's own invention....
The Thing About My Folks
Character: Sam Kleinman
Ben's dad Sam shows up one night with a note from Ben's mother (Sam's wife of 46 years), that she has left. While Ben's wife and his three sisters try to find her, Ben takes Sam on a day trip to see a farmhouse that's for sale. The day trip turns into a road trip while dad and son explore their past, their relationship, and why Sam's wife might have left him. The road trip includes fishing, drinking, playing pool, sleeping under the stars, and frank discussion. Anger simmers close at hand, as do...
The Brink's Job
Character: Tony Pino
In 1950, a group of unlikely criminal masterminds commits the robbery of the century. Led by Tony Pino, a petty thief fresh out of prison, and Joe McGinnis, who specializes in planning lucrative capers, the gang robs Brink's main office in Boston of more than $2 million. However, things begin to go awry when the FBI gets involved, the cops start cracking down on the gang and McGinnis refuses to hand over the loot......
Pressure Point
Character: Young Psychiatrist
An African-American prison psychiatrist finds the boundaries of his professionalism sorely tested when he must counsel a disturbed inmate with bigoted Nazi tendencies....
A Town Without Christmas
Character: Max
In the small town of Seacliff, Wash., a child's letter to Santa Claus captures the nation's attention. When the little boy, Chris, writes that he wishes to leave this world so he will no longer be a burden to his divorcing parents, a race begins to find him before he harms himself....
Anzio
Character: Cpl. Jack Rabinoff
American troops land unopposed on Italian beaches during World War II, but instead of pushing on to Rome, they dig in and the Germans fight back ferociously....
I Love Liberty
Character: Self
An all-star variety special saluting America....
A Woman Under the Influence
Character: Nick Longhetti
Mabel Longhetti, desperate and lonely, is married to a Los Angeles municipal construction worker, Nick. Increasingly unstable, especially in the company of others, she craves happiness, but her extremely volatile behavior convinces Nick that she poses a danger to their family and decides to commit her to an institution for six months. Alone with a trio of kids to raise on his own, he awaits her return, which holds more than a few surprises....
Tune in Tomorrow...
Character: Pedro Carmichael
Martin works at the local radio station, which just hired a new scriptwriter with a reputation for great drama, Pedro Carmichael. Martin’s aunt Julia, not related by blood, returns home after many years away and Martin falls for her. Once Pedro finds out about this romance, he starts incorporating details of it into the script of his daily drama series. Soon, Martin and Julia are not only hearing about their fictional selves over the radio, but about what they are going to do next....
The Cheap Detective
Character: Lou Peckinpaugh
A spoof of the entire 1940s detective genre. San Francisco private detective, Lou Pekinpaugh is accused of murdering his partner at the instigation of his mistress—his partner's wife....
Undisputed
Character: Mendy Ripstein
Monroe Hutchens is the heavyweight champion of Sweetwater, a maximum security prison. He was convicted to a life sentence due to a passionate crime. Iceman Chambers is the heavyweight champion, who lost his title due to a rape conviction to ten years in Sweetwater. When these two giants collide in the same prison, they fight against each other disputing who is the real champion....
Murder, Inc.
Character: Abe Reles
Chronicles the rise and fall of the organised crime syndicate known as Murder, Incorporated, focusing on powerful boss Lepke and violent hit man Reles....
American Cowslip
Character: Father Randolph
In Blythe, California, a small town in the remote California desert, Ethan Inglebrink is an eccentric, agoraphobic heroin addict who is obsessed with his garden. This dark comedy follows the last days of Ethan's life as he struggles to find purpose at a time when it might be too late to even matter....
Made
Character: Max
Two aspiring boxers and lifelong friends get involved in a money-laundering scheme through a low-level organized crime group....
Machine Gun McCain
Character: Charlie Adamo
After serving 12 years behind bars for armed robbery, tough guy Hank McCain finds himself the pawn of a ruthless mob runt's rebellion against a high level don. When McCain discovers that he's been betrayed and abandoned by his new employer, he retaliates with a high stakes Las Vegas casino heist that erupts into all-out war on the streets of Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. Neither blood, nor lust, nor wedding vows can come between McCain and his money ... or his machine gun....
Castle Keep
Character: Sgt. Rossi
During the Battle of the Bulge, an anachronistic count shelters a ragtag squad of Americans in his isolated castle hoping they will defend it against the advancing Germans....
Robin and the 7 Hoods
Character: Guy Gisborne
Set in Prohibition era Chicago, bootlegger Robbo and his cronies refuse to pay the greedy Guy Gisborne a cut of their profits after Guy shoots mob boss Big Jim and takes over. When Big Jim's daughter, Marian, gives Robbo a large sum, believing he has avenged her father's death, the gangster donates to an orphanage, cementing his reputation as a softhearted hood....
Corky Romano
Character: Francis A. 'Pops' Romano
Corky Romano is a bumbling, simpleton, veterinarian and the youngest, outcast son of an aging gangster, named Pops Romano, who calls upon Corky to infiltrate the local FBI and retrieve and destroy evidence being used to incriminate Pops for racketeering charges....
Finding John Christmas
Character: Max
When a photojournalist photographs a mysterious stranger performing an act of bravery, the act quickly becomes headline news and the town dubs the stranger John Christmas. After seeing the photo, Kathleen McAllister becomes convinced that the mysterious stranger is in fact her long-lost brother Hank. With the town's help, Kathleen and Noah set about to find the stranger's true identity with the help Max, a Christmas angel....
The In-Laws
Character: Vincent J. Ricardo
In preparation for his daughter's wedding, dentist Sheldon Kornpett meets Vince Ricardo, the groom's father. Vince, a manic fellow who claims to be a government agent, then proceeds to drag Sheldon into a series of chases and misadventures from New York to Central America....
Husbands
Character: Archie Black
A common friend's sudden death brings three men, married with children, to reconsider their lives and ultimately leave the country together. But mindless enthusiasm for regained freedom will be short-lived....
Checking Out
Character: Morris Applebaum
A feisty octogenarian on the verge of his ninetieth birthday invites his three grown children to his upcoming birthday celebration with the explicit understanding that when the festivities end, so does his life....
Three Days of Rain
Character: Waldo
Six Anton Chekhov short stories set in modern day Cleveland during a three day rain storm....
Out of the Shadows: The Films of John Cassavetes
Character: Self
Get the scoop on the legendary actor-director-New Yorker John Cassavetes straight from the mouth of his friend, peer and co-star Peter Falk (Columbo) in Paul Joyce’s documentary, Out of the Shadows: The Films of John Cassavetes. Falk lays bare the quirks and gifts of the director of The Killing of a Chinese Bookie and A Woman Under the Influence, and star of De Palma’s The Fury and Tarantino favourite Mikey and Nicky, in this outright and honest interview....
Money Kings
Character: Vinnie
Vinnie's a bookie, happily married, running his operation for 30 years out of his bar in Brooklyn. Times change, the boys up the chain want a bigger profit, so Vinnie's expendable He's assigned a hotheaded kid, Tony, the nephew of a local mobster. Vinnie's told to school the lad, use him for collections, and teach him some sense. What Vinnie doesn't know is that once Tony learns the ropes, Vinnie will be out. Tensions mount when Tony goes around Vinnie's paternalistic ways, takes a bet from an u...
Cookie
Character: Dominick 'Dino' Capisco
Cookie Voltecki is the illegitimate daughter of mobster Dino Capisco, who has just finished thirteen years in prison. Since being released from jail, all that Dino wants is to settle some old scores, and make up for lost time with his daughter....
Mikey and Nicky
Character: Mikey
Nick is desperate, holed up in a cheap hotel, suffering from an ulcer and convinced that a local mob boss wants him killed. Desperate and terrified, he calls Mikey, his friend since childhood and a fellow gangster. So begins a long night…...
Big Trouble
Character: Steve Rickey
Leonard Hoffman is an insurance salesman struggling to make ends meet. The fact that he has triplet sons who all want to go to Yale isn't making things any easier. Blanche Rickey is also worried about money; her husband is a millionaire with a weak heart, and she worries that he'll blow through all his cash before he finally dies. When Blanche meets Leonard, she devises a murderous plan that she claims will fix both their problems....
The Bloody Brood
Character: Nico
Nico, a drug dealer, murders a telegram messenger-boy "for kicks", egged on by partner-in-crime, TV director Francis. Cliff, the boy's older brother, investigates his death due to the slow progress made by the police....
Anything for John
Character: Self
An intimate portrait of actor-writer-director John Cassavetes and a loving tribute to his genius for studying and depicting the human character. In-depth, candid interviews with his wife and muse Gena Rowlands as well as his most trusted friends and co-workers like Peter Falk, Ben Gazzara, Seymour Cassel, etc. Clips from Cassavetes' greatest films, and many rare photos illustrate this touching documentary....
Happy New Year
Character: Nick
Small time crooksters Nick and Charlie have an elaborate plan to rob an exclusive jewelers store. Using a variety of disguises and posing as rich old men and women they begin the set-up, but then Nick falls for the owner of a neighboring antique store and things get a little complicated....
The Sunshine Boys
Character: Willie Clark
Two aging comedians who acrimoniously dissolved their act eight years earlier must overcome their differences when they have the chance for a lucrative movie comeback....
The Balcony
Character: Police Chief
The Madam of a brothel satisfies the erotic fantasies of her customers, while a revolution is sweeping the nation. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2010....
In the Spirit
Character: Roger Flan
After her husband loses his job, Marianne moves from Beverly Hills to a nightmare New York City. She hires ditzy psychic Reva to redecorate her apartment, and they end up being pursued by a crazed killer....
Luv
Character: Milt Manville
Depressed by the direction his life is taking, Harry decides to take his own life by jumping off the Manhattan Bridge. At the last minute he's stopped by old friend Milt Manville, a successful stock broker. Milt, however, is facing his own problem: he has fallen out of love with his argumentative wife, Ellen. In a misguided effort to solve both of their problems, he introduces Ellen to Harry, hoping the two will fall in love....
A Storm in Summer
Character: Abel Shaddick
Set in 1969, Abel Shaddick, a crotchety deli owner, has a grudge against virtually everyone in his upstate New York town of Fairview, particularly against his slacker nephew Stanley who lives behind the shop. Without telling his uncle, Stanley agrees to put up a needy city kid for the summer as part of a charity program run by rich debutante Gloria. Abel immediately vetoes the plan, but it is too late. The kid, young Herman Washington, is already on his way......
When Angels Come to Town
Character: Max
Max, an angel in exile, walks around the United States to help humans. In a small town in Maine, he meets a young woman without a family named Sally. As she struggles to get custody of her younger brother, Max immediately believes that his new mission is to help Sally. But Jo, a strict angel, is sent to explain to his colleague that this is not exactly what is expected of him. Indeed, Max's mission is not to help Sally, but Karl, the manager of a small factory of Christmas decorations. His busin...
Lakeboat
Character: Pierman
A college student befriends various crew members while working a summer internship at sea....
Penelope
Character: Lt. Horatio Bixbee
When Penelope gets married to banker James Elcott, she finds him too preoccupied with work to pay much attention to her, so she robs his bank in disguise. After she confesses to her psychiatrist, Greg Mannix, he offers to return the money for her, as he is secretly in love with her. However, he abandons the money when the police approach. Penelope becomes determined to admit to the crime, but neither James nor the police believe her story....
Attack and Retreat
Character: lieutenant Mario
Chronicle of the unheralded and unsuccessful invasion of the Soviet Union by the Italian army during World War II....
Griffin and Phoenix
Character: Geoffrey Griffin
Griffin has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Instead of quietly facing his death, he decides to have fun in the time remaining. At a college class on death, he meets Phoenix, who has terminal leukemia....
Wilder Days
Character: James 'Pop Up' Morse
Quixotic old codger James "Pop Up" Morse (Peter Falk) enjoys spinning colorful yarns for his 11-year-old grandson, Chris (Josh Hutcherson). But the boy's uptight, no-nonsense dad, John (Tim Daly), disdains Pop Up's fantasy world. Believing that John is stifling his son's imagination, Pop Up bolts from his nursing home and sets out on an adventurous cross-country road trip with Chris (sans John's permission) in this made-for-TV family drama....
The Secret of the Purple Reef
Character: Tom Weber
When a man mysteriously vanishes on his ship in the Caribbean, his two brothers journey there to investigate his disappearance....
Enemies of Laughter
Character: Paul's Father
Nerdy-looking Paul is a neurotic, failed sitcom writer with a lackluster love life. But his best pal has an idea that might turn things around when he decides to film Paul's life and turn his romantic disasters into a comedic documentary. When a beautiful young director decides to produce the real-life romantic comedy, Paul realizes that Cupid may be poised with his bow and arrow....
Char·ac·ter
Character: Self
A raw and candid dialogue about the life and craft of acting between longtime colleagues and friends Dabney Coleman, Peter Falk, Charles Grodin, Mark Rydell, Harry Dean Stanton and Sydney Pollack. Drago Sumonja's document takes us into the hearts, minds, and living rooms of some of America's greatest storytellers....
The Making of 'Husbands'
Character: Self
A documentary behind the scenes of John Cassavetes' 'Husbands' (1970)....
Operation Snafu
Character: Peter Pawney
World War II soldiers enter Sicily to seize German arms supply only to discover there is not a gun in sight....
NBC 75th Anniversary Special
Character: Self
A celebration of NBC's 75 year history, featuring clips of special moments....
Three Days to Vegas
Character: Gus 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald
Four grumpy old men go on a road trip from their retired life in Florida to the excitement of Las Vegas in order to stop one of their daughters from marrying the wrong guy....
A Step Out of Line
Character: Harry Connors
Three financially down-and-out buddies plot to pull a bank robbery to cure their financial woes....
Edge of Outside
Character: Self
An hour-long documentary designed to celebrate the spirit of the independent filmmaker from D.W. Griffith to Quentin Tarantino. Interview footage and film clips are blended together to form a chronological approach to the subject matter....
Roommates
Character: Rocky Holzeck
An elderly, yet young-at-heart man, moves in with his grandson, and both their lives turn upside-down....
Ashes to Ashes
Character:
After a Hollywood gossip columnist is murdered by her former lover, proof must be found to arrest him....
Too Many Thieves
Character: Danny
When some priceless Macedonian treasures are swiped, lawyer Falk arrives to get to the bottom of things....
Pronto
Character: Harry Arno
Harry Arno is a Miami Beach bookie who finds himself in trouble with his mob bosses for reasons he can't quite figure out. When an assailant attempts to kill him, he decides that it's time to retire, so he relocates to Greece....
Everyday Miracles
Character: Restaurant Customer
A reluctant faith healer tries to escape his troubled past, but his evangelist mother will stop at nothing to exploit her son's miraculous gifts....
Lost Case
Character: Columbo (archive footage)
A completely new story based on existing footage from the series Columbo....
Shark Tale
Character: Don Feinberg (voice)
Oscar is a small fish whose big aspirations often get him into trouble. Meanwhile, Lenny is a great white shark with a surprising secret that no sea creature would guess: He's a vegetarian. When a lie turns Oscar into an improbable hero and Lenny becomes an outcast, the two form an unlikely friendship....
Brigadoon
Character: Jeff Douglas
Every 100 years, people stumble upon the Scottish village of Brigadoon, which will never be found on a map. A wonderful, fun filled day will be had by all who find it....
Wings of Desire: The Angels Among Us
Character: Self
This is a documentary about the making of "Wings of Desire" (1987). The director, writer, actors, composer and other contributors speak at length and in detail about how the award-winning film was devised, cast, filmed, scored and edited....
The Great Muppet Caper
Character: Tramp
Kermit and Fozzie are newspaper reporters sent to London to interview Lady Holiday, a wealthy fashion designer whose priceless diamond necklace is stolen. Kermit meets and falls in love with her secretary, Miss Piggy. The jewel thieves strike again, and this time frame Miss Piggy. It's up to Kermit and Muppets to bring the real culprits to justice....
Opening Night
Character: Self (uncredited)
Actress Myrtle Gordon is a functioning alcoholic who is a few days from the opening night of her latest play, concerning a woman distraught about aging. One night a car kills one of Myrtle's fans who is chasing her limousine in an attempt to get the star's attention. Myrtle internalizes the accident and goes on a spiritual quest, but fails to finds the answers she is after. As opening night inches closer and closer, fragile Myrtle must find a way to make the show go on....
Ransom for a Dead Man
Character: Columbo
A brilliant attorney gets rid of her boring husband by faking his kidnapping and keeping the ransom. The FBI may be fooled, but not Columbo....
Hubert's Brain
Character: Bailey (voice)
It tells the story of a science geek who befriends a talking brain-in-a-jar....
A Constant Forge
Character: Self
One of the great mavericks of cinema, John Cassavetes has earned a reputation as the godfather of American independent movies. The actor-turned-filmmaker invented a realist style of unadorned narrative films heavily influenced by documentaries. This in-depth analysis of Cassavetes' life and work features interviews with key collaborators and ensemble regulars, and explores the making of classics like "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie," "Opening Night" and "A Woman Under the Influence."...
Prescription: Murder
Character: Columbo
In Columbo's first outing, a psychiatrist uses a patient he is having an affair with to help him kill his wife, but his perfect alibi may come apart at the hands of a seemingly befuddled LAPD lieutenant....
Something a Little Less Serious: A Tribute to 'It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World'
Character: Self (archive footage)
A star-studded documentary and tribute to the classic comedy, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World....
Motion and Emotion: The Films of Wim Wenders
Character: Self
Though very polite and British, this feature-length documentary about German filmmaker Wim Wenders offers the most penetrating insights and the best overall critique of his work that I have encountered anywhere. Paul Joyce, who directed it, has also made documentaries about Nicolas Roeg, David Cronenberg, Nagisa Oshima, and Dennis Hopper, and he knows the conventional format well enough to get the most out of it. There are good clips and interesting commentaries from the interviewed subjects, wh...
Pretty Boy Floyd
Character: Shorty Walters
Trying to shake his troubled past and start a new honest life, Floyd loses his job because of that past. With nowhere to go but back home in Oklahoma he gets news that his father's been murdered and the local sheriff lets the killer off with a self-defense plea. Bent on revenge, Floyd does what he must which leads him down a dark road littered with robbing banks and loose women. Floyd's final days are anything BUT pretty!...
Wind Across the Everglades
Character: Writer
Set in the early 20th century, the film follows a game warden who arrives in Florida to enforce conservation laws. He soon finds himself pitted against Cottonmouth, the leader of a fierce group of bird poachers....
A Hatful of Rain
Character: Polo Pope
A 1968 made-for-television remake of the 1957 film, based on the disturbing 1956 Michael V. Gazzo play, as performed by members of The Actors' Studio on ABC (American Broadcasting Company) television....
Cops n Roberts
Character: Salvatore Santini
...
Peter Falk Versus Columbo
Character: Self (archive footage)
For millions of viewers, Peter Falk is Columbo. Despite playing the quintessential blue-collar TV detective of the '70s and '80s, his early career is rarely explored. Using archive footage, interviews and extracts from his films and the TV show, the documentary pays tribute to the immortal character of Columbo, while shedding light on the actor’s life, one full of twists and turns, ups and downs....
Scared Straight!
Character: Narration (voice)
The filmed depiction of a program where convicts tell troubled kids about the horrors of prison life. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2007....
Frank Capra's American Dream
Character: Self
A documentary looking at the life and career of film director Frank Capra. Hosted by Ron Howard....
And the Oscar Goes To...
Character: Self (archive footage)
The story of the gold-plated statuette that became the film industry's most coveted prize, AND THE OSCAR GOES TO... traces the history of the Academy itself, which began in 1927 when Louis B. Mayer, then head of MGM, led other prominent members of the industry in forming this professional honorary organization. Two years later the Academy began bestowing awards, which were nicknamed "Oscar," and quickly came to represent the pinnacle of cinematic achievement....
The World of Jim Henson
Character: Tramp (archive footage)
In this episode of PBS' Great Performances, the history and legacy of puppeteer Jim Henson is explored, from his six-second commercial beginnings to a five-season run on ABC of The Muppet Show to several theatrically released films, including five Muppet movies, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth....
My Darling Vivian
Character: Self (archive footage)
The story of Vivian Liberto, Johnny Cash's first wife and the mother of his four daughters. Includes never-before-seen footage and photographs of Johnny Cash and Rosanne Cash, as well as footage featuring Reese Witherspoon, Joaquin Phoenix, Tim Robbins, Whoopi Goldberg, John C. Reilly and many more....
The Muppets Go Hollywood
Character: Self
Kermit the Frog throws a glamorous party at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub to celebrate the premiere of the Muppets' first feature film, The Muppet Movie. Hosts Dick van Dyke and Rita Moreno interview the wide array of celebrities and Muppets who attend the event. Gary Owens serves as off-camera announcer, and appears on-screen to introduce Miss Piggy....
Night of 100 Stars
Character: Self
The most glittering, expensive, and exhausting videotaping session in television history took place Friday February 19, 1982 at New York's Radio City Music Hall. The event, for which ticket-buyers paid up to $1,000 a seat (tax-deductible as a contribution to the Actors' Fund) was billed as "The Night of 100 Stars" but, actually, around 230 stars took part. And most of the audience of 5,800 had no idea in advance that they were paying to see a TV taping, complete with long waits for set and cost...
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Character: Third Cab Driver
A group of strangers come across a man dying after a car crash who proceeds to tell them about the $350,000 he buried in California. What follows is the madcap adventures of those strangers as each attempts to claim the prize for himself....