So let's talk about imaginary murder and mayhem instead - as in classical detective stories. Because today is Columbo's birthday. Peter Falk, the New York actor from Ossining, NY who played the detective in the rumpled trenchcoat with the (often unlit) cigar clenched in his teeth would have been 85 today. As a mystery fan, I admired the low key detective who's absent-minded manner fooled so many criminals into thinking they were up against a numbskull.
So, in honor of Peter Falk, I plan to watch a Columbo episode tonight and lift a glass of something in toast to a great actor who is sorely missed by this fan. The Columbo stories were clean with no explicit sex and little, if any, on-screen violence. They were simply old fashioned fun whodunits!
I miss Peter Falk and pray he's exploring the highways of heaven in that beat up old jalopy taking his namesake along for a ride. Rest in peace, Pete.
P.S. Funny thing - Agatha Christie's birthday was yesterday. She created some of my other favorite detectives, i.e., Hercule Poirot, beautifully portrayed by another splendid actor, David Souchet, and the consummate Miss Jane Marple played by Joan Hickson. Hickson was Agatha Christie's personal choice to play her delightful spinster from St. Mary Mead. Now there was an author who knew her characters and how they should be played. Rest in peace Dame Agatha.
Hi, Mary Ann. I am just visiting around the "Blogger" neighborhood to get to know some of the other bloggers here. I have been blogging for about two years on WordPress, but have just recently created a poetry blog and my author's blog here. So I want to meet some of the other people who are at least somewhat like-minded and like-spirited.
ReplyDeleteI am a Christian writer and a minister. I am not of the Catholic faith, but I have many friends and some family members who are, and we have always felt we had very much in common in our devotion to Jesus.
I appreciated your article about Colombo. I too really enjoyed him, as well as some of the mystery writers you mentioned. I generally write Bible teaching books and inspirational novels. And, it's interesting that only this past month, I have been considering writing an inspirational mystery novel -- which is a genre that I have never attempted previously.
I don't have a lot of time to visit this evening, but I will be reading some of your other posts and will return again soon.
May the Lord make His face to shine on you today.
Sandra
This Jewish actor did a fine job of playing him who most probably thought was an Italian Catholic; although I do not think the sitcoms ever really said to which religion he belonged. I too shared your love for these detective stories and the character, who used "humility" to catch the criminals, who had none. May Peter Faulk through the mercy of God rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteMary Ann, have other people complained about the codes for proving one is not a robot becoming harder to see, or is it just me? I do have glasses, so my eyesight should not be the problem. This one below seems to be much easier than most of those that are put on first at the beginning. Sometimes the numbers are tiny and blurred. That used to not be the case. You can answer by putting on my post or just answering by posting yourself alone.
ReplyDeleteMary Ann, I spelled Peter Falk's last name incorectly in my last post. Sorry, but I could not go back and check at the time I was writing.
ReplyDeleteThumbs up on Columbo and Peter Falk. And also on Dame Agatha (didn't she eventually become a Catholic?). David Suchet is by far the best Poirot: he is most faithful to the character as portrayed in the novels.
ReplyDeleteAnd, by an odd coincidence, Thursday the 12th was the 17th anniversary of the death of Jeremy Brett, my very favorite Sherlock Holmes (and also an extreme hottie). Sad that he only lived to be 61.
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI have trouble reading these, too, and so have been unable to comment when I would like to do so. What is the deal?
I enjoyed watching "Columbo" when it was syndicated on A&E during the early 2000s. Some well-known actors appeared on the show.
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ReplyDeleteI have also noticed that many of the word authentication pictures on Blogger are very difficult to read. That doesn't seem to be the case everywhere, but on the Blogger sites, I often have to click the little arrow to get it to give me other choices before I can read both parts. It is not just you.
I love Columbo. I love Cannon, too...seems like he's been forgotten amongst the great detectives. Cool stories and rarely anything even vaguely suggestive.
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