MovieChat Forums > Prescription: Murder (1968) Discussion > Columbo's First Name

Columbo's First Name

posted 19 years ago by MeratH
10 replies | jump to latest

Great film that started off the exploits of one of the best TV detectives, Lt. Columbo. I'm writing to correct an earlier comment. Despite what that trivia book said, Columbo's first name has never been revealed. That name, Philip, was put in the book as an error on purpose, in case anyone copied the trivia in the book for their own book. They did, and the fact that Columbo's name was in it was used during the lawsuit. He will remain forever, merely Lt. Columbo. No first name.

[–] ciphoid_9 19 years ago

Wrong. The first name of Columbo is Frank. In Dead Weight, the third episode of the first season, the name is visible on his badge for a split second.

Wikipedia features a screenshot showing the name: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9e/Columbo-Signature.jpg/250px-Columbo-Signature.jpg

Click here for the corresponding article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbo#What.27s_in_a_name.3F

The screenshot sucks, but I checked it for myself on the DVD and it's true - FRANK Columbo! LOL, why not Peter Columbo?

[–] Eric-1226 17 years ago

Dude, you ought to be a detective! LOL

(as for me, I thought his first name was "Christopher"....)

[–] elmparkstick 15 years ago

The writers never gave him a first name but the studio props dept. made him an i.d. with 'Frank Columbo', I saw a proper close-up photo (not a screenshot).

[–] jwpeel-1 15 years ago

On "Inside The Actor's Studio," Peter Falk said that he knew Columbo;s first name but would never tell it to anyone... that it made the character all the more interesting to him. That sounds to me like the writer's DID give him a name, but never shared it with the public. As a side note, Spenser also had a first name and author Robert B. Parker never shares it with anyone.

[–] lorri789 15 years ago

yes, on wikipedia they have a screen cap of his warrant card - it says Frank Columbo.

[–] arthurblock 11 years ago

The fact that there are official records indicating a particular first name is very good evidence, but it isn't absolutely definitive, even if the person in question never has the records corrected. Consider U.S. presidents Hiram Grant, Thomas Wilson, and David Eisenhower.

I recall more than one occasion when Columbo said "My name is Lieutenant Columbo" in circumstances where his police department rank wasn't really germane. It's sort of tempting to think that his first name really was Lieutenant. It makes me think of Sargent Shriver, Major Major Major in Catch 22, and a man I met many years ago whose first name was General.

[–] Bill-16 11 years ago

Thought it was Cosmo Columbo... Oh, well maybe I got it mixed up with something different ;)

[–] suesmith3 9 years ago

Franco

[–] suesmith3 9 years ago

Franco

[–] greensville 7 years ago

His first name is Cynthia