Peter Falk, 1927-2011

[clifford_thornton]

Wikipedia and the internet are reporting that Peter Falk has died.

I really loved seeing Columbo reruns when I was a kid in the 1980s. I'll miss that trenchcoat and cigar. He was fantastic in "A Woman Under the Influence" as well. RIP.

[Van Basten II]

RIP

[sidewinder]

Very sad to hear, if confirmed. RIP - certainly a TV icon for some of us here when we were growing up.

[Joe]

Max has pushed the button for the last time.

[Hardbopjazz]

RIP Peter Falk.

[T.D.]

RIP.

One of the few celebrities I've encountered in person. Years ago (1990s), while walking on 57th St. between 7th Ave. and Broadway (en route to the old Coliseum Books in NYC), I noticed that seemingly everybody passing me in the opposite direction (I mean dozens of people, it was kind of amazing) was crowing "That was Peter Falk!" When I reached B'way and was waiting for the light to change, I saw that Peter Falk had been walking a few feet in front of me. He looked tanned and pretty good, though a tad older than he appeared on TV at the time. I moved on and didn't say anything. Not much of an anecdote, but it illustrates something about the nature of celebrity...

[Dan Gould]

Peter Falk was absolutely priceless in The In-Laws (I won't identify which one, it is the only movie by that title that was ever filmed).

RIP.

[Neal Pomea]

Serpentine!!!

[J.A.W.]

Sad news. Great actor.

[thedwork]

Sad news. Great actor.

exactly. and like clifford said earlier, Falk was absolutely genius in A Woman Under The Influence, among other things...

[kinuta]

He was great and his passing is sad.

The mannerisms and character quirks he introduced in the Columbo role must have inspired a generation of would be tv sleuths. Loved him in The In Law's too. One of my wife's favourite movies.

[B. Goren.]

Sad news to start the weekend with. RIP Mr. Falk.

[brownie]

He'll be missed!

Loved him in the John Cassavettes films he played in ('Husbands' in particular).

[BERIGAN]

Max has pushed the button for the last time.

Yep... indeed.

My late Mother LOVED Columbo, so naturally I am fairly familiar with them, but more the later movies, and just some of the earlier series/seasons, whatever you want to call them.

Have the 1st and 3rd seasons, and they really hold up, IMO.

Edited June 25, 2011 by BERIGAN

[RDK]

Up until just a few years ago, we used to see Mr. Falk quite often at the Universal commissary, eating lunch with us regular folk - for some reason we never quite figured out, he kept an office on the lot long after he stopped acting and/or actively producing. Always a real nice guy, though we never bugged him much other than to nod and say hello. He will be missed.

[mikeweil]

Columbo was a popular series over here, too, that's how I got to know him. Peter Falk would have been the perfect choice for playing Raymond Chandler's detective, Phillip Marlowe, but he did so only once, in a hilarious crime parody with an all-star cast, Murder by death - I never found the time to check out the moves he played in, and feel sorry for it. What a loss ...

R.I.P. Mr. Falk, and thank ya!

[MartyJazz]

The sadness for me began some time ago when I read what his diagnosis was. In this case, death is a welcome release.

Anyone recall one of his earliest roles, that of "Max", Professor Fate's (Jack Lemmon) assistant in THE GREAT RACE? "Push the button, Max!".

Falk was terrific, as well as the ensemble cast, in this comedy as well:

[Stefan Wood]

I thought he was great in Wim Wenders' "Wings of Desire." RIP

[Neal Pomea]

He had a classic scene in It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World.

Sid Caesar wants to use the pay phone he's ranting on when he finally gets out of the hardware store with Edie Adams. He's on a pay phone ranting: "The police in this town are retarded! I'm dealing with moronic people!"

[Swinging Swede]

Columbo was a great series, and yes, very popular in Europe too. One day I will have to get it on DVD, or whatever the currently fashionable format will be.