Peter Falk
No one did Peter Falk doing the impression of Lieutenant Columbo better than Peter Falk. And if that was done at the celebrity roast of no less a celebrity than Frank Sintra, it would be a rare treat to watch. With Sinatra on his left and Dean Martin on his right, Falk brings the house down in this 1977 clip even as he stays in character throughout its duration of over nine minutes.
Falk, regarded as one of America’s finest actors who is, and I say it with some discomfort, popularly remembered for his iconic portrayal of the fictional television detective Columbo, died at the age 83 yesterday. Rather than writing a thing or two about him, I thought this celebrity roast clip would be a charming little remembrance.
Columbo’s carefully staged dishevelment was carried off with such precision by Falk that it became hard to picture him in any other getup, although he was twice nominated for the Oscar for his cinematic roles. Even in this clip, there is not a single misstep in the company some of the giants of the movie and showbiz worlds.
So long, Mr. Falk.
