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IMDb > "Columbo" A Friend in Deed (1974)
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"Columbo" A Friend in Deed (1974)


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Overview

User Rating:
7.6/10   472 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 14% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Ben Gazzara
Writers:
Peter S. Fischer (written by)
Richard Levinson (creator) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for A Friend in Deed on IMDbPro.
TV Series:
"Columbo" (1971)
Original Air Date:
5 May 1974 (Season 3, Episode 8)
Plot:
A police commissioner provides a false alibi for a wife killer, but then expects an alibi in return. full summary | add synopsis
User Comments:
A top episode of a top series more

Cast

 (Episode Cast) (in credits order) (complete, awaiting verification)

Peter Falk ... Columbo
Richard Kiley ... Mark Halperin
Rosemary Murphy ... Margaret Halperin
Michael McGuire ... Hugh Caldwell

Val Avery ... Artie Jessup
Eric Christmas ... Bruno Wexler
Eleanor Zee ... Thelma

John Finnegan ... Lt. Dreyer
Arlene Martel ... Salesgirl (as Arlene Martell)
Victor Campos ... Doyle
Joshua Bryant ... Dr. MacMurray
John Calvin ... Charlie Shoup
Byron Morrow ... Amos Lawrence
James V. Christy ... Sharkey
Alma Beltran ... Mrs. Fernandez
Albert Popwell ... Al Como
Ben Marino ... Sgt. Ned Randall
Judson Morgan ... Charles
T.J. Castronova ... Policeman (as Tom Castronova)
Paul Sorensen ... Police Pilot
Bernie Kuby ... Nathan Flowers
Mike Lally ... 2nd Bartender
Richard Lanci ... 1st Patrolman (as Richard Lance)
Eldon Burke ... Photographer
Jack Krupnick ... Limousine Driver
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Dianne Turley Travis ... Woman In Bar (uncredited)
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Episode Crew
Directed by
Ben Gazzara 
 
Writing credits
Peter S. Fischer (written by)

Richard Levinson (creator) &
William Link (creator)

Produced by
Edward K. Dodds .... producer
Dean Hargrove .... executive producer
Roland Kibbee .... executive producer
 
Original Music by
Dick DeBenedictis  (as Dick De Benedictis)
Billy Goldenberg 
 
Cinematography by
William Cronjager (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Robert L. Kimble 
 
Art Direction by
John W. Corso 
 
Set Decoration by
Bill McLaughlin  (as William McLaughlin)
 
Production Management
Brad H. Aronson .... unit manager (as Brad Aronson)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Phil Cook .... assistant director (as Phillip Cook)
 
Sound Department
Wallace R. Bearden .... sound (as Wallace Bearden)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Grady Hunt .... costumes
 
Editorial Department
Richard Belding .... editorial supervisor
Arnold Baker .... assistant editor (uncredited)
Steve Johnson .... colorist (uncredited)
 
Music Department
Henry Mancini .... composer: "Mystery Movie" theme
Hal Mooney .... music supervisor
 
Other crew
Wayne Fitzgerald .... title designer: main titles
 
Crew believed to be complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Runtime:
USA:95 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Finland:K-18 (2005) (DVD) (self applied)
Company:
Universal TV more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Richard Kiley and Rosemary Murphy had not met before shooting their first scene, where Kiley's character Mark Halperin dives into a swimming pool to pull out his drowned wife, played by Murphy, and attempt to give her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Upon finishing the scene, Kiley held out his hand to Murphy and said, "How do you do? I'm Richard Kiley." more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Columbo's car refuses to start at the victim's house, he has a smoking cigar in his mouth, but during a brief close-up shot of him at his car it's not there. more
Movie Connections:
Followed by "Columbo: A Case of Immunity (#5.2)" (1975) more
Soundtrack:
Jesus, Joy of Man's Desiring more

FAQ

List: Murder swaps
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4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful:-
A top episode of a top series, 11 November 2006
10/10
Author: caa821 from Tulsa OK

This series - particularly the earlier episodes - is certainly one of the best ever. I missed this particular one when originally aired, but saw it several years later, and then again recently. (Like Andy Griffith's "Andy Griffith Show" and "Matlock," this is a program for which one is grateful for the reruns available on cable today.)

This particular program, though, is the one I'd probably label my all-time favorite - among many, including those with the ubiquitous Columbo "killers," Jack Cassidy, George Hamilton, etc.

One of the greatest mistakes in the entire history of film was the casting of Peter O'Toole in the lead for "Man of La Mancha," rather than Richard Kiley, whose Broadway performance in this role was among the most acclaimed, ever. Kiley was an immensely- and diversely-talented actor, who should be more prominently recognized and remembered among his peers than he is.

His portrayal as the egotistic, manipulative, greedy deputy police commissioner, and the villain of this episode, is outstanding. The "shtick" of this series, of course, included the usually smooth, urbane, well-dressed, cosmopolitan qualities of the villains - contrasted markedly with Columbo's being the opposite in all of these.

This aspect is certainly apparent here - and the only somewhat puzzling part of the story is the seeming absence of Kiley's knowledge of Columbo's abilities beneath his sloppy exterior - and he would have certainly seen the records of the department certifying the lieutenant's significant abilities.

The main paradox in the history of "Columbo" was the ease with which he seemed to be able always to remain "under the radar," both within the department (even with those with whom he was most closely associated) and on the outside - despite having had to possess a better record for detection and solution of serious crimes than Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot and Sam Spade - combined.

There is no way a review of a "Columbo" episode could be a spoiler. We know from the outset that Kiley is the villain here - however, Columbo's inevitable foiling his devious, wily superior, is perhaps the most clever in the history of this long series.

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