Peter Falk
Biography
Peter Michael Falk was an American actor born in New York City, New York, on September 16, 1927, and he died on June 23, 2011, at the age of 83. He is best known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo on the NBC and ABC series Columbo, which aired from 1968 to 1978 and from 1989 to 2003. He first starred as the character in two two-hour World Premiere television pilots, the first with Gene Barry in 1968 and the second with Lee Grant in 1971. The show subsequently aired as part of The NBC Mystery Movie series from 1971 to 1978, and later on ABC. For his work on the series, Falk won four Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. In 1996, TV Guide ranked him number 21 on its list of the 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time, and he received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013.
Career overview
Peter Michael Falk was an American actor born in New York City on September 16, 1927, and he died on June 23, 2011. He is best known for his television role as Lieutenant Columbo on the series Columbo, which aired across NBC and ABC from 1968 to 1978 and from 1989 to 2003. He first starred as the character in two two-hour television pilots, the first featuring Gene Barry in 1968 and the second featuring Lee Grant in 1971. Following the pilots, the series aired as part of The NBC Mystery Movie series from 1971 to 1978 before later airing on ABC.
For his work on Columbo, Falk won four Primetime Emmy Awards in 1972, 1975, 1976, and 1990, as well as a Golden Globe Award in 1973. In 1996, TV Guide ranked him number 21 on its list of the 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time. Later in his legacy, he received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013. Throughout his acting career, Falk accumulated a total of 168 known credits listed on The Movie Database.
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Career timeline
Full filmography
- My Darling Vivian (2020) as Self (archive footage)
- Peter Falk versus Columbo (2019) as Self (archive footage)
- Basketball: A Love Story (2018) as Self (archive footage)
- Arthur Miller: Writer (2017) as Self (archive footage)
- Lost Case (2014) as Columbo (archive footage)
- Char·ac·ter (2012) as Self
- American Cowslip (2009) as Father Randolph
- Next (2007) as Irv
- Three Days to Vegas (2007) as Gus 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald
- Edge of Outside (2006) as Self
- Checking Out (2006) as Morris Applebaum
- The Thing About My Folks (2005) as Sam Kleinman
- Shark Tale (2004) as Don Feinberg (voice)
- When Angels Come to Town (2004) as Max
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003) as Self
- Wilder Days (2003) as James 'Pop Up' Morse
- ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration (2003) as Self /Self - Columbo
- Finding John Christmas (2003) as Max
- Wings of Desire: The Angels Among Us (2003) as Self
- Undisputed (2002) as Mendy Ripstein
- Three Days of Rain (2002) as Waldo
- NBC 75th Anniversary Special (2002) as Self
- Good Day Live (2001) as Self
- Corky Romano (2001) as Francis A. 'Pops' Romano
- The Lost World (2001) as Theo Kerr
- Hubert's Brain (2001) as Bailey (voice)
- The Lost World (2001) as Theo Kerr
- Made (2001) as Max
- A Town Without Christmas (2001) as Max
- Lakeboat (2000) as Pierman
- From Where I Sit (2000) as Abe
- A Constant Forge (2000) as Self
- Enemies of Laughter (2000) as Paul's Father
- A Storm in Summer (2000) as Abel Shaddick
- Vivement dimanche (1998) as Self
- Money Kings (1998) as Vinnie
- The View (1997) as Self
- Frank Capra's American Dream (1997) as Self
- Pronto (1997) as Harry Arno
- The Sunshine Boys (1996) as Willie Clark
- John Cassavetes: To Risk Everything to Express It All (1996) as Self
- Roommates (1995) as Rocky Holzeck
- Cops n Roberts (1995) as Salvatore Santini
- Exclusiv - Das Star-Magazin (1994) as self
- The World of Jim Henson (1994) as Tramp (archive footage)
- Inside the Actors Studio (1994) as Self
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) as Self - Guest
- Faraway, So Close! (1993) as Peter Falk
- Anything for John (1993) as Self
- Out of the Shadows: The Films of John Cassavetes (1993) as Self
- The Larry Sanders Show (1992) as Peter Falk
- The Player (1992) as Peter Falk
- Something a Little Less Serious: A Tribute to 'It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World' (1991) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Tune in Tomorrow... (1990) as Pedro Carmichael
- In the Spirit (1990) as Roger Flan
- Sanford Meisner: The American Theatre's Best Kept Secret (1990) as Self
- Motion and Emotion: The Films of Wim Wenders (1990) as Self
- Arena - John Cassavetes (1989) as Self
- Cookie (1989) as Dominick 'Dino' Capisco
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark (1988)
- Vibes (1988) as Harry Buscafusco
- The Princess Bride (1987) as The Grandfather
- Seitenblicke (1987) as self
- Wings of Desire (1987) as The Filmstar
- Happy New Year (1987) as Nick
- American Masters (1986) as Self
- Big Trouble (1986) as Steve Rickey
- Reading Rainbow (1983) as Self - Narrator (voice)
- Champs-Elysées (1982) as Self
- Night of 100 Stars (1982) as Self
- Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady (1982)
- Shoot Don't Shoot (1982) as host
- I Love Liberty (1982) as Self
- Wetten, dass..? (1981) as Self
- ...All the Marbles (1981) as Harry Sears
- The Great Muppet Caper (1981) as Tramp (uncredited)
- The In-Laws (1979) as Vincent J. Ricardo
- The Muppets Go Hollywood (1979) as Self
- All Star Tribute to Ingrid Bergman (1979) as Self
- Scared Straight! (1978) as Narration (voice)
- The Cheap Detective (1978) as Lou Peckinpaugh
- The Brink's Job (1978) as Tony Pino
- Opening Night (1977) as Self (uncredited)
- 30 millions d'amis (1976) as Self
- Murder by Death (1976) as Sam Diamond
- Mikey and Nicky (1976) as Mikey
- Griffin and Phoenix (1976) as Geoffrey Griffin
- Les Rendez-vous du dimanche (1975) as Self
- Dinah! (1974) as Self
- A Woman Under the Influence (1974) as Nick Longhetti
- The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts (1973) as Self
- The American Film Institute Salute to ... (1973) as Self
- Ransom for a Dead Man (1972) as Columbo
- Columbo (1971) as Lt. Columbo
- Columbo (1971) Director
- Columbo (1971) Writer
- Columbo (1971) Co-Executive Producer
- V.I.P. Schaukel (1971) as Self
- The Making of 'Husbands' (1971) as Self
- A Step Out of Line (1971) as Harry Connors
- Treffpunkte (1970) as Self
- Husbands (1970) as Archie Black
- Operation Snafu (1970) as Peter Pawney
- Machine Gun McCain (1969) as Charlie Adamo
- Castle Keep (1969) as Sgt. Rossi
- The Dick Cavett Show (1968) as Self - Guest
- The Name of the Game (1968) as Lewis Corbett
- Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1968) as Self (uncredited)
- Anzio (1968) as Cpl. Jack Rabinoff
- Prescription: Murder (1968) as Columbo
- A Hatful of Rain (1968) as Polo Pope
- Luv (1967) as Milt Manville
- Penelope (1966) as Lt. Horatio Bixbee
- Too Many Thieves (1966) as Danny
- Brigadoon (1966) as Jeff Douglas
- The Great Race (1965) as Max
- The Trials of O'Brien (1965) as Daniel O'Brien
- Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964) as Guy Gisborne
- Attack and Retreat (1964) as lieutenant Mario
- Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963) as Bert Graumann
- Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963) as Bara
- Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963) as Mike Galway
- The Danny Kaye Show (1963) as Self
- It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) as Third Cab Driver
- The Balcony (1963) as Police Chief
- The Jerry Lewis Show (1963) as Self
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self - Surprise Appearance
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self (archive footage)
- The Merv Griffin Show (1962) as Self
- The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962) as Robert Evans
- Jackie Gleason and His American Scene Magazine (1962) as Sammy
- Jackie Gleason and His American Scene Magazine (1962) as Cameo
- Pressure Point (1962) as Young Psychiatrist
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self - Co-Host
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self
- Dr. Kildare (1961) as Dr. Matt Gunderson
- Ben Casey (1961)
- 87th Precinct (1961) as Greg Brovane
- The New Breed (1961) as Lopez
- The Dick Powell Show (1961) as Martin
- The Dick Powell Show (1961) as Aristede Fresco
- The Dick Powell Show (1961) as Dr. Alan Keegan
- Target: The Corruptors! (1961)
- Pocketful of Miracles (1961) as Joy Boy
- The DuPont Show of the Week (1961) as Collucci
- The DuPont Show of the Week (1961) as Danilo Diaz
- The Million Dollar Incident (1961) as Sammy
- The Islanders (1960) as Hooker
- The Barbara Stanwyck Show (1960) as Joe
- The Aquanauts (1960) as Jeremiah Wilson
- The Aquanauts (1960) as Angel
- The Law and Mr. Jones (1960) as Carbell Carney
- Murder, Inc. (1960) as Abe Reles
- The Witness (1960) as Abe Reles
- Pretty Boy Floyd (1960) as Shorty Walters
- The Secret of the Purple Reef (1960) as Tom Weber
- The Twilight Zone (1959) as Ramos Clementine
- The Untouchables (1959) as Duke Mullen
- The Untouchables (1959) as Nate Selko
- Deadline (1959) as Box
- New York Confidential (1959)
- Play of the Week (1959) as Mestizo
- Play of the Week (1959)
- The Bloody Brood (1959) as Nico
- Naked City (1958) as Extortionist
- Naked City (1958) as Lee Staunton
- Naked City (1958) as Gimpy (uncredited)
- Naked City (1958) as Frankie O'Hearn
- Wind Across the Everglades (1958) as Writer
- Wagon Train (1957) as Gus Morgan
- Have Gun, Will Travel (1957) as Waller - Gambler
- Decoy (1957) as Fred Dana
- Tony Awards (1956) as Self - Presenter
- Tony Awards (1956) as Self - Host
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as Meyer Fine
- Omnibus (1952) as Charlie
- The Red Skelton Show (1951) as Colonel Hush-Hush
- Robert Montgomery Presents (1950)
- Armstrong Circle Theatre (1950) as Petar Porovic
- Studio One (1948) as Carmen's Assistant
- Studio One (1948) as Jack
- Bambi (1948) as Self
- Kraft Television Theatre (1947) as Radar Operator
- Kraft Television Theatre (1947) as Izzy
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Nominee
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Presenter
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Audience Member
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Nominee / Presenter
- A Trace of Murder as Columbo
- Columbo: Death Hits the Jackpot as Colombo