Peter Falk Biography (1927-)

Full name, Peter Michael Falk; born September 16, 1927, in New York, NY; sonof Michael (a clothing and dry goods store owner) and Madeline (a clothing and dry goods store owner, accountant, and buyer; maiden name, Hockhauser) Falk; married Alice Mayo, April 17, 1960 (divorced, 1976); married Shera Lynn Danese (an actress), December 1977; children: (first marriage; adopted) Jaqueline, Catherine. Addresses: Agent: Writers & Artists Agency, 8383 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 550, Beverly Hills, CA 90211.; Manager: Evolution Entertainment, 7720 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046.; Contact: c/o 1004 N. Roxbury Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210; 100 Universal City Plaza, #507, 1-B, Universal City, CA 91608.

Nationality: American
Gender: Male
Occupation: Actor, producer, director, writer
Birth Details: September 16, 1927; New York, New York, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Appearances
Writer, Wind across the Everglades, Warner Bros., 1958
Nico, The Bloody Brood, Key, 1959
Abe "Kid Twist" Reles, Murder, Inc., Twentieth Century-Fox, 1960
Tom Weber, The Secret of the Purple Reef, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1960
Shorty Walters, Pretty Boy Floyd, Continental, 1960
Joy Boy, Pocketful of Miracles, United Artists, 1961
Young psychiatrist, Pressure Point, United Artists, 1962
Biker, Beach Party, 1963
Police chief, The Balcony, Continental, 1963
Second cab driver, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (also known asIt's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World), United Artists, 1963
Guy Gisborne, Robin and the Seven Hoods, Warner Bros., 1964
Medic captain, Italiani brava-gente (also known as Attack and Retreat, and Oni shli na vostok), Embassy, 1965
Maximillian "Max" Meen, The Great Race (also known as Blake Edwards' The Great Race), Warner Bros., 1965
Lieutenant Horatio Bixbee, Penelope, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1966
Milt Manville, Luv, Columbia, 1967
Danny, Too Many Thieves, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1968
Corporal Jack Rabinoff, Anzio (also known as The Battle for Anzio and Lo sbarco di Anzio), Columbia, 1968
Sergeant Orlando Rossi, Castle Keep, Columbia, 1969
Archie, Husbands, Columbia, 1970
Charlie Adamo, Machine Gun McCain (also known as Gli intoccabili), Columbia, 1970
Peter Pawney, Operation Snafu (also known as Situation Normal,All Fouled Up, Situation Normal: A.F.U., and Rosolino Paterno:Soldato), 1970
The Politics Film, 1972
Nick Longhetti, A Woman under the Influence, Faces International,1974
Mikey, Mikey and Nicky, Paramount, 1976
Sam Diamond/J. J. Loomis, Murder by Death, Columbia, 1976
(Uncredited) Cameo, Opening Night, Faces International, 1977
Tony Pino, The Brink's Job (also known as Big Stickup at Brink's), Universal, 1978
Lou Peckinpaugh, The Cheap Detective (also known as Neil Simon's The Cheap Detective), Columbia, 1978
Vince Ricardo, The In-Laws, Warner Bros., 1979
Harry Sears, All the Marbles (also known as The California Dolls), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1981
Tramp, The Great Muppet Caper, Universal, 1981
Steve Rickey, Big Trouble, Columbia, 1984
Himself, Wings of Desire (also known as The Sky over Berlin, Les ailes du desir, and Der Himmel ueber Berlin), Road Movies, 1987
Nick, Happy New Year, Columbia, 1987
The grandfather, The Princess Bride, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1987
Harry Buscafusco, Vibes, Columbia, 1988
Dominick "Dino" Capisco, Cookie, Warner Bros., 1989
Roger Flan, In The Spirit, Castle Hill, 1990
Pedro Carmichael, Tune in Tomorrow ... (also known as Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter), Cinecom, 1990
Motion and Emotion, 1990
Himself, The Player, Fine Line, 1992
Himself, Faraway, So Close (also known as In weiter Ferne, wo nah), Tobis Filmkunst, 1993
Salvatore Santini, Cops n Roberts, 1995
Anything for John (also known as Cassavetes: Anything for John), 1995
Rocky Holzcek, Roommates, Buena Vista, 1995
Paul's father, Enemies of Laughter, Eternity Pictures, 2000
The pierman, Lakeboat, Cowboy Booking International, 2000
Waldo, 3 Days of Rain, Cassian Elwes, 2000
Voice of Bailey, Hubert's Brain, 2001
Max, Made, Artisan Entertainment, 2001
Francis A. "Pops" Romano, Corky Romano (also known as Corky Romano: "Special" Agent), Buena Vista, 2001
Mendy Ripstein, Undisputed, Miramax, 2002
Film Work
Charcoal drawing, Made, 2001
Television Appearances
Series
Daniel J. O'Brien, The Trials of O'Brien, CBS, 1965-1966
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo (as part of the NBC Mystery Theatre), NBC, 1971-1978
Pilots
Lieutenant Columbo, Prescription: Murder (also known as Columbo: Prescription Murder), NBC, 1968
Lieutenant Columbo, Ransom for a Dead Man (also known as Columbo: Ransom for a Deadman), NBC, 1971
Abe, From Where I Sit, CBS, 2000
Movies
Menderes, The Sacco-Venzetti Story, NBC, 1960
Cry Vengeance, NBC, 1961
Sammy, The Million Dollar Incident, CBS, 1961
Jeff Douglas, Brigadoon, ABC, 1966
Polo Pope, A Hatful of Rain, ABC, 1968
Harry Connors, A Step Out of Line, CBS, 1971
Geoffrey Griffin, Griffin and Phoenix: A Love Story (also known asToday Is Forever), ABC, 1976
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: Columbo Goes to the Guillotine, 1989
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: Murder, Smoke & Shadows, 1989
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: Sex and the Married Detective, 1989
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: Murder--A Self-Portrait, 1989
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: Grand Deceptions, 1989
Lieutenant Columbo, "Plates," B. L. Stryker: ABC Saturday Mystery,ABC, 1990
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: Columbo Cries Wolf, 1990
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: Agenda for Murder, 1990
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo, 1990
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: Uneasy Lies the Crown (also known asColumbo: Schleichendes Gift), 1990
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: Murder in Malibu, 1990
Inspector Columbo, Columbo: Columbo Goes to College, 1990
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star, 1991
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: Caution! Murder Can Be Hazardous to YourHealth, 1991
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: Death Hits the Jackpot, 1991
Columbo, Columbo: A Bird in the Hand, 1992
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: No Time to Die, 1992
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: It's All in the Game, 1993
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: Butterfly in Shades of Grey, 1994
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: Undercover, 1994
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: Strange Bedfellows, 1995
Harry Arno (Henri Arnaud), Pronto, Showtime, 1996

Willy Clark, The Sunshine Boys (also known as Neil Simon's TheSunshine Boys), CBS, 1997
Himself, Frank Capra's American Dream, 1997
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: A Trace of Murder, 1997
Vinnie, Vig (also known as Money Kings), Cinemax, 1998
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: Ashes to Ashes (also known as Ashes to Ashes), ABC, 1998
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: Murder with Too Many Notes, ABC, 1999
Abel Shaddick, A Storm in Summer, Showtime, 2000
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo: The Man Who Murdered Himself, 2002
Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo Likes the Nightlife, ABC, 2003
Miniseries
Reverend Thro Kerr, The Lost World, BBC and Arts and Entertainment, 2001
Specials
Host, Scared Straight!, syndicated, 1978
Host, NBC: The First Fifty Years--A Closer Look, Part Two, 1978
The Muppets Go Hollywood, 1979
Johnny Cash: The First 25 Years, CBS, 1980
Himself, The American Film Institute Salute to Frank Capra, 1982
Clue: Movies, Murder, and Mystery, CBS, 1986
"John Cassavetes," American Masters, PBS, 1990
"Sanford Meisner: The Theatre's Best Kept Secret," American Masters, PBS, 1990
TV Guide: 40th Anniversary Special, Fox, 1993
Inside the Academy Awards, TNT, 1995
Segment presenter, The '70s: The Decade That Changed Television, ABC, 2000
(In archive footage) Lieutenant Columbo, The 100 Greatest TV Characters, Channel 4, 2001
Max, A Town without Christmas, CBS, 2001
Himself, NBC 75th Anniversary Special (also known as NBC 75th Anniversary Celebration), NBC, 2002
Intimate Portrait: Suzanne Pleshette, Lifetime, 2002
Also appeared in Dream Girl, ABC.
Awards Presentations
The 37th Annual Prime Time Emmy Awards, ABC, 1985
The 3rd Annual American Comedy Awards, ABC, 1989
The 47th Annual Golden Globe Awards, TBS, 1990
The 42nd Annual Prime Time Emmy Awards, Fox, 1990
The 43rd Annual Prime Time Emmy Awards, Fox, 1991
The 48th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1994
The 46th Annual Prime Time Emmy Awards, ABC, 1994
Presenter, The 11th Annual Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' Hall of Fame, CBS, 1996
Episodic
Rendezvous, ABC, 1952
Gambler, Have Gun--Will Travel, CBS, 1957
"Return Visit," Robert Montgomery Presents, NBC, 1957
"The Mother Bit," Studio One, CBS, 1957
"Rudy," Studio One, CBS, 1957
"Lady Bug, Lady Bug," Naked City, ABC, 1958
"Blind Spot," Brenner, CBS, 1959
"The Power and the Glory," Play of the Week, syndicated, 1959
"The Comeback," Decoy, 1959
"The Emperor's Clothes," Play of the Week, syndicated, 1960
"A Death of Princes," Naked City, ABC, 1960
Duke Mullen, "Underworld Bank," The Untouchables, ABC, 1960
"Hostage Island," The Islanders, ABC, 1960
Waller, "The Poker Friend," Have Gun--Will Travel, CBS, 1960
"Kid Twist," Witness, CBS, 1960
"Cold Turkey," The Law and Mr. Jones, ABC, 1961
"The Double Adventure," The Aquanauts, CBS, 1961
"The Jeremiah Adventure," The Aquanauts, 1961
Meyer Fine, "Gratitude," Alfred Hitchcock Presents, NBC, 1961
"A Very Cautious Boy," Naked City, ABC, 1961
"The Assassin," Barbara Stanwyck Theatre, NBC, 1961
Nick Longo, "The Million Dollar Dump," Target: The Corruptors, ABC, 1961
Nate Selko, "The Trouble Shooter," The Untouchables, ABC, 1961
Ramos Clemente, "The Mirror," Twilight Zone, CBS, 1961
Robert Evans, "Bonfire," The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, NBC, 1962
"Cross the Little Line," The New Breed, ABC, 1962
Aristedes Fresco, "The Price of Tomatoes," Dick Powell Show, NBC,1962
Ramon, "The Pigeon," The 87th Precinct, NBC, 1962
"Lament for a Dead Indian," Naked City, ABC, 1962
Collucci, "A Sound of Hunting," DuPont Show of the Week, NBC, 1962
"Rage of Silence," Dick Powell Show, NBC, 1963
Matt Gunderson, "The Balance and the Crucible," Dr. Kildare, NBC,1963
Gus Morgan, "The Gus Morgan Story," Wagon Train, ABC, 1963
"Four Kings," Bob Hope Chrysler Theatre, NBC, 1963
Danilo Diaz, "Ambassador at Large," DuPont Show of the Week, NBC,1964
"For Jimmy, the Best of Everything," Ben Casey, ABC, 1964
"Courage at 3:00 A.M.," Ben Casey, 1964
"Perilous Times," Bob Hope Chrysler Theatre, NBC, 1965
"Dear Deductible," Bob Hope Chrysler Theatre, NBC, 1966
Guest, "Episode #28," Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, 1969
Cameo, "Episode #35," Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, 1969
Lewis Corbett, "A Sister from Napoli," The Name of the Game, NBC,1971
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, 1972
Voice of himself, "The Robbery at Diamond Dog Diner," Reading Rainbow, 1988
Himself, "Out of the Loop," The Larry Sanders Show, HBO, 1992
Late Show with David Letterman, NBC, 1995
Himself, "Peter Falk: Just One More Thing," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
Himself, Dinner for Five, IFC, 2001
Himself, "Hollywood: L.A. Special," Seitenblicke, 2002
Himself, "Wetten, dass ... ? aus Berlin," Wetten, dass ... ?, 2003
The View, ABC, 2003
Also appeared on Alcoa Theatre, Kraft Mystery Theatre and Sunday Showcase, both on NBC; The Danny Kaye Show, Love of Life, Password, and Sports Spectacular, all on CBS; Dateline: Hollywood, The Edie Adams Show, This Proud Land, Wagon Train, The Young Set, all on ABC; Hollywood Showcase andStump the Stars, syndicated; Armstrong Circle Theatre; Omnibus; American Cinema, PBS; Inside the Actors Studio, Bravo;Dean Martin Celebrity Roast.
Television Work
Movies
Director, Columbo: Blueprint for Murder, 1972
(Uncredited) Director, Columbo: Etude in Black, 1972
Co-executive producer, Columbo: Murder, Smoke & Shadows, 1989
Executive producer, Columbo: Columbo Goes to the Guillotine, 1989
Co-executive producer, Columbo: Sex and the Married Detective, 1989
Co-executive producer, Columbo: Grand Deceptions, 1989
Co-executive producer, Columbo: Murder, a Self Portrait, 1989
Co-executive producer, Columbo: Columbo Cries Wolf, 1990
Executive producer and coproducer, Columbo: Uneasy Lies the Crown(also known as Columbo: Schleichendes Gift), 1990
Executive producer and coproducer, Columbo: Murder in Malibu, 1990
Co-executive producer, Columbo: Agenda for Murder, 1990
Co-executive producer, Columbo: Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo, 1990
Co-executive producer, Columbo: Columbo Goes to College, 1990
Co-executive producer, Columbo: Caution! Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health, 1991
Executive producer, Murder of a Rock Star (also known as Columbo: Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star), 1991
Executive producer, Columbo: Death Hits the Jackpot, 1991
Executive producer, Columbo: No Time to Die, 1992
Executive producer, Columbo: A Bird in the Hand, 1992
Executive producer, Columbo, It's All in the Game, 1993
Producer, Columbo: Butterfly in Shades of Grey, 1994
Executive producer, Columbo: Undercover, 1994
Executive producer, Columbo: Strange Bedfellows, 1995
Executive producer, Columbo: A Trace of Murder, 1997
Executive producer and director, Columbo: Ashes to Ashes, ABC, 1998
Executive producer, Columbo: Murder with Too Many Notes, 2001
Executive producer, Columbo: The Man Who Murdered Himself, 2002
Executive producer, Columbo Likes the Nightlife (also known as Columbo: Columbo Likes the Nightlife), ABC, 2003
Stage Appearances
Sagnarele, Don Juan, Fourth Street Theatre, New York City, 1956
De Flores, The Changeling, Barnard College, New York City, 1956
Rocky the bartender, The Iceman Cometh, Circle in the Square, NewYork City, 1956
The soldier, Saint Joan, Phoenix Theatre, New York City, 1956
Mamaev's servant, Diary of a Scoundrel, Phoenix Theatre, 1956
Matthew Skipps, The Lady's Not for Burning, Carnegie Hall Playhouse, New York City, 1957
First workman, Purple Dust, Cherry Lane Theatre, New York City, 1957
Crispin, Bonds of Interest, Sheridan Square Playhouse, New York City, 1958
Police chief, Comic Strip, Barbizon Plaza Theatre, New York City,1958
Stalin, The Passion of Josef D., Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New YorkCity, 1964
Mel Edison, The Prisoner of Second Avenue, Eugene O'Neill Theatre,New York City, 1971
The Disappearance of the Jews, Goodman Theatre, Chicago, IL, 1983
Sidney Black, Light Up the Sky, Center Theatre Group, Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, 1987
Brian Dickey, Defiled, Geffen Playhouse, Hollywood, CA, 2000
Major Tours
Shelly Levene, Glengarry Glen Ross, U.S. cities, 1985
WRITINGS
Television Movies
Columbo: It's All in the Game, 1993

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals

Entertainment Weekly, March 15, 1996, p. 20
Ladies Home Journal, March, 1990, p. 98
People Weekly, December 16, 1991, p. 105; May 12, 1997, p. 16
US Magazine, May 15, 1989, p. 48

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