Columbo: Prescription Murder **** (1968, Peter Falk, Gene Barry, Nina Foch, Katherine Justice, William Windom) – Classic Movie Review 13,640

Columbo: Prescription Murder (1968, Peter Falk, Gene Barry, Nina Foch). ‘The pilot episode of television’s most popular detective. The perfect crime had one flaw.’

Director Richard Irving’s 1968 Universal/ NBC TV Movie Columbo: Prescription Murder stars Peter Falk, Gene Barry, and Nina Foch, along with Katherine Justice, William Windom, Anthony James, Virginia Gregg, and Andrea King.

A psychiatric doctor (Gene Barry) commits what he thinks is the perfect murder of his wife, but shabby detective Lt Columbo (Peter Falk) gets on his trail.

Columbo: Prescription Murder is the first pilot for the eventual original Columbo series that ran 1971-77.

This super TV movie thriller gets things off to a grand start and establishes the pattern for all the things to come.

This is the first of two pilot movies made before Columbo became part of the NBC Tuesday Mystery Movie (1971). It is followed by the second pilot, Ransom for a Dead Man, and then Murder by the Book.

The film is adapted by Richard Levinson and William Link from their 1962 play, which was adapted from a 1960 TV episode called Enough Rope, in which Bert Freed originated the role of Columbo. The 1962 play was out of town and bound for Broadway when Thomas Mitchell playing Columbo died and the show closed.

Falk doesn’t make his first appearance as Columbo until 30 minutes into the movie. He played the character 68 more times for the next 35 years until his final appearance in 2003.

Bill Crosby and Lee J Cobb were early choices as Columbo. Crosby was too busy golfing and Cobb too busy working.

It had a theatrical release in UK cinemas by Rank Film Distributors in 1968.

Cast: Peter Falk, Gene Barry, Nina Foch, Katherine Justice, William Windom, Anthony James, Virginia Gregg, Andrea King.

Columbo: Prescription Murder is directed by Richard Irving, runs 100 minutes, is made by Universal Television, is released by NBC (US) and Rank Film Distributors (UK), is written by Richard Levinson and William Link, is shot by Ray Rennahan, is produced by Richard Irving, and is scored by Dave Grusin.

Release: February 20, 1968 (US).

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,640

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