This episode first aired September 15, 1971.
This episode was ranked #16 in TV Guide’s ‘100 Greatest Episodes of All Time’ list in 1997.
“Murder by the Book” was actually filmed after “Death Lends a Hand”, but it was considered the superior episode and so was moved up in the schedule and aired as the series premiere.
Instead of airing weekly, Columbo aired every third week as part of the NBC Wheel of Mystery alongside McCloud and MacMillan and Wife. According to series co-creator William Link: “I don’t think Falk would have done a weekly series. But beyond that, Columbo was too rich a brew for audiences to swallow every week. Every three weeks was good. It gave viewers time to anticipate and savor the next one.”
One of the production’s biggest challenges was finding writers who could deliver quality scripts. Series co-creator Richard Levinson summed it up: “The problem with Columbo was that you had no other characters, and the leading man didn’t enter until the second act, which is unheard of in television. You had to create a perfect crime that had a loophole, then provide a perfect clue. After the crime, since Bill and I refused to put any violence into the show, we had to have a conversation between two individuals for ninety minutes. The cat and mouse dialogue would create the tension.” Still, they did manage to land some quality writers.
This episode was written by a young Steven Bochco (who would go on to create Hill Street Blues and NYPD ?Blue) and directed by a 24-year-old Steven Spielberg. In order to land the job, Spielberg had to meet with – and convince – Peter Falk he was up to the task. Which he did.
Reflecting on his experience directing the show, Spielberg recalled: “Richard Levinson and William Link were the first producers who actually encouraged me to make choices that were weird and unconventional. They were always at dailies so every time they came to dailies, appeared on set or called me on the phone it was to give me a tremendous boost of confidence. That was my first experience with episodic television where the producers were encouraging me to make unconventional shots, whereas other television producers would beg me not to.”
Peter Falk was apparently at times difficult to work with given his drive for quality. According to producer Dick Irving: “He was difficult in terms of being a perfectionist. He never wanted to make the compromises that are necessary in television.” This resulted in longer shoots and cost overruns that, in the end, the network had to swallow to placate the star of their hit show.
This is the first episode that features Columbo’s signature Peugeot 403.
This is the first of three Columbo episodes featuring Jack Cassidy as a villain. Cassidy was the father of teen idols David and Shaun Cassidy, and married (and divorced) actress Shirley Jones who played mother Shirley Partridge on The Partridge Family.
The part of Ted Baxter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970) was apparently written for Cassidy who ultimately turned down the role that eventually went to actor Ted Knight.
During production of this episode in which he played part of a co-writing team, Cassidy would often jokingly inquire: “Who am I playing in this scene, Levinson or Link?”
Cassidy suffered from bipolar disorder and, following a night out, fell asleep on his couch while smoking. The lit cigarette ignited the couch and Cassidy lost his life in the ensuing blaze.
Actress Barbara Colby, who played the lovestruck Lily La Sanka, met an equally tragic death at the hands of a random and unprovoked gunman. Her murder has never been solved.
Martin Milner, who played Jim Ferris, was the visual inspiration for the original Green Lantern, Guy Gardner.
He is best remembered for his performance as Pete Malloy on Adam-12.
My thoughts in chronological viewing order…
I thought the clack-clacking of the typewriter over the soundless opening was pretty inspired.
Martin Milner giving me Robert Redford vibes.
Note the book he gifts Lily La Sanka is “Prescription Murder”, the name of the very first Columbo pilot.
If I was Jim’s wife, I would, in hindsight, find this call from Ken highly suspicious. It seems to come out of the blue given the circumstances.
I laughed when Jim took a seat on the couch…covered in plastic! My advice to anyone is to never walk into a place or get into a car covered in plastic.
No one in the vicinity of the cabin heard the shot? Hmmmm. Okay. I’ll let it slide.
Jack Cassidy is devilishly good and those panorama shots out the cabin window are absolutely beautiful.
I find it odd that Joanna invites a detective back to her place and allows him to cook for her. Even odder that he seems to put cheese in with the raw eggs BEFORE cooking.
Unlike the case of Leslie Williams in “Ransom for a Dead Man”, I can totally understand why Columbo is instantly suspicious of Ken here who offers up his theory that it was a professional hit. He seems to give up Jim for dead here and yet, later in the episode, he tells Columbo “I kept thinking Jim was alive.” Not very consistent.
Love the scene where Ken gifts Columbo a stack of the Mrs. Melville books. And the seemingly appreciative Columbo’s “Maybe I can pick up a few pointers.”
Also, much respect for Columbo who, unlike most detectives who don’t drink on the job, has no problem asking for “a drop of bourbon”.
I found it interesting that Columbo rattles Ken with his observation that Ken opened his mail before calling the cops. I think the Columbo of later seasons would have held on to that little tidbit.
Production note: why are the hot dogs sizzling so loudly when they are clearly boiled? P.S. I do appreciate the occasional food-related scenes – the chili in the last episode, the hot dogs here.
How smart is it to blackmail a murderer? I think not so smart, but I guess we’ll see.
And love the scene of Columbo backing his way into the room, his arms laden with books. There is NO WAY he read all those books! There must be 30 of them!
As it turns out, not so smart. Apparently Spielberg had to fight to keep the silent scream, an homage to Hitchcock. I’m not entirely convinced it works.
Nice moment of Columbo helping himself to some free candy at the crime scene on his way to discovering the champagne cork.
Don’t love the ending. In previous episodes, Columbo demonstrates his cleverness in setting up the murderers and catching them out. Here, he conveniently discovers some information – off camera – that he uses to confront Ken. It’s a shame because I was really enjoying this episode up until the last five minutes. So, even though most fans ranks this episode as the show’s best, I would rank it #3 after “Ransom for a Dead Man” (#2) and “Prescription Murder” (which remains my #1).
Finally, let’s consider the evidence Columbo has gathered against Ken Franklin. Would the parallels between a story idea and the presumed way the murder played out be enough to convict Ken? While I think it would certainly look suspicious, I don’t believe this would be enough evidence to convict. And so, in this particular case, I believe the suave Ken Franklin wins himself an ACQUITTAL.
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Firstly, very interesting tidbits about the writers, Spielberg, et al. Secondly, YOU are the one who got me started on using firstly, secondly, etc. You are a bad – or good? – influence on me. Thirdly, it’s nearly 2 am and I need time to savor this episode. It is one of my favorites, but not at the top. Oh, there are several others that I place above it! Fourthly, out of all the Columbo villains, Cassidy does rank as my #1 favorite. His smarminess makes him so deliciously unlikeable in a likeable sort of way. Fifthly, you are correct – never blackmail a murderer. I learned this from several Columbo episodes. Say nopes to tropes!
More tomorrow! Which, technically, is today. Also, Kilauea just started erupting again (11th phase since late December), so I’ll be off to watch that. 🙂
das
Report back on the volcano. Save me some lava!
Alas, the volcano petered out. But another phase could occur, if it continues this pattern.
Will get back to Columbo – sorry for the delay. I had a fence company out to see about an installation, only to discover an inaccuracy on my current survey, so now I have to get a new survey and that’s going to push my fence install back… and my pool developed a big leak and drained out this winter so I need a new liner… and I also need a new deck… and I’ve got a mysterious rash… and my mom sees snakes and Mexican children everywhere (Charles Bonnet Syndrome)… and my husband is trying to grow a beard and he’s asking me for advice, which means I better start plucking my chin whiskers again… and…did I mention the rash?
😛
das
Sorry, back up. Mexican children?
The only friends we have with small children are Mexican. She ‘sees’ them everywhere!
Columbo: Murder By the Book.
Our Sunday night card playing bestie is none other than one… James Ferris. I will not be telling him what happens to his namesake in this episode.
While you caught Columbo’s ears perking to the suggestion that it was a professional hit, did you catch this: When Columbo was standing at Franklin’s bar (looking at the mail), he says, “Would you go over with me once again… I know you did it…exactly what happened when you came home tonight?”
“I know you did it.” Classic Columbo! It’s not a coincidence that he said that. But is he telling the audience – or Ken – that he’s onto him?
I’m guessing – with no evidence – that the ending was originally more involved than what we see. As you know, and as we will see in a future episode, sometimes lines and even scenes need to be cut due to time. My gut tells me that’s what happened here.
I liked the creepy close-ups and weird angles. It added a disquieting element to the scenes in which it was done.
I’m actually going to try adding the cheese and onions into the egg before cooking – I’ll let you know how it turns out. (My guess? In the early 70s not too many Americans even knew what an omelette was. 🙂
I have watched this episode dozens of times, and never noticed the plastic on the couch! lol…I guess I just thought it was a 70s thing.
Lilly – oh my goodness! She was so deliciously stupid and creepy and needy and even a tad devious, all at the same time! What a foolish woman.
Conviction, or acquittal? I would say that, based on Columbo’s suspicions, a search warrant be issued and it will turn up traces of blood in the trunk and at the crime scene (despite the plastic), Ken’s fingerprints on a vital piece of evidence, or something else that will give the prosecutor a fighting chance. One can only hope.
das
Ah, but you’re imagining evidence that isn’t there.
I don’t believe there were changes made to this particular ending. I think that, in my fairly extensive research on the episode, this fact would have come up.
But, but, but…Columbo is only a police detective – his job is now done. I am imagining what normally happens next. It’s now up to the prosecutor (or DA) and the prosecutor’s office to secure the evidence needed for conviction. Most Columbo episodes don’t address anything past the initial arrest. So, you are imagining an acquittal based on an incomplete investigation, just as I am imagining evidence not yet discovered. 😉
Of course, these episodes can only address so much of the investigation, and they usually focus only on how Columbo gets on the killer’s scent up to the gotcha moment. Sometimes the gathering of evidence is shown, other times a person confesses or betrays their guilt in some way before other witnesses, making the cases in those circumstances much stronger, but not always.
I think that’s what makes Columbo so enjoyable. We fans don’t care if there’s a conviction or not, we just love the moment when Columbo nails the guy that we already knew had dunnit. I think of a few current detective shows, like Death in Paradise, where the focus is on revealing the killer (not on whether or not there’s a conviction). The fun in those episodes is the revealing of the killer, and we all go “Ah-ha! Knew it!” …even if we didn’t. Columbo is different in that the fun is watching the cat play with the mouse, especially the moment when the cat pounces right when the mouse thinks it’s safely out of reach.
(This is probably why I dislike shows like Law and Order. It’s very frustrating to see a criminal go free. Columbo allows me to imagine convictions in every case!)
das
OMG, that cabin! What a view! I wonder if it still exists and how much it would be worth?
I’m at a loss why this episode would be rated so highly amongst the fans. Maybe the episodes get worse after this? It was OK but definitely the worst of the three we’ve seen so far.
Ken was so obviously the murderer. I’m sure Columbo was onto him from the very beginning. He had the motive and opportunity.
I enjoyed that Columbo did some traditional detective work towards then end, confronting the suspect with evidence and, eventually, getting a confession. I guess Ken wasn’t too bright because if he’d kept his mouth shut he totally would have gotten away with it.
The list of mob names in the drawer was the weakest evidence plant I’ve ever seen. Ken told Columbo that Jim was working on a solo exposé about the mob. Jim was an obsessive note taker which his wife made a point of mentioning several times, but the only information about the book he was supposedly working on was this one piece of paper that Ken knew exactly where to lay his hands on. Suspicious!
Columbo cooking the omelet was hilarious. I can forgive the addition of cheese to the raw eggs but adding raw onion as well? No way!
Blackmailing a murderer is always a bad move. You don’t play a player and you don’t blackmail a murderer.
I was excited to see Spielberg’s direction. It was mostly competent but I didn’t like the extreme closeups and some of the blocking. I guess that’s the “weird and unconventional” choices that he was encouraged to make. Maybe the other TV producers Spielberg was complaining about actually had a point.
Anyway, as I said, Ken’s confession did him in. We would have totally been acquitted (and probably not even have gone to trial) if all they had was the circumstantial evidence. It’s also hard to put my brain into 1970s mode and ignore things like DNA evidence that would convict most of these murders these days.
But it wasn’t really a confession, more of a vague allusion to the fact that HE came up with the idea for the fictional murder plot.
There are so many Columbo episodes that I think could be easily solved today due to CCTV and Ring doorbells, indoor surveillance systems, DNA evidence, and other modern techniques, and yet – even today – many crimes go unsolved. Still, I was thinking the whole time that if the general store only had indoor and outdoor cameras, or if Ken’s neighbors had Ring doorbells, Ken would’ve been nailed in the first 15 minutes.
das