There are three notable Columbo birthdays on August 16th.
Columbo legend - Robert Culp
First, and most prominently, the great Robert Culp who appeared in four Columbo episodes and was the murderer in 3 of those. Culp was born on August 16th, 1930 in Oakland, California and he made his Columbo debut on October 6th, 1971 in just the second episode of Season 1: Death Lends a Hand.
His final comment to Columbo, upon being arrested, still goes down as one of the best shows of respect by a nabbed crook. "You should have taken that job."
We didn't have long to wait for Culp's return. In Season 2 he kills Eric Wagner with a block of ice in the swimming pool in the episode "The Most Crucial Game."
No notable comments at the end, when Hanlon is undone by a chiming clock.
Culp stayed on pace returning yet again as the murderer in Season 3's Double Exposure. In this one he ups his game by killing not one, but two...killing not only Vic Norris but also casually dispatching blackmailing projectionist/aspiring real estate speculator Roger White (played by Chuck McCann).
Culp also managed to look suave in the yellow suede jacket.
In Double Exposure he gets caught, but is pleased as punch that Columbo used his own technique (subliminal cuts) to trap him.
Fun fact: Double Exposure also includes the very slightest of appearances by the legendary Michael Lally.
From there, however, Columbo fans had a long time to wait for Culp to return to the show. Season 10 opened with Columbo Goes to College and Culp guest stars as Jordan Rowe, the hard-driving lawyer father of murderer Justin Rowe.
Culp had a long and distinguished acting career on everything from Everybody Loves Raymond, to The Greatest American Hero, and a co-starring role on I Spy.
He even made an appearance on the ill-fated Mrs. Columbo series.
Just one more thing
One of Culp's five wives was France Nuyen...whom Columbo fans may remember as Miss Choy in Season 7's Murder Under Glass.
Julie Newmar
The second notable Columbo birthday is Julie Newmar, born August 16th, 1933 whom Columbo fans will never forget as Lisa Chambers, the fetching young fiance' of murder victim Clifford Paris in Double Shock.
Ms. Newmar has had a long career of her own, though she's probably best known to non-Columbo fans as the slinky Catwoman in the original Batman TV series.
Ms. Newmar is, as of this writing, still alive and well.
Jeff Perry
Not one of the better known members of the Columbo universe, Jeff Perry was born August 16th, 1955 in Highland Park, Illinois and is best known to Columbo fans as Lenny Fisher...the unfortunate electrocution victim in Murder, Smoke, and Shadows.
Mr. Perry has continued to work pretty steadily, including regular roles on Grey's Anatomy and Scandal.
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