365 Days of Columbo: February 6th

Columbo Returns!

On February 6th, 1989, Columbo made his long-awaited return to the air. Columbo Goes to the Guillotine was the first episode of Season 8, after 11 years off the air.

Anthony Andrews plays Elliott Blake, a fraud psychic who kills Max Dyson, the magician and former friend who betrayed him years ago. The murder weapon is unique - a guillotine that Dyson built as an illusion. The episode is generally not a fan favorite, but I have to admit that I enjoyed it.

Happy Birthday to Patrick Macnee

Let's give a snappy saltute to Patrick Macnee, best known to Columbo fans as Captain Gibbon in Season 4's Troubled Waters. He was born February 6th, 1922 in London, England.

Outside of Columbo Macnee is probably best known for playing John Steed on The Avengers.

He passed away June 25th, 2015 at the age of 93.

Rip Torn hit the (birthday) jackpot

Our next Columni birthday is Rip Torn - funny man with a funny name. He is best known to Columbo fans as the despicable uncle Leon Lamarr, who took his nephew's lottery ticket, his estranged wife, and his life in Death Hits the Jackpot.

He was born Elmore Rual Torn Jr. on February 6, 1931 in Temple, Texas.

Torn had a long career and was probably best known to modern audiences as Zed from Men in Black.

He passed away on July 9th, 2019.

Happy birthday to Alan Manson

Many Columbo fans are probably thinking..."Who?" Well, he was Sid Daley, the widower of the lady William Shatner killed, Claire Daley, in Fade in to Murder.

Manson has another unique Columbo distinction...he was there when Shera Danese (who later became the real-life Mrs. Falk) made her Columbo debut as his assistant/lover.

He was born February 6th, 1919, in Brooklyn, NY and worked steadily, if not prolifically, from the late 1940s until 2002. He appeared on most of the mainstay TV shows of the 70s and 80s, like M*A*S*H*, The Rockford Files, Quincy, Lou Grant...usually playing a doctor or a cop.

He passed away March 5th, 2002.