365 Days of Columbo: June 10th

Hope he doesn't faint from the excitement

Andrew Stevens, born Herman Andrew Stephens on June 10, 1955, in Memphis, Tennessee, is the only child of actress Stella Stevens and her former husband Noble Herman Stephens.

Stevens' acting career began with an uncredited debut in "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" (1963) and included roles in cult thrillers like "Massacre at Central High" (1976) and "Day of the Animals" (1977), as well as the horror film "The Fury" (1978) starring Kirk Douglas. His performance in "The Boys in Company C" (1978) earned him a Golden Globe nomination, and he later appeared alongside Charles Bronson in "Death Hunt" (1981) and "10 to Midnight" (1983).

Columbo fans wince a bit at his performance in Murder in Malibu as the playboy killer. It's not the strongest episode to begin with, the implausble romance with the sister after the killing isn't his fault, and to his credit Stevens commands most of the scenes he's in. But it might have better to dial it back just a bit in some parts.

Beyond acting, Stevens made a significant shift to behind-the-scenes work as a writer, producer, and director. He was President/CEO of Franchise Pictures, producing films for Warner Bros. from 1999 through 2005, including "The Whole Nine Yards" and its sequel. However, Franchise Pictures filed for bankruptcy in 2004 after a multimillion-dollar fraud case.

Happy birthday Garry Walberg

Also born on June 10th was character actor Garry Walberg, born June 10, 1921, in Buffalo, New York.  Columbo viewers will spot him in the first-season episode Lady in Waiting.

In “Lady in Waiting,” Walberg plays the first detective investigating the death of Bryce Chadwick. 

Walberg went on to become a familiar television face, especially as Lt. Frank Monahan on Quincy, M.E. and as Speed on The Odd Couple. 

He died March 27, 2012, in Northridge, California.