365 Days of Columbo: August 2nd

Farewell Bert Freed

Bert Freed was an American character actor best remembered by Columbo fans as the very first actor ever to portray the iconic Lieutenant Columbo on screen. Born in The Bronx, New York, on November 3rd, 1919 Freed began his career on stage before transitioning into film and television in the early 1950s, quickly becoming a familiar face in crime dramas and westerns.

Freed made history as Columbo in the 1960 episode Enough Rope from the anthology series The Chevy Mystery Show. This one-hour special, adapted from a play by Richard Levinson and William Link, featured Freed as a rough-around-the-edges detective investigating a sophisticated psychiatrist who murders his wife. Freed’s portrayal was gruffer, heavier, and less quirky than Falk’s eventual characterization.

Enough Rope was eventually updated, recast with Falk in the lead role, renamed Prescription Murder, and aired as the first TV movie of the series we all know and love.

Freed continued working steadily on television, appearing in popular shows like Perry Mason, Gunsmoke, and The Fugitive before retiring in the mid-1980s.

He passed away on August 2nd, 1994, leaving behind a rich legacy of supporting roles, and a unique historical footnote as the original Lieutenant Columbo.

Happy birthday to Myrna Loy

Myrna Loy was a celebrated American actress best known as one of Hollywood's most graceful leading ladies during the Golden Age of cinema. Born in Helena, Montana, August 2nd, 1905 Loy rose to prominence in the 1930s and ’40s, notably co-starring alongside William Powell in the classic Thin Man series.

In 1972, Loy brought her refined screen presence to television, appearing in the Columbo episode Étude in Black. Loy played Lizzy Fielding, the matron of the symphony and mother-in-law to philandering murderer Alex Benedict (played by John Cassavetes). 

She continued to act periodically in films and television until her retirement in the early 1980s, becoming an influential advocate for UNESCO and various political causes in later years.

Loy passed away on December 14th, 1993.

Yom huledet sameach to Nehemiah Persoff

Nehemiah Persoff was a renowned character actor known for his commanding presence across film and television for over half a century. Born in Jerusalem on August 2nd, 1919, Persoff immigrated to the United States as a child, embarking on a distinguished career that included memorable roles in classics like Some Like It Hot and The Untouchables.

Among Persoff’s many TV appearances, his guest role on Columbo remains particularly notable. In the 1976 episode Now You See Him, Persoff portrayed Jesse Jerome, a nightclub owner and ruthless blackmailer whose murder by magician Santini (Jack Cassidy) sets the stage for a memorable cat-and-mouse investigation with Lieutenant Columbo. 

Persoff continued acting into the late 1990s, after which he devoted time to painting. He passed away April 5th, 2022 at age 102.

Happy birthday Paul Jenkins

Paul R. Jenkins was an American character actor who became a familiar face on U.S. television throughout the 1970s. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on August 2nd, 1938, Jenkins began his career in theater and eventually transitioned into TV and film, appearing in notable works such as Network and Chinatown as well as recurring roles in series like The Waltons and Dynasty.

On Columbo, Jenkins appeared in the Season 2 episode The Most Dangerous Match, portraying Sergeant Douglas.

Although his time on Columbo was brief, it remains a part of his broader body of work that spanned some 40+ TV series—including MASH, Kojak, Starsky & Hutch, Lou Grant, and The Rockford Files.

He retired from acting in the early 2000s, with his final credit in 2005 on Cold Case, and passed away July 1st, 2013 at the age of 74.