On October 14th, 1974 the second episode of Season 4, Negative Reaction, premiered.
It starred Dick Van Dyke as photographer Paul Galesko who decided that the best way to get away from his insufferable wife Frances (played by Antoinette Bower) would be to fake her kidnapping and kill her.
Naturally Columbo isn't fooled.
Things to watch for
Here's a few things that caught my eye in this episode.
The photographer's quiet moments
Galesko is cleverly using his darkroom to cut up the newspaper to make the fake ransom note. Every old-school protographer knew that it was forbidden to open the door while the darkroom was being used, so he could be assured that he wouldn't be discovered or interrupted.
Galesko does the deed at the ranch house
Galesko lures Frances to the ranch house - honestly she's being completely insufferable. This episode is tricky because Dick Van Dyck (the actor) is inherently a likeable fellow, and Frances, the insufferable wife...is one of the least-likeable murder victims in the entire series. Somehow the Columbo writers had to make Galesko unlikeable enough for the audience to still be cheering for Columbo to catch him.
On a larger note, it was smart for Galesko to get straight to the killing at the ranch house rather than trying to drag out a kidnap pretense. Less to manage and fewer chances for something to go wrong.
Lovely Lorna McGrath
In the 3rd scene we meet Galesko's assistant Lorna, played by JoAnna Cameron, when Galesko makes a phone call to her from a gas station phone booth.
Cameron is objectively one of the most beautiful ladies to grace the Columbo screen and she does a very good job playing Galesko's assistant in this one.
It's not clear if Ms. McGrath and Paul Galesko are already having an affair, but my sense is that they're not...but are hoping to (at least he certainly is).
Ill-fated Al
In the 4th scene we meet Alvin Deschler, played very well by Don Gordon. Al is a little dim, but enthusiastic, and clearly looking to turn his life around. This scene sets up that Al is Galesko's lacky and Galesko sets up the fateful phone call for the following day.
The stage is set
In the 5th scene the plot gets rolling. Mrs. Moyland arrives at the Galesko home and Paul is acting nervous and vague. Deschler calls at 10AM as ordered and Galesko stages his side of the conversation as if it's from the "kidnappers". He even writes the fake ransom amount on the pad of paper, which he inexplicably leaves on the bar...so that Mrs. Moyland can find it.
What's he going to do with the cash?
Galesko picks up $20,000 from his agent's office, which obviously he doesn't intend to give to Deschler. It's never clear what he does with the money. Maybe he planned to spend it on Ms. McGrath in the Phillipines.
Not very discrete
People in Columbo sure aren't very subtle. Galesko sits outside Deschler's motel room in a blue Rolls Royce in broad daylight. Reminded me a bit of Dr. Mayfield sitting right across from Nurse Martin's apartment in his Mercedes while waiting for her roommate to leave in A Stitch in Crime.
Apparently people aren't very observant.
Deschler: "Somebody's got your wife! Any idea who?"Galesko: "Sorry Al, but it's going to have to look like you do."
Hello Vito!
Columbo occasional, and one of our favorites, Vito Scotti enters the episode as Thomas Dolan, the drunk who hears (but doesn't see) the shooting. He's ultimately not very helpful to the investigation, but he's a joy to see on screen, as usual.
A clue about Columbo?
When he meets Galesko for the first time, in the hospital, he mentions that he's been on the force for 15 years. This episode aired in 1974, that would mean he started in 1959.
He gives the "15 years" number again, in Season 5's Identity Crisis.
"Do you see anything in there that says that Deschler is stupid?" -Columbo
Guest stars aplenty
In the 13th scene Columbo arrives at the ranch house where the investigation is in full swing, and we have a couple of guest stars to appreciate. First off, Columbo occasional Fred Draper has a tiny appearance as one of the lab techs in the ranch house.
Second we get a visit from John Ashton, better known as Sergeant Taggart in the Beverly Hills Cop movies. Ashton plays the real estate agent, MacGruder.
Netiher Draper, nor Ashton, are seen again in this episode.
A warm meal
Speaking of guest stars we immediately transition into one of the most-talked about scenes of the series. Columbo goes down to "Skid Row" to find Thomas Dolan at the Sisters of Mercy Mission.
We start off with Lally in the alley
Right from the start of the scene Columbo is wandering down the alley looking for the mission and who points him in the right direction? None other than the legendary Michael Lally.
Joyce Van Patten is confused by the coat
On entering the mission Columbo is greeted by Joyce Van Patten as a kindly nun who wants nothing but to feed him and find him a better coat.
Van Patten is a delight, and we'll see her again as the murderer, Ruth Lytton, in Season 6's Old Fashioned Murder.
And of course, Vito Scotti as Thomas Dolan. He's completely unhelpful, doesn't even remember making his statement the night before. But he's fun to watch.
"If you think you have found a scintillating breakfast companion…I'd say you have found me at my worst." -Thomas Dolan
The scene overall seems to be just for comic relief and maybe to pad the episode length a bit, though it's only a 90 minute show. But it's worth it.
Taking a cab to the camera store
Columbo goes to the camera store to track down where Deschler bought his camera and he learns two really important things...neither of which are directly related to the camera.
Deschler doesn't have a driver's license
First he learns that Deschler had a cab waiting while he bought his camera. This clues him in to the idea that he didn't have a license yet and that ultimately leads to Deschler's alibi.
You can reverse a photo
This one comes back in the GOTCHA as Columbo uses this technique to bait Galesko to incriminate himself.
You can take the man out of the con...
We also get a glimpse that as likeable as Alvin is, he does still have a little bit of hustler in him as he tries to get the camera store clerk to falsify the receipt so he can scam a few extra bucks from Galesko.
Not really relevant to the story, but a nice touch.
You can take the man out of the photograph...
Galesko makes a rookie mistake when Columbo shows him the first, discarded, photo that had been tossed in the fireplace. Galesko points out all the ways that it's not a good photo, seemingly unaware that a kidnapper probably wouldn't have looked at it in the same way.
By the way...what was the point of tossing the discard into the fireplace when there wasn't going to be any fire to dispose of it. He'd have been better off crumpling it up and sticking it in his pocket, but then we wouldn't have this clue.
A good driver
Another oft-mentioned scene from this episode features yet another guest star - Larry Storch as Mr. Weekly, the DMV driving inspector.
He plays it beautifully. Officious, nervous, ultimately helpful.
Gotcha
Ultimately Columbo tricks Galesko into incriminating himself. I thought the "where are the paper scraps" clue was a good one. The reversed photo was a bit of a reach; surely other people saw the original photo and might testify that the enlargement was reversed.
I can't help but wonder if Galesko's impending getaway with the lovely Ms. McGrath might have made him more impatient to get away without charges. In any event he counted on Galesko's condescending manner - especially after presenting himself as confidently incompetent - to cause him to impulsively pull the telltale camera.
Is it another Lally?
The evidence clerk in the final scene is uncredited, even though he has a quick line ("Yes I am, sir.") but he bears a striking resemblance to the legendary Michael Lally's son, Michael Edward Lally.
Just a few more things...
- At the beginning of the gallery scene, Galesko, McGrath, and Galesko's agent are walking through the gallery and they greet "Phil" off-camera. Might have been an inside joke of them saying hi to Phil Cook, the second-unit director.
- Columbo makes a big deal about the fact that Deschler appears in Galesko's San Quentin book 6 times as if that proves Galesko knew him. There are probably hundreds of men in that book and none of the photos apparently show the two of them together.
- Antoinette Bower, who played Frances Galesko, was born in Germany.
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