365 Days of Columbo: January 14th

Happy birthday Faye Dunaway

January 14, 1941 in Bascom, FL as Dorothy Faye Dunaway, Columbo fans know hermas Lauren Staton in It’s All in the Game (1993).

She won an academy award for her performance in Network, and was nominated dozens of other times for other awards.

As of this writing she's still alive, and still occasionally acting.

Happy birthday Eric James

Born January 14, 1943, in Westmont, IL, James appears early in the series as R.J. Denning in Death Lends a Hand (1971). Denning’s the sort of eager-to-please company guy who talks a little too much—exactly the kind of secondary character Columbo can gently steer into giving him what he needs.

His acting career was brief, just 5 credits, and only one more after this episode of Columbo.

In Memoriam: Ricardo Montalbán

Montalbán—one of television’s great “effortlessly charismatic” presences—played famed matador Luis Montoya in A Matter of Honor (1976). He’s a terrific Columbo antagonist: dignified, proud, and always under control.

Even if you already know the trick, it’s still satisfying watching Columbo chip away at Montoya’s immaculate public image—one polite question at a time.

He passed away January 14th, 2009.

In Memoriam: Jeannot Szwarc

Director Jeannot Szwarc brought a sleek, early-’70s gloss to Lovely But Lethal (1973), a beauty-industry murder story that pairs Vera Miles with a great supporting lineup (including Vincent Price and a young Martin Sheen).

Jeannot passed away just this past year on January 14th, 2025.