365 Days of Columbo: June 8th

Happy Birthday Alan Scarfe

Actor Alan Scarfe was born June 8, 1946, in Harpenden, England. Columbo fans know him as Sir Harry Matthews in Columbo Cries Wolf, the British media tycoon whose attempted purchase of Bachelor’s World helps set the whole Sean Brantley/Dian Hunter hoax in motion.

It’s a supporting role, but a memorable one. Scarfe brings the right smooth, moneyed presence to the episode.

Outside of Columbo, Scarfe had a long stage and screen career, with credits including Double Impact, Lethal Weapon 3, MacGyver, Seven Days, and multiple Star Trek appearances. He passed away April 28, 2024, at the age of 77.

Remembering Heidi Brühl

June 8th also marks the passing of Heidi Brühl, who died on this date in 1991. She appeared in The Most Dangerous Match as Linda Robinson, the lovely assistant in the poisonous chess-world orbit of Emmett Clayton and Tomlin Dudek. In a tragic coincidence she passed away from stomach cancer; the same disease that took the life of her co-star Lawrence Harvey.

Brühl was already well known in Germany long before her Columbo appearance, as both an actress and singer. She even represented Germany in the 1963 Eurovision Song Contest. 

Remembering Robert Donner

Character actor Robert Donner also passed away on June 8th, in 2006. He had three Columbo appearances. He played “The Drunk” in Any Old Port in a Storm, pestering Columbo in the bar while the Lieutenant is deep in the Adrian Carsini case. 

Donner appeared again, 18 years later, as the video store clerk in Caution: Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health.

And then, in probably his biggest Columbo role, he played Zeke, the parking officer in Undercover.

Donner later became especially familiar to TV audiences as Exidor on Mork & Mindy and Yancy Tucker on The Waltons.

He passed away June 8, 2006.