Remembering Robert Vaughn
On November 11th, 2016, Robert Vaughn died at the age of 83. He left us two memorable Columbo appearances—and, rather unusually, both involved boats. Or ships.
Vaughn first appeared as Hayden Danziger in Troubled Waters (1975). While Columbo and his wife are enjoying a cruise, Danziger is busy arranging a murder and trying to get away with it. Vaughn’s polished confidence makes him an excellent opponent for the Lieutenant, whose vacation inevitably turns into a working holiday.
Vaughn returned as Charles Clay in Last Salute to the Commodore (1976). Having already played a murderer, he was useful casting for an episode that tricks us about who the murderer is. This time, the apparent suspect becomes a murder victim himself. Whatever your feelings about this unusual episode, Vaughn’s two visits gave him very different parts to play.
Away from Columbo, he was best known as Napoleon Solo in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and appeared in The Magnificent Seven. Decades later, he found another appreciative audience as veteran con artist Albert Stroller in Hustle.
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