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Peter Falk

Peter Falk

Department: Acting

Biography

Peter Michael Falk (September 16, 1927 – June 23, 2011) was an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo in the television series Columbo (1968–1978, 1989–2003), which earned him four Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. Falk was twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for Murder, Inc. (1960) and Pocketful of Miracles (1961). He is also known for his collaborations with filmmaker and actor John Cassavetes in films such as: Husbands (1970), A Woman Under the Influence (1974), Opening Night (1977), Elaine May's Mikey and Nicky (1976) and the Columbo episode: Étude in Black (1972). Falk's other film roles include It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963), The Great Race (1965), Anzio (1968), Murder by Death (1976), The Cheap Detective (1978), The In-Laws (1979), The Princess Bride (1987), Wings of Desire (1987), The Player (1992), and Next (2007).

Known For

Wings of Desire

Wings of Desire

1987

Pocketful of Miracles

Pocketful of Miracles

1961

The Lost World

The Lost World

2001

Next

Next

2007

The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride

1987

Arthur Miller: Writer

Arthur Miller: Writer

2017

The Player

The Player

1992

Faraway, So Close!

Faraway, So Close!

1993

Vibes

Vibes

1988

...All the Marbles

...All the Marbles

1981

Murder by Death

Murder by Death

1976

The Great Race

The Great Race

1965

The Thing About My Folks

The Thing About My Folks

2005

The Brink's Job

The Brink's Job

1978

Pressure Point

Pressure Point

1962

A Town Without Christmas

A Town Without Christmas

2001

Anzio

Anzio

1968

I Love Liberty

I Love Liberty

1982

A Woman Under the Influence

A Woman Under the Influence

1974

Tune in Tomorrow...

Tune in Tomorrow...

1990

The Cheap Detective

The Cheap Detective

1978

Undisputed

Undisputed

2002

Murder, Inc.

Murder, Inc.

1960

American Cowslip

American Cowslip

2009

Made

Made

2001

Machine Gun McCain

Machine Gun McCain

1969

Castle Keep

Castle Keep

1969

Robin and the 7 Hoods

Robin and the 7 Hoods

1964

Corky Romano

Corky Romano

2001

Finding John Christmas

Finding John Christmas

2003

The In-Laws

The In-Laws

1979

Husbands

Husbands

1970

Checking Out

Checking Out

2006

Three Days of Rain

Three Days of Rain

2002

Out of the Shadows: The Films of John Cassavetes

Out of the Shadows: The Films of John Cassavetes

1993

Money Kings

Money Kings

1998

Cookie

Cookie

1989

Mikey and Nicky

Mikey and Nicky

1976

Big Trouble

Big Trouble

1986

Shoot Don't Shoot

Shoot Don't Shoot

1982

The Bloody Brood

The Bloody Brood

1959

Anything for John

Anything for John

1993

John Cassavetes: To Risk Everything to Express It All

John Cassavetes: To Risk Everything to Express It All

1996

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

1987

The Sunshine Boys

The Sunshine Boys

1996

The Balcony

The Balcony

1963

Luv

Luv

1967

In the Spirit

In the Spirit

1990

A Storm in Summer

A Storm in Summer

2000

When Angels Come to Town

When Angels Come to Town

2004

Lakeboat

Lakeboat

2000

Penelope

Penelope

1966

Attack and Retreat

Attack and Retreat

1964

Griffin and Phoenix

Griffin and Phoenix

1976

Wilder Days

Wilder Days

2003

The Secret of the Purple Reef

The Secret of the Purple Reef

1960

Enemies of Laughter

Enemies of Laughter

2000

Char·ac·ter

Char·ac·ter

2012

The Making of 'Husbands'

The Making of 'Husbands'

1971

Operation Snafu

Operation Snafu

1970

NBC 75th Anniversary Special

NBC 75th Anniversary Special

2002

Three Days to Vegas

Three Days to Vegas

2007

A Step Out of Line

A Step Out of Line

1971

Edge of Outside

Edge of Outside

2006

Roommates

Roommates

1995

Sanford Meisner: The American Theatre's Best Kept Secret

Sanford Meisner: The American Theatre's Best Kept Secret

1990

Too Many Thieves

Too Many Thieves

1966

Pronto

Pronto

1997

Lost Case

Lost Case

2014

Shark Tale

Shark Tale

2004

Brigadoon

Brigadoon

1966

Arena - John Cassavetes

Arena - John Cassavetes

1989

Wings of Desire: The Angels Among Us

Wings of Desire: The Angels Among Us

2003

The Great Muppet Caper

The Great Muppet Caper

1981

Opening Night

Opening Night

1977

Ransom for a Dead Man

Ransom for a Dead Man

1972

Hubert's Brain

Hubert's Brain

2001

A Constant Forge

A Constant Forge

2000

Prescription: Murder

Prescription: Murder

1968

Something a Little Less Serious: A Tribute to 'It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World'

Something a Little Less Serious: A Tribute to 'It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World'

1991

Motion and Emotion: The Films of Wim Wenders

Motion and Emotion: The Films of Wim Wenders

1990

From Where I Sit

From Where I Sit

2000

Pretty Boy Floyd

Pretty Boy Floyd

1960

Wind Across the Everglades

Wind Across the Everglades

1958

A Hatful of Rain

A Hatful of Rain

1968

Cops n Roberts

Cops n Roberts

1995

Peter Falk versus Columbo

Peter Falk versus Columbo

2019

Scared Straight!

Scared Straight!

1978

Frank Capra's American Dream

Frank Capra's American Dream

1997

The World of Jim Henson

The World of Jim Henson

1994

My Darling Vivian

My Darling Vivian

2020

The Muppets Go Hollywood

The Muppets Go Hollywood

1979

Night of 100 Stars

Night of 100 Stars

1982

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

1963

All Star Tribute to Ingrid Bergman

All Star Tribute to Ingrid Bergman

1979

The Million Dollar Incident

The Million Dollar Incident

1961

ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration

ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration

2003

Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady

Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady

1982

Inside the Actors Studio

Inside the Actors Studio

1994

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

2003

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

1988

The View

The View

1997

Naked City

Naked City

1958

The Merv Griffin Show

The Merv Griffin Show

1962

Studio One

Studio One

1948

The Islanders

The Islanders

1960

The Twilight Zone

The Twilight Zone

1959

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

1993

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

1955

Target: The Corruptors!

Target: The Corruptors!

1961

Have Gun, Will Travel

Have Gun, Will Travel

1957

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

1968

The Aquanauts

The Aquanauts

1960

Decoy

Decoy

1957

Ben Casey

Ben Casey

1961

The New Breed

The New Breed

1961

Robert Montgomery Presents

Robert Montgomery Presents

1950

Dr. Kildare

Dr. Kildare

1961

Good Day Live

Good Day Live

2001

Basketball: A Love Story

Basketball: A Love Story

2018

The Untouchables

The Untouchables

1959

The Barbara Stanwyck Show

The Barbara Stanwyck Show

1960

Naked City

Naked City

1958

Naked City

Naked City

1958

Wetten, dass..?

Wetten, dass..?

1981

The Aquanauts

The Aquanauts

1960

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962

The American Film Institute Salute to ...

The American Film Institute Salute to ...

1973

Reading Rainbow

Reading Rainbow

1983

The Mike Douglas Show

The Mike Douglas Show

1961

Studio One

Studio One

1948

V.I.P. Schaukel

V.I.P. Schaukel

1971

The Lost World

The Lost World

2001

American Masters

American Masters

1986

The Larry Sanders Show

The Larry Sanders Show

1992

The Trials of O'Brien

The Trials of O'Brien

1965

The Name of the Game

The Name of the Game

1968

The Red Skelton Show

The Red Skelton Show

1951

The DuPont Show of the Week

The DuPont Show of the Week

1961

The DuPont Show of the Week

The DuPont Show of the Week

1961

Jackie Gleason and His American Scene Magazine

Jackie Gleason and His American Scene Magazine

1962

Jackie Gleason and His American Scene Magazine

Jackie Gleason and His American Scene Magazine

1962

Wagon Train

Wagon Train

1957

The Dick Powell Show

The Dick Powell Show

1961

The Dick Powell Show

The Dick Powell Show

1961

The Dick Powell Show

The Dick Powell Show

1961

The Witness

The Witness

1960

Play of the Week

Play of the Week

1959

Play of the Week

Play of the Week

1959

Armstrong Circle Theatre

Armstrong Circle Theatre

1950

Deadline

Deadline

1959

87th Precinct

87th Precinct

1961

Columbo

Columbo

1971

Bambi

Bambi

1948

The Mike Douglas Show

The Mike Douglas Show

1961

Les Rendez-vous du dimanche

Les Rendez-vous du dimanche

1975

Champs-Elysées

Champs-Elysées

1982

The Law and Mr. Jones

The Law and Mr. Jones

1960

The Dick Cavett Show

The Dick Cavett Show

1968

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts

1973

Naked City

Naked City

1958

The Jerry Lewis Show

The Jerry Lewis Show

1963

Treffpunkte

Treffpunkte

1970

Golden Globe Awards

Golden Globe Awards

1944

Golden Globe Awards

Golden Globe Awards

1944

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

1962

Seitenblicke

Seitenblicke

1987

The Danny Kaye Show

The Danny Kaye Show

1963

30 millions d'amis

30 millions d'amis

1976

Vivement dimanche

Vivement dimanche

1998

Exclusiv - Das Star-Magazin

Exclusiv - Das Star-Magazin

1994

The Untouchables

The Untouchables

1959

Golden Globe Awards

Golden Globe Awards

1944

Golden Globe Awards

Golden Globe Awards

1944

Dinah!

Dinah!

1974

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

1963

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

1963

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

1963

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962

Kraft Television Theatre

Kraft Television Theatre

1947

Kraft Television Theatre

Kraft Television Theatre

1947

Omnibus

Omnibus

1952

New York Confidential

New York Confidential

1959

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962

Tony Awards

Tony Awards

1956

Tony Awards

Tony Awards

1956