Columbo's Kidnappers | Columbo

From Strange Bedfellows - When Graham McVeigh kills his brother and frames a mob bookie for the crime and then kills the bookie and claims self-defense. He finds himself facing trouble from both Columbo and the bookie's superior in the mob.
#Columbo #PeterFalk #GeorgeWendt
Stream Columbo now on Peacock: pck.tv/3oBPwpJ
Your favorite shows, movies and more are here. Stream now on Peacock: www.peacocktv.com
He's the greatest detective of all time, and he finally has his own official channel! Follow us for the clips and compilations of the most iconic murders and moments from the classic series.
Just one more thing... Don't forget to subscribe: bit.ly/2ys4y8R
and watch the full episodes: bit.ly/2fkytv2
#Columbo #PeterFalk #Detective #Mystery #NBC

[@andrewdrabble8939]

I loved the way Columbo pretended not to understand Italian when we know he could speak it just so the mob boss would let his guard down and speak to his lackeys not knowing Columbo could understand everything that was being said

[@jackhartford521]

Just like Daenerys in Game of Thrones!

[@j.dragon651]

First time I ever saw him was in an Italian war movie, "Attack and Retreat", the movie was in Italian, he played an Italian captain and he spoke what seemed like fluent Italian. The question is, could Rod Steiger speak Italian?

[@gkrstini]

that is what exactly way i do it when i work in istra, i am croatian and i say that i dont know italian, and clearly we learned it in school, that is logic, everybody knows that, when i listen them what they sad at eachother about me, then i respond why do you speak behind my back, then they are baffeled, sometimes it is best to pretend to be stupid

[@michaeldownstairs]

And then later, he lets Fortelli know it when he pretends to just barely know what “Ciao” means. Fortelli must realise it because he laughs and tells Columbo to get out of here :-)

[@mauriziogoldoni2606]

The funny thing is that the "italian" guy speaks an awful italian with an english accent: he's obviously NOT italian, he tried to learn a few lines with very little success. Any italian can spot this at once. I love Columbo, mind you, but I noticed this happens in others episodes: they don't use italian actors for italian characters even if they perform small parts. Of course, most international viewers don't notice that. BTW, I know my English doesn't sound native :-)

[@roshangeorge2127]

Rod Steiger and Peter Falk. Two legends sharing screen space.

[@jrbleau]

Chewing it up, actually.

[@sunilparashar1321]

Now columbo knows how it feels to be unerved by a bunch of idol chitchat. This is the first time he was more interested in his job than a free meal

[@MCHOKUM]

Columbo speaks Italian but he just won't humour a mob boss

[@Chocolatensexy72]

Yeah, he spoke it in another episode which was awesome!

[@diosoth]

No, he wants to know the real motives when he was apparently kidnapped yet his captor is suddenly a very gracious host. He's spoken fluently in several episodes but by pretending not to, he quickly overhears the yelling and determines this former mobster's true motives. It's a brilliant move.

[@MajoradeMayhem]

Columbo's default tactic is always to play dumb - always.

[@wailer27]

@@diosoth there were no true motives he was just telling them to go away quickly

[@sjacrane]

Gave him a big juicy thumbs up at the end though.

[@MrRichulan]

What a place to live . . . . excellent interaction between Peter Falk and the legendary Rod Steiger . . . Peter Falk is legendary too, but that needs no mentioning.

[@patriciamariemitchel]

Thank you. I couldn't remember his last name.

[@jamesfeldman4234]

Fun trivia about this episode. Peter Falk first hit the big time in show business when he got to play the role of gangster Abe Relas in the 1960 movie "Murder, Inc." And around the same time, Rod Steiger played the starring role in the 1959 movie "Al Capone." Both Falk and Steiger received great reviews for their sinister portrayals of gangsters. Both would go on to play cops at about the same time. Steiger played a police chief in the 1967 movie "In the Heat of the Night." And Falk played Columbo for the first time in the 1968 TV movie "Prescription: Murder." Again, both actors won rave reviews.

[@milkoansah-johnson8768]

Thank you so much for background info.

[@lazerlazer]

@@milkoansah-johnson8768 Yes, very fascinating! Thank you 🤗

[@billythekid3234]

STEIGER WON THE ACADEMY AWARD FOR IT,,,, I LOVE AND MISS THEM BOTH!

[@j.dragon651]

First time I remember seeing him was in "Attack and Retreat", an Italian movie in Italian where he plays an Italian captain, Lieutenant Mario Salvionion, on the Russian front.

[@chrisdeep8417]

Normal people get kidnapped they're lucky to get bread and water, Columbo gets kidnapped he gets a three course meal.

[@hemidart4222]

Love the part when Fortelli says "𝑵𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒐𝒎 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆. 𝑬𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒐𝒓 𝑰 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒎. 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕. 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆, 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐 𝒊𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒚"

[@jefferyballard894]

My favorite line also, ...Rod Steiger was brilliant in anything he did....

[@robertgowerjr.1403]

My favorite as well! Awesome

[@TheodoreRizzo]

Ah mi piace molto

[@jefferyballard894]

Rod Steiger was so great in this episode, even better than the murderer. Steiger was always fascinating to watch.

[@HeronCoyote1234]

Have you seen “In the Heat of the Night” with Sidney Poitier? Great performances from them and Lee Grant, the widow.

[@sharpo]

Love the nod to the Godfather music.

[@davsny5]

"Leave the trench coat, take the cigar!" or "Leave the Peugeot, take the basset hound!"

[@HeronCoyote1234]

@@davsny5 😂

[@mamas_quilts3573]

I loved the godfather-ish music 😄... I noticed I wasn't the only one who noticed.

[@rascallyrabbit717]

"clams! why'd it have to be clams?"

[@Ocrilat]

I kind of loved how the mob boss ordered his guys to bring Columbo there, and they just assumed he would be snatched. Though they did kidnap a police lieutenant in broad daylight while driving a stretch limousine. Not exactly inconspicuous.

[@NYCZ31]

It had always been an ambition in my life to have a house fancy enough to feature on a Columbo episode..

[@Heavenzvoice]

You know what’s even funnier about that scene. He’s a cop.... he’s walking ,lighting his cigar and a limo is tearing around the corner and most cops would be totally looking to see what fool is driving like that.. he doesn’t even care. He’s going to get in his car! Lol 😂

[@brianjohnson3795]

Not only does Columbo speak Italian. He speaks fluent Italian. He just won't give the mob boss an opportunity get his hooks into him.

[@jt4369]

Even if we were to believe that Columbo speaks Italian but doesn't want to reveal to this to his kidnapper, he should have at least had a stronger reaction as soon as he heard "vongole". I guess Columbo is a pretty good actor.

[@ninetyZeven]

No clams for Columbo! A - ha - ha !

[@nildabridgeman8536]

I didn't care for too many of the later episodes of Columbo, but this one is kick ass! Everyone played their parts to the hilt, you like it with gas or without?

[@v.dargain1678]

Yes . This is one of my favorites too ! Cops is nicer than hoods . Great moral of the story . This is an aptly titled episode too . With or without the Pepto Bismol. Both work for me : )

[@24magiccarrot]

I agree on the whole the last few seasons were pretty dire, they tried to mess with the formula that had been tried and tested for 30+ years, also you could tell in some of the later episodes that Peter Falk was struggling a little mentally some of his lines felt forced. But this episode wasn't too bad.

[@shaz2761]

It deffo deteriorated in the later series, but there were still some classics like this one and the one about the lottery winner.

[@icemachine79]

Speaking of which, you can tell it's the 90s from those huge loose-fitting suits the two heavies are wearing.

[@Requiescat_in_pace]

Colombo spoke Italian in the 1970 episodes.

[@kongkycum4308]

Kafai idiatooo... wow what a great scene, by both of them .. love this episode,...:-)

[@TheRealProlificTV]

Columbo is the coolest dude ever. If I see a car speed up on me like that, I’m flipping out. Lol this dude didn’t pay it no mind and kept walking to his car Ahahaha. Peter Falk was the man.

[@markchadwick3529]

The great Rod Steiger very generous man had great things to say about British actress Miss Diana Dors.

[@ianmangham4570]

He said "she could tread water all day"

[@sbarr10]

This episode cracked me up, Rod Steiger was superb as the Italian mob boss, and the Godfathery music ...

[@nothingbutthebest513]

Thank you, I've really enjoyed your videos over several weeks. Oh yeah and it looks like crime pays well.

[@sandrasmith6963]

Columbo had the Irish episode, london episode, why not Italian episode??? Loving it..😍..and all in between..lol

[@jorgecallico9177]

What strikes me here is the creativity of the writers and the storyline. Granted the whole production was excellent. A mob boss like the fictional "Mr Fortelli" would do exactly as Steiger did in the film. He would order his underlings to abduct a working LAPD lieutenant! Although this would seem highly dangerous to the boss he would also understand how his prior reputation would have a dampening effect on the cop's tendency to want to prosecute. Here too he has distanced himself from the severe crime of abducting a police officer. As both of his soldier/bodyguard(s) would faithfully take the fall if ever prosecuted for the kidnapping. Besides the mob boss already knows how devoted and exceptional this Lieutenant Columbo (also an Italian!) Is. Similarly the Boss KNOWSthe great value that his info about Bruno's own gun is to the investigation. The don could thus accurately predict Columbo's fascination with the truth and now investigating the real killer. To UNDERSTAND all of the above takes a write who's well familiar with the Mob and Italian life. What we know about the fictional Bruno Romano, the murder victim is that he was probably a soldier and most likely a "Capo" in Mr Fortelli's family. That and "Lorraine" was also either a niece or perhaps a daughter of the boss. Now in La Cosa Nostros or the Mob the unsanctioned killing of a favored soldier to a boss can not go unpunished. As for the don to just let this matter go is to admit his own powerlessness. And a boss can never afford to look weak. As five minutes after he creates the appearance of going soft? He would see another family or two muscle in on hiscterritory. The writers of this episode were thus most knowledgeable of both the Mob and of Italian culture. Great production all around!!!

[@TheWriterWalker]

Jorge Callico, thank you for the enjoyable and informative explanation.

[@ericrietvelt1970]

At the beginning of the clip. The guy is speaking Italian to Columbo. Columbo tells him he never picked it up. Yet in season 7, episode 2 - he does speak Italian.

[@mohamedyounes8891]

Eric Rietvelt he didn’t want to speak Italian from his kidnapper

[@NiceTryLaoChe]

To be fair, Columbo lies to people constantly, both to conceal his own faculties and to wrong-foot them. Notwithstanding the terrible spinoff show starring Kate Mulgrew, I'm of the opinion that the character was a lifelong bachelor.

[@diosoth]

@@NiceTryLaoChe No, he talked to his wife multiple times on the phone, and Peter Falk confirmed many times that Columbo's wife was real.

[@ianmangham4570]

He won't humour a murderer

[@joeygavadeels2784]

Falk & Steiger now that's a helluva 1-2 punch! LEGENDS!

[@markchadwick6760]

The great Rod Steiger

[@williamlarson2759]

'You mind if I use the restroom?' Lol!

[@rickhobson3211]

The music has to sound like "The Godfather" because lord knows the "accents" aren't going to tell you what's going on.

[@onemorething123]

I'll say one thing for Columbo. He eats well in many episodes!

[@j4wn]

Clayums! Lol.

[@TheLifeisaParade]

Echo!! Virgil you be careful now, ya hear?

[@PhazonOmega]

The mob boss version of Columbo. Fascinating.

[@fedodosto3162]

The way he says ''pièce de resistance'' is perfect. Perfect French.

[@user-iw8pg8kq2q]

This is one of my favorite eps. We hv Norm FM cheers, and Columbo vs Big Al.😊

[@lukacunningham342]

“Don’t you speak Italian” “No sir” *either the writers forgot that or he wants the mob to let his guard down*

[@EnlargedProstrate]

Rod Steiger should be in the "tags". Like it when he says " either you get em or I get, I'll let you go first, i'll give you some time, not to much time but if you don't get em, i'll do it MY way"

[@PeterSmith-go9ef]

Great to see Steiger at any time.

[@TheWanderlustWolf]

I came here to see Richard Epcar as one of the kidnappers not realizing Columbo would soon be transported to see ROD STEIGER

[@raytylicki9001]

Nice stretch limo Lincoln model i think

[@steeddecker3369]

If i am not mistaken, wasn’t this the same house in the last action hero film with Arnold Schwarzenegger

[@user-iw8pg8kq2q]

Note: Falk served in the Merchant Marine. Steiger was on the Doolittle Raid.

[@felixfox5806]

They definitely guess there's pictures of me. I'm afraid to say that the fact that there isn't is enough said really. Don't you think???

[@soniafajardo2366]

Nice Columbo❤❤❤

[@acyutanandadas1326]

The other ''star'' in every Columbo show are the fabulous mansions

[@greggh]

It's been made clear in many episodes that Columbo is fluent in Italian. It's an important part of his character development. Why did the writers throw that away here?

[@MgtowRubicon]

It was a Columbo ploy. Besides that, the audience watching the scene would have a difficult time reading subtitles.

[@greggh]

@@MgtowRubicon No, it wasn't a ploy. I thought it might be a ploy at first too. But it's clear at the end that this inconsistently written Colombo does not speak Italian. Columbo is told at least twice that he is eating zuppa di vongole (soup of clams) aka clam chowder. At the end, when Steiger translated it for him, Columbo is horrified to learn that he had just eaten clams. It's disappointing that at this late time the writers didn't care about character history and consistency. A great show and a great character deserved better.

[@jamesfeldman4234]

Gregg, I thought of that too. In "Murder Under Glass," nearly two decades earlier, for example, Columbo spoke Italian with a waiter who spoke almost no English. However, it's not entirely clear why the writer of "Strange Bedfellows" decided to "forget" about previous episodes where Columbo clearly could speak some Italian and could even fluently converse in the language. The writer of "Strange Bedfellows" was Peter S. Fischer, and he's been one of the best writers in the entire series and was also story editor during Columbo's prime years. But as a long-standing Columbo fan, I would suggest that Fischer was exercising one of the unwritten laws of the series: i.e., "Each Columbo episode shall generally stand independently of previous episodes." One of the most obvious examples of this unwritten law is that even after Columbo solved so many high-profile crimes in earlier episodes, people in new episodes had no idea who he was (or what he was capable of), despite his unique character and dress. Even many a fellow police officer didn't know who he was. So, because of the unwritten law I mentioned, writers weren't tied to things that happened in previous episodes. Given this unwritten law, it's conceivable that writer Peter Fischer made Columbo unable to understand Italian purely for the purpose of exploiting the humor with the subsequent clams scene.

[@greggh]

@@jamesfeldman4234 I get your point. But I think certain things about the character are immutable. The raincoat. The cigars. "One more thing." And in my mind, his strong Italian identity.

[@countdown2xstacy]

Gregg H I agree. I mean come on, his last name is Columbo. He HAS to speak Italian. How could the writers disregard that ?

[@NCRRanger7753]

Indiana Jones: "Snakes....why did it have to be SNAKES?!" Columbo: ".....Claaams"

[@sjacrane]

Lmao

[@rickhobson3211]

Rod Steiger is Italian like Jack SepticEye is... Italian.

[@rickrick5041]

Columbus has always been my favorite. It’s too bad when it started in the 50’s like this one it was less than 10 minutes long for the whole show. They leave out a lot of details. Later they were as long as half an hour which was a great improvement. The TV had just been invented in the 50’s so the TV sets were a lot smaller so they couldn’t handle longer shows

[@trishsoren3445]

😂

[@rickrick5041]

Finally someone agrees with me

[@2112pk]

don't be an idiot, TVs could always handle longer shows! you just have to break the tube so they'd spill out into the casing, the networks just didn't want you to know

[@rickrick5041]

@@2112pk You shouldn’t call a person names. You must repant and seek salivation. It is against religion. You want to destroy the Catholic Ray Tube but then the TV won’t turn on. Those old TVs were too small

[@2112pk]

@@rickrick5041 you're just bitter because I've seen the 1961 episode of combombo where he solves the JFK assassination, and you're too scared to hurt your precious catheter raid tubes.

[@peterhagan8454]

make your own clam chouder, trust noone

[@Blondvsdiocane]

aahah ma manco il boss parla italiano hahah diok k accientosss ahahaaaa

[@eyefreely9682]

This was the bad guys house in Last Action Hero! Cool House... kind of big though

[@jamesrowles9249]

Just one more thing sir... is there any cannoli on the menu?

[@peterkwakman7440]

Clams oh no !

[@CarloBiondi]

I cringe when I hear the Italian in this scene. Terrible! Otherwise good episode

[@power2084]

what;s wrong with it ?

[@ripsumrall8018]

Is Italian spoken the same thru out Italy? No? Why wouldn't Italian spoken in America be different?

[@Sars78]

@@ripsumrall8018 believe me, this Italian is truly terrible. 'Idioto' makes no sense 🤣🤣🤣

[@seedsoflove7684]

@@Sars78 😅 i understand it though!

[@MaxJarvis-iu3it]

i remember columbo saying i liked to eat anything that came out of the water, why not clams?

[@christinecrites835]

The great rod steiger.

[@thomasm934]

What’s the name of this episode ? Some time in the 1990s this aired ???

[@24magiccarrot]

Norm!!!

[@patriciamariemitchel]

Clams? I don't blame him.

[@skullduggery3377]

i could have BEEN somebody, cholly! i could have BEEN somebody.

[@michaeldublg]

Looks like Peter Falk forgot that his character actually does speak Italian. ... It was established many many episodes ago that Columbo does speak Italian. Oh well.

[@LordSerion]

I think it's more like he jabbed at the mob boss who kidnapped him.

[@michaeldublg]

@@LordSerion Hmm, there's nothing in this scene that indicates Columbo purposely concealed the idea that he does speak Italian.

[@derschafer1012]

He could have just been refusing to humor a mob boss that he thinks had him kidnapped. Or he could be tactically concealing that fact so they would speak Italian, believing he wouldn’t understand what was being said. Columbo constantly lies about himself and his personal life.

[@SciTrekMan]

He’s faked not understanding Italian before, so it’s hardly unprecidented.

[@hemidart4222]

Add 𝑹𝒐𝒅 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒓 to the tags please!!!

[@virnamisra1657]

Some beach sea clam this ... caught got my tongue. Right Colombo. How would I have liked consomme

[@nicholasschroeder3678]

This was such a lame episode. It really had jumped the shark by this point. Steiger hamming it up🙄

[@andreapicci8410]

*This is the only one Columbo episode I don't like and, expecially, I CAN'T LIKE, since he do a deal with a mafious boss to solve the case.*

[@master-kq3nw]

Vicenzo fratteli 😀

[@raytylicki9001]

So we have a Jewish man "Falk" and a Irish man "Steger" talking in Italiam

[@arthursteven5601]

Peter falk wasn't jewish

[@blockmasterscott]

Would anyone be able to translate what the mob boss said to his two henchmen when he was yelling at them? I know he was chewing them out because they nabbed Columbo, but what exactly did he say?

[@DellaStreet123]

He said: What did you do? Where is the politeness? Silence, idiot. -- Doesn't sound too convincing to me, but we all know Steiger wasn't Italian.

[@Mikelectric]

why does columbo hate clams so much

[@jamesfeldman4234]

I guess I don't know this episode. At the end of the clip, Columbo is completely turned off by the idea of eating clams, even though Boss Fortelli assures him that he's eating the finest food--of which we have no reason to doubt. But why? Keep in mind that in the Columbo episode Swab Song, Columbo takes a mouthful of chili at a gathering, says it tastes "unusual," and is then told it's made with squirrel meat. But he doesn't spit it out. So what's the big deal with clams?

[@rrickarr]

At the beginning of that episode Columbo was sick from eating clams!

[@kleinbogen]

Why doesn't he like clams?

[@pattyofurniture8059]

If I remember correctly, at the beginning of this episode, he showed up to question the victim's brother and he was sick from some bad clams he had the night before.

[@juliahamilton9125]

What! COLUMBO IS oN!🙂☺🤗🤤

[@sealteamryx6758]

He wants to discuss Bruno Romano... the love child of a passionate affair between Ray Romano and Bruno Mars... quite interesting really

[@wayneyadams]

The vitriol expressed in the comments because I dared criticize a program these people worship with religious fervor is a sad commentary on how empty and mundane their lives must be. It's a TV SHOW for goodness sakes, not a life and death situation, yet the insults fly as though any criticism was a personal affront to them, "how dare you criticize Columbo my personal savior!" It's pathetic and characteristic of the way people react these days. So, hurl your insults and expect to get as good as you give even though they have no bearing in the sane world where most of us live.

[@just-dl]

If anyone wants to screech up in a stretch, ply me with liquor, take me to a mansion, etc....I'm willing to comply.

[@AndrewJ9673]

What does he say in Italian?

[@Sonnabend00]

Can anyone actually tell me what he said to those two?

[@darkhall8227]

he said im getting paid to talk crap

[@MajoradeMayhem]

I got the part where he welcomed the eminent detective to his humble home.

[@Isabella-nh5dm]

He calls them stupid and says he asked them to pick up Columbo and bring him to talk to him. He didn't mean they were to kidnap him.

[@richellereynolds881]

he needs to fire his interior decorator yikes!

[@jonathangellin559]

Can columbo fight just some extra knowledge for me .

[@russufton]

No he can't fight.Can't shoot either,he gets in trouble for avoiding shooting practice..

[@earlleeruhf3130]

While he speaks Italian Columbo may not be fluent so perhaps he didn't know the word for Clams, Also does he not like Clams or is he Allerget?

[@DellaStreet123]

In his first scene in that episode, Columbo has food poisoning from bad clams and is taking a swig of Pepto-Bismol here and then.

[@delona6485]

The later episodes became very sitcomish!

[@droceretik]

Please explain in more detail what was it about the scripts exactly that lead you to your conclusion? Why, if you were the executive producer, would you have retained the same style and plot formats as previous series and why would they have been changed or evolved to different formats? How about you write a new series with a better plot, better acting and a better script. Who would you cast as Columbo or is it virtually impossible to find another Columbo? Was the Columbo series the best, most successful and the longest running detective series ever made? Why do you think you are a better judge of what would make an appealing Columbo series than qualified media critics?

[@henry7696]

@@droceretik calm the fuck down u mong. its an observation. the later episodes were indeed more like a sitcom than previous seasons. its not a personal affront to you so why are u shaking with autismal rage that someone has an opinion about columbo?

[@bryantcurtis2665]

I’m not a gangster. I work alone. I’ve had my experience with rats

[@orionstar7015]

Che faaaii, Che faai idioto he? Perche che questo uomo qui? Dove e la gentilita'? Basta silenzio idiotoo, Via subito viiiaaa. He made pretty good effort there, always Love this clip, as he tells his bodyguards off. LOL

[@BufusTurbo92]

The guy's italian is... painful to hear

[@wayneyadams]

This was an odd episode for a few reasons. 1) Colombo Has spoken fluent Italian in other episodes. 2) Colombo has shown himself to be knowledgeable about Italian foods. 3) More than just knowledgeable about food, he has also exhibited excellent cooking skill. So, his inability to speak Italian, and his complete ignorance of the food he is served are out of character for Colombo. This is sloppy writing by writers who were too lazy to familiarize themselves with his character.

[@SciTrekMan]

Those are not mistakes. Columbo becomes what he needs for each circumstance. He pretended not to know Italian, etc. to give him an advantage.

[@wayneyadams]

@@SciTrekMan On what evidence do you base that. In addition, when he asks about the ingredients in the soup and looks distressed when he finds out it has clams which made him sick the night before, he is not faking it. That means he guinely did not speak Italian. Sorry, but your idea has no evidence to support. It is another case of writers making errors because they write whatever suits the situation without regard for the history of the character.

[@SciTrekMan]

@@wayneyadams because he pretended not to know Italian in Other episodes just like he faked not knowing other things in order to lure his suspects.

[@triumphbobberbiker]

Always a big fan of Rod Steiger, but the way his character speaks Italian is absurd - it sounds almost ridiculous to the ears of a real Italian

[@starwish2467]

TV and movies are fantasies. That means they pretend. He is pretending to speak Italian. Don't analyze, just enjoy the magic.

[@peterpiper831]

...probably just like most non native speakers of any language in the world.

[@exitscreaming]

Terribly written episode

[@mariom1954]

What the old man speaks is not Italian.

[@TheJazz61]

Che pena ,destroying italian language....

[@roman14032]

he speaks horendous italian

[@bigmikesmonkeydick5631]

Geriatric Columbo?...no thanks.

[@jerico641]

Aw, leave him alone..

[@droceretik]

Dimwit. Are you immortal? If you don't like his later episodes, piss off and leave us Columbo fans alone, we are not interested what your likes or dislikes are.

[@rospri44]

Dwayne Mendoza ha ha but if knew the show

[@bernardbystone6958]

Two Jewish Americans playing Italian Americans!

[@DellaStreet123]

Steiger wasn't Jewish.

[@bernardbystone6958]

@ Anneke Sieck: Thank you for the correction. At least Peter Falk was Jewish along with many other great people.

[@DellaStreet123]

@@bernardbystone6958 I happen to know because I read many interviews with Rod Steiger. He was aware that many people thought he was Jewish, but his ancestors were German Lutherans. -- As an actor, I really like him best when he's subdued. When he's yelling and making gestures he can be hard to watch. There are exceptions, though. In "The Pawnbroker", he is quiet and stoic throughout the movie, but he has one meltdown and that one is really great.

[@friendoftheshow8117]

Columbo after the 70s is a very bad show

[@jeffl.8489]

The worst Columbo episode

[@rockys201]

Great scene. Steiger steals it