The Greenhouse Jungle (15 Oct. 1972)

Columbo arrives at a kidnapping case, which at some point turns into a murder. Everything seems to be related to a trust fund, that is being managed by a man with a great love for orchids.

Director:

Boris Sagal

Writers:

Jonathan Latimer, Richard Levinson (creator),

Stars:

Peter Falk, Ray Milland, Bob Dishy

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Peter Falk	...	Columbo
Ray Milland	...	Jarvis Goodland
Bob Dishy	...	Sergeant Frederic Wilson
Sandra Smith	...	Cathy Goodland
Bradford Dillman	...	Tony Goodland
William Smith	...	Nichols
Arlene Martel	...	Gloria
Robert Karnes	...	Grover
Milton Frome	...	Driver
Peggy Mondo	...	Woman
Richard Annis	...	Officer
Larry Watson	...	Sound Man

Storyline

Tony Goodland's wife is straying. He believes that money will bring her back to him, but while he leads a comfortable life, most of his massive inheritance is in a trust fund that can only be accessed in extraordinary circumstances. Tony's uncle Jarvis, an expert in orchids, proposes a plan: he will help Tony fake his own kidnapping, which will allow Tony to gain a good portion of his trust fund unsuspected. What Tony doesn't realize is that Jarvis wants that money for himself, and is willing to kill to get it. What Jarvis doesn't realize is that all his careful planning will fall apart under the watchful eye of Lieutenant Columbo, who quickly finds holes in the kidnapping scenario.

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Plot Keywords:

kidnapping | orchid | murder | police | mistress | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 October 1972 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios, Hollywood, CA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal TV

Technical Specs

Runtime:

74 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor) (as Technicolor®)

Aspect Ratio:

4:3

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sgt. Wilson reappears later in the Columbo series to help catch the Great Santini. However, his first name changes from Frederic to John.

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Goofs

After the Jaguar is pushed into the canyon, it comes to rest with minor damage. When Columbo inspects it the next morning, it has much more damage: the front bumper is missing, the headlight assembly is gone, and the body has more front end damage.

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Connections

Referenced in The Six Million Dollar Man: Population: Zero (1974)

User Reviews

Noteworthy for the presence of Bob Dishey

Columbo investigates a kidnapping and ransom case. This episode is noteworthy for the presence of Bob Dishey. Dishey plays a recent detective graduate who helps Columbo try and solve the case. Dishey returns in episode "Now You See Him".