The Most Crucial Game (5 Nov. 1972)

The manager of a football team murders its callow owner, making it look as if the young man had had an accident in his swimming pool. Lt. Columbo is on the case.

Director:

Jeremy Kagan

Writers:

John T. Dugan, Richard Levinson (creator),

Stars:

Peter Falk, Robert Culp, Dean Jagger

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Peter Falk	...	Columbo
Robert Culp	...	Paul Hanlon
Dean Jagger	...	Walter Cunnell
James Gregory	...	Coach Rizzo
Valerie Harper	...	Eve Babcock
Susan Howard	...	Shirley Wagner
Dean Stockwell	...	Eric Wagner
Val Avery	...	Ralph Dobbs
Kathryn Kelly Wiget	...	Miss Johnson
Richard Stahl	...	Mr. Fremont
Don Keefer	...	Deputy Coroner
Cliff Carnell	...	Plainclothesman
Joe Renteria	...	Box Attendant Jimmy
Ivan Naranjo	...	Sgt. Hernandez, L.A.P.D.

Storyline

The owner of a football team is found dead in a swimming pool. It looks like an accident, a slip and fall. However, Columbo doesn't really believe in this being an accident and investigates the accident as if it was a murder case. However, the person he suspects has a powerful alibi.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | swimming pool | block of ice | ice cream truck | unconscious in swimming pool | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 November 1972 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal TV

Technical Specs

Runtime:

74 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

4:3

Did You Know?

Trivia

Robert Culp's character of Paul Hanlon wears a green single breasted blazer as one of his costumes. Culp also wore a green blazer in both of his other appearances as the murderer, Investigator Brimmer in "Death Lends a Hand" and Dr. Bart Keppel in "Double Exposure".

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Goofs

When Shirley Wagner lands at the airport, there is a scene showing the wheels of her plane touching down. The wheels are of a B-52 bomber, and not a commercial airliner.

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Quotes

Lt. Columbo: Uh, sir?
Walter Cunnell: Yes?
Lt. Columbo: You don't mind if I ask you a personal question, do you?
Walter Cunnell: No.
Lt. Columbo: What'd you pay for those shoes?

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Connections

Edited from A Gathering of Eagles (1963)

User Reviews

COuld have had a better title?

Robert Culp has appeared in several Columbo episodes. This time, he is again at it as the chief suspect in an unusual murder. Watching Columbo catch him is always fun. Dean Stockwell plays the victim who is a married cad. The woman who plays his wife is best known for her role on Dallas as one of the wives. Anyway, the plot is thin but the murder is quite complicated and not simple to explain here. I think you have to believe in Columbo's genius in figuring it out. I like the idea of ice cream truck which makes it interesting. The death is more unusual than normal but it's fun watching Peter Falk and Robert Culp together in another typical episode.