Columbo: Season 3, Episode 3

Candidate for Crime (4 Nov. 1973)

TV Episode  -   -  Crime | Drama | Mystery
7.3
Your rating:
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 -/10 X  
Ratings: 7.3/10 from 690 users  
Reviews: 13 user | 4 critic

Senatorial candidate Nelson Hayward murders his domineering campaign manager, staging it to appear that Hayward himself was the intended victim of a mob hit gone wrong. Columbo hits the campaign trail to catch the killer.

Director:

Writers:

(teleplay), (teleplay), 5 more credits »
0Check in
0Share...

User Lists

Related lists from IMDb users

a list of 20 titles created 08 Oct 2011
 
a list of 310 titles created 5 months ago
 
a list of 360 titles created 4 months ago
 
a list of 784 titles created 17 Aug 2011
 
a list of 655 titles created 3 months ago
 

Connect with IMDb


Share this Rating

Title: Candidate for Crime (04 Nov 1973)

Candidate for Crime (04 Nov 1973) on IMDb 7.3/10

Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.

Take The Quiz!

Test your knowledge of Columbo.
« Previous Episode | 19 of  68 Episodes | Next Episode »
Learn more

People who liked this also liked... 

Agatha Christie: Poirot (TV Series 1989)
Drama | Mystery | Crime
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.3/10 X  

The cases of an eccentrically refined Belgian detective.

Stars: David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson
The Rockford Files (1974–1980)
Crime | Drama | Mystery
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.9/10 X  

The cases of an easy going private investigator.

Stars: James Garner, Noah Beery Jr., Joe Santos
The Mentalist (TV Series 2008)
Crime | Drama | Mystery
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.9/10 X  

An infamous 'psychic' abandons his public persona, outing himself as a fake, to focus on his work as a consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation in order to find "Red John," the madman who killed his wife and daughter.

Stars: Simon Baker, Robin Tunney, Tim Kang
Twin Peaks (1990–1991)
Crime | Drama | Mystery
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 9/10 X  

An idiosyncratic FBI Agent investigates the murder of a young woman in the even more idiosyncratic town of Twin Peaks.

Stars: Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Mädchen Amick
Criminal Minds (TV Series 2005)
Crime | Drama | Mystery
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.1/10 X  

The cases of the BAU an elite group of profilers that analyze the nation's most dangerous criminal minds in an effort to anticipate their next moves before they strike again.

Stars: Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler, Thomas Gibson
Crime | Drama | Mystery
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.8/10 X  

An elite team of police forensic evidence investigation experts work their cases in Las Vegas.

Stars: George Eads, Paul Guilfoyle, Marg Helgenberger
Dexter (TV Series 2006)
Crime | Drama | Mystery
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 9/10 X  

A likeable Miami police forensics expert moonlights as a serial killer of criminals who he believes have escaped justice.

Stars: Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, David Zayas
Crime | Drama | Mystery
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.7/10 X  

The third "Law and Order" series involves the criminal justice system from the criminal's point of view.

Stars: Kathryn Erbe, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jamey Sheridan
Law & Order (1990–2010)
Crime | Drama | Mystery
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.4/10 X  

The show follows a crime, usually adapted from current headlines, from two separate vantage points. The first half of the show concentrates on the investigation of the crime by the police, the second half follows the prosecution of the crime in court.

Stars: S. Epatha Merkerson, Jerry Orbach, Jesse L. Martin
Crime | Drama | Mystery
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.6/10 X  

Master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock presents several short stories. The stories are invariably surprising, often containing elements of horror, comedy, suspense, and the supernatural.

Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Harry Tyler, John Williams
Burn Notice (TV Series 2007)
Action | Crime | Drama

A spy recently disavowed by the U.S. government uses his Special Ops training to help others in trouble.

Stars: Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, Bruce Campbell
Crime | Drama | Mystery
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.9/10 X  

This show introduces the Special Victims Unit, a new elite squad of NYPD detectives who investigate sexually related crimes.

Stars: Mariska Hargitay, Richard Belzer, Dann Florek
Edit

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
Joanne Linville ...
Vickie Hayward
Tisha Sterling ...
Linda Johnson
...
Harry Stone
Robert Karnes ...
Sgt. Vernon
Jay Varela ...
Sgt. Rojas
...
Chadwick the clothier
Regis Cordic ...
Deputy Commissioner
Sandy Kenyon ...
Harris
...
Director
Mario Gallo ...
Dr. Perenchio
Jude Farese ...
Highway Patrolman
Clete Roberts ...
TV Anchor Man
Angelo Grisanti ...
1st Detective
Edit

Storyline

Nelson Hayward is running for senate as a man tough on crime. His campaign manager, Harry Stone, demands the candidate dump his mistress. He backs up the demand with threats to expose the politician's shady past. But Stone approves of Hayward's publicity-minded lie that anonymous killers are threatening the politician's life, little guessing that Hayward will murder him and blame it on these invented assailants. Hayward sets up a tricky alibi for himself that includes a surprise birthday party for his wife. No one guesses the truth except that annoying Italian cop in the rumpled raincoat - the redoubtable Lt. Columbo. Written by J. Spurlin

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis


Edit

Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

4 November 1973 (USA)  »

Company Credits

Production Co:

 »
Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

(Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1
See  »
Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

The children's song, "This Old Man" appears in almost every episode of the Columbo series, sometimes as background music, but more often Lt. Columbo is seen singing, humming, or whistling the tune. The episode, "Candidate for Crime" is the only episode where the murderer ('Jackie Cooper', as political candidate Nelson Hayward) is seen using it, in this case whistling it, as he prepares to film a campaign commercial. See more »

Goofs

Just as Columbo leaves the senator's private Campaign Office, he turns around in the open door. In the background you can see a woman wearing a green jacket, holding papers. Next shot she is wearing a sleeveless green top and is holding a phone. See more »

Quotes

Vickie Hayward: [Sarcastically to Hayward] Don't tell me a little thing like Harry's murder is gonna make you sleep home tonight?
See more »

Soundtracks

"This Old Man"
Traditional children's songHummed by Jackie Cooper before TV commercial.
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
One of the best
18 March 2012 | by (United Kingdom) – See all my reviews

Columbo has always been one of my favourites, and while Candidate for Crime is not quite in my top 10 favourite episodes of the series, but it is for me in the top end. Like with all Columbos it is beautifully filmed with striking locations and slick photography, with an atmospheric score. The writing is witty and intelligent, with the comedy well-judged and delivered without feeling too padded out, and Candidate for Crime has one of the cleverest and most interesting story- lines of any Columbo episode. The pacing is fine, it is not fast-paced strictly speaking but the quality of the story made that not matter at all. Peter Falk is exceptional as Columbo, the role that I will always remember him most for, and Jackie Cooper is wonderfully stern and smarmy. The two of them work really well together. The support cast are solid, and the ending left me satisfied. Overall, one of the better episodes of one of the best detective series of all time. 10/10 Bethany Cox


2 of 2 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

Message Boards

Recent Posts
Worst episode johnpstinchcombe
In defense of Last Salute to the Commodore nameismike69
Phone calls in Columbo sincers21
Other characters commenting on Columbo's cigar carlosmurphy1999
Episode with Twins diamonddix1999
Just saw the Johnny Cash episode have a question erslade1
Discuss Candidate for Crime (1973) on the IMDb message boards »

Contribute to This Page

Create a character page for:
?