Lovely But Lethal (23 Sep. 1973)

The formula for a miracle wrinkle cream leads the founder of a cosmetics company to murder. Lt. Columbo is on the case.

Director:

Jeannot Szwarc

Writers:

Jackson Gillis (teleplay), Myrna Bercovici (story),

Stars:

Peter Falk, Vera Miles, Martin Sheen

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Peter Falk	...	Columbo
Vera Miles	...	Viveca Scott
Martin Sheen	...	Karl Lessing
Sian Barbara Allen	...	Shirley Blaine
Vincent Price	...	David Lang
Gino Conforti	...	Ferdy
Colby Chester	...	Jerry
Fred Draper	...	Dr. Murchison
Bruce Kirby	...	Lab Attendant
John Finnegan	...	Sergeant
Richard Stahl	...	Burton (as Dick Stahl)
Marc Hannibal	...	Fingerprint Man
David Toma	...	Policeman
Layne Mathess	...	Fashion moderator (as Layne Matthess)

Storyline

Viveca Scott runs Beauty Mark, the cosmetics company whose products are in every woman's home. But sales are dropping, and she's counting on the miraculous new beauty cream created by her chief chemist to boost sales and overtake her rival, David Lang. But the chemist's assistant steals the formula. Scott attempts to negotiate with him, but in a rage knocks him over the head with a heavy microscope, killing him. Her rival's secretary finds out and attempts to blackmail her. But the cosmetics queen's worst news is that the rumpled, redoubtable Lt. Columbo is on the case.

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Plot Keywords:

cosmetics | formula | chemist | secretary | blackmail | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 September 1973 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Casa Blanca Poolhouse - 851 Sand Point Road, Carpinteria, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal TV

Technical Specs

Runtime:

73 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Actor David Toma who plays a police officer in this episode, was a real policeman and had a TV series (TOMA) named after him.

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Goofs

Safe door is already open before she turns the dial to unlock it.

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Quotes

Viveca Scott: Well, what does David say?
Columbo: [Sarcastically] What does a clam say?

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Soundtracks

"The Girl from Ipamnema"
("Garota de Ipanema") (uncredited)
Music by Antonio Carlos Jobim (1962)
Portugese lyrics by Vinicius de Moraes
Toned down instrumental version played at fashion show
English lyrics by Norman Gimbel

User Reviews

Lovely but not quite among the best

As a big fan of Columbo, I enjoyed Lovely But Lethal. I think there are better entries in the series, but there are also entries that I deem worse. As always with Columbo, it is well made, slick in the editing and striking in the photography. The music is atmospheric and fitting with the period, Lovely But Lethal is strongly directed, the script has some good lines if a tad basic(there's still the murder but I can think of cleverer and more memorable ones such as with How To Dial a Murder and Swan Song) with the odd contrived moment and the story is well told and intriguing especially with the whole cosmetics industry milieu. The acting is great. Peter Falk is brilliant as always as the iconic Columbo, and while I consider Susan Clark's, Janet Leigh's and Ruth Gordon's female characters a little more interesting, Vera Miles' is credible enough and she gives her all. A young Martin Sheen also makes an impression, as does Vincent Price, part of you does wish there was more of him, but he still delivers with his smarminess and eloquence. Overall, not Columbo's best, but lovely and very watchable. 8/10 Bethany Cox