IMDb > "Columbo" Fade in to Murder (1976)
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"Columbo" Fade in to Murder (1976)



IMDb Holiday Movie Guide

Overview

User Rating:
7.1/10   432 votes
Writers:
Lou Shaw (teleplay) and
Peter S. Feibleman (teleplay) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for Fade in to Murder on IMDbPro.
TV Series:
Original Air Date:
10 October 1976 (Season 6, Episode 1)
Plot:
Ward Fowler is an actor of a soap opera and his character is Detective Lucerne. His producer is Claire Daley... more | add synopsis
User Comments:
Personal favorite more (16 total)

Cast

  (Episode Complete credited cast)

Peter Falk ... Columbo

William Shatner ... Detective Lucerne / Ward Fowler
Bert Remsen ... Mark
Alan Manson ... Sid Daley
Lola Albright ... Clare Daley
Danny Dayton ... Director

Timothy Carey ... Tony (as Timothy Agoglia Carey)
Walter Koenig ... Sgt. Johnson

John Finnegan ... Assistant Director (as J.P. Finnegan)
Victor Izay ... Conroy
Shera Danese ... Molly
Jimmy Joyce ... Camera Operator
Frank Emmett Baxter ... Walter Gray
Fred Draper ... Joseph (first scene, flubbed line)
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Additional Details

Runtime:
Germany:70 min | Italy:71 min | USA:73 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Norway:11 (2007) (DVD) | Sweden:15 (2007) (DVD) | Denmark:15 (2007) (DVD) | Finland:K-18 (2007) (DVD) (self applied)
Company:

Fun Stuff

Goofs:
Continuity: When Ward Fowler sneaks into the wardrobe closet he stuffs clothes into a Black garbage bag. In the next shot, as he is leaving the room the garbage bag is now light grey. more
Quotes:
Lieutenant Columbo: I sometimes have a funny effect on people, being a police lieutenant. At least I hope that's what it is. more
Movie Connections:
References Jaws (1975) more

FAQ

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3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful.
Personal favorite, 27 October 2006
Author: bushwood80 from Jupiter

Although this isn't the best Columbo episode, that distinction goes to Any Port in a Storm, but I digress. I recall seeing this episode for the first time back in the early 1990's in Philly, and I remember enjoying the bond between the detective and the killer, played hammingly by William Shatner. Even though Columbo is out for blood, he seems to get very friendly with Shatner's Detective Lucerne, another TV detective, so naturally the 2 play off each other's roles and challenge each other to solve the current case, which of course Shatner tries to accuse himself, and perhaps confuse Columbo. There's also a hilarious fake Jaws rip-off in this episode, as an ode to Spielberg, who directed a Columbo years before. My main problem is Shatner basically makes himself look guilty and leads Columbo to follow the clues, especially how Lucerne questions his own alibi. Other than that, this is a funny episode where the 2 main actors are obviously enjoying themselves. Look for the early VCR in the episode, which Lucerne/Ward Fowler tells Columbo it costs $3,000. Good lord.

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