Old Fashioned Murder (28 Nov. 1976)

The spinster head of a family run museum murders her brother when he threatens to dissolve the financially strapped institution.

Director:

Robert Douglas

Writers:

Peter S. Feibleman (teleplay), Lawrence Vail (story),

Stars:

Peter Falk, Joyce Van Patten, Jeannie Berlin

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Peter Falk	...	Columbo
Joyce Van Patten	...	Ruth Lytton
Jeannie Berlin	...	Janie Brandt
Tim O'Connor	...	Edward Lytton
Celeste Holm	...	Mrs. Brandt
Peter S. Feibleman	...	Milton Shaeffer
Jon Miller	...	Sgt. Miller
Jess Osuna	...	Dr. Tim Shaeffer
Anthony Holland	...	Darryl
Lucy Saroyan	...	Elise
Gary Krawford	...	Watch Salesman
Eloise Hardt	...	Maid
Morris Buchanan	...	2nd Detective
Giles Douglas	...	Photographer

Storyline

The Lytton family owns a museum. Ruth and Edward have devoted their life to the museum but things are not going well. So Edward has decided to sell it. Ruth doesn't agree and plans otherwise. She has a niece, Janie, whom she loves more than her mother does, and has hired Milton Schaffer, a petty thief who is the brother of her niece's lover. What scheme is in her mind?

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Plot Keywords:

museum | murder | sister sister romantic rivalry | shot in chest | insurance fraud | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 November 1976 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Doheny Mansion - 8 Chester Place, Mount St. Mary's College - 12001 Chalon Road, Bel Air, Los Angeles, 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

The mansion that the Lyttons live in is the same one that Bruce Wayne lived in on the Batman TV series.

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Goofs

When Janey is in the police cell, Columbo is questioning her about her parents marrying. Her head is facing in his direction, then she turns to carry on reading her book. In the next camera shot, she is still facing him.

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Quotes

Mrs. Brandt: There is a man's arm to support any woman who wants one.
Ruth Lytton: No, not anymore.

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Soundtracks

"This Old Man"
(uncredited)
English folk children's counting song.
Whistled by Peter Falk.

User Reviews

Second-rate "Columbo"

I generally love "Columbo," but this is nowhere near the best. Joyce Van Patton is a prim and proper and old-fashioned villain, but she lacks excitement, and so does the show. No one wants to watch a boring villain. (I think of something Alfred Hitchcock once said: The better the villain, the better the movie.) There's an overall aura of blandness to the show. Celeste Holm and Jeannie Berlin add a bit of juice, but not much.

Also: I don't have a clue why the killer tries to pin the job on the particular person she does. And I could rattle off some plot holes that would qualify as "spoilers," so I won't.

"Columbo" fans will want to see it, but they'll likely be disappointed.