An Exercise in Fatality
- Episode aired Sep 15, 1974
- TV-PG
- 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
2.7K
YOUR RATING
A health club owner murders one of his franchisees. Lt. Columbo is on the case.A health club owner murders one of his franchisees. Lt. Columbo is on the case.A health club owner murders one of his franchisees. Lt. Columbo is on the case.
Pat Harrington Jr.
- Buddy Castle
- (as Pat Harrington)
Collin Wilcox Paxton
- Ruth Stafford
- (as Collin Wilcox)
Ernesto Macias
- Fred
- (as Eric Mason)
J.R. Clark
- Harry Lassiter
- (as J. R. Clark)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaColumbo meets Milo at the same beach where Jim Rockford lives in The Rockford Files (1974). He walks down to meet him past the restaurant outside Rockford's trailer. Also, Gretchen Corbett, who plays Milo Janus' secretary, played Jim Rockford's lawyer (and sometimes girlfriend).
- Goofs(at around 18 mins) Just after Columbo arrives at the crime scene, on his way to to Stanford's office, he walks down a corridor. In the end room, a chair is visible in the distance. Somebody is hiding behind it and ducks down as Columbo approaches.
- Crazy creditsDuring the end credits, the usual theme music is not heard. In its place is a jingle for the fictional Milo Janus fitness club.
Featured review
Aka Columbo goes to the gym
AN EXERCISE IN FATALITY is a fine episode in the early run of Columbo. It's strength lies in the quality of the writing, in particularly the fully-realised characters. Robert Conrad is the guest villain, a fitness and fanatic and ruthless businessman, and he makes a supremely tough foe for our protagonist to butt heads with: physically imposing, urbane, charismatic, and supremely self-confident.
The opening part of the story is very well handled with a good depiction of the business workings of a gym circa 1974. The murder is sudden, sweaty, and unexpected, and the way in which it's made to look like an accident is very clever. The subsequent investigation is well paced and always entertaining, with a particular emphasis on 'fish out of water' humour as Columbo gets involved in the fitness scene and even goes for a couple of jogs. The lengthy interlude in which he tries to get information from an uptight secretary is a real highlight. In addition, both Philip Bruns and Gretchen Corbett are very good in their minor roles. There's nothing to dislike about AN EXERCISE IN FATALITY - apart from perhaps the murderer himself!
The opening part of the story is very well handled with a good depiction of the business workings of a gym circa 1974. The murder is sudden, sweaty, and unexpected, and the way in which it's made to look like an accident is very clever. The subsequent investigation is well paced and always entertaining, with a particular emphasis on 'fish out of water' humour as Columbo gets involved in the fitness scene and even goes for a couple of jogs. The lengthy interlude in which he tries to get information from an uptight secretary is a real highlight. In addition, both Philip Bruns and Gretchen Corbett are very good in their minor roles. There's nothing to dislike about AN EXERCISE IN FATALITY - apart from perhaps the murderer himself!
helpful•120
- Leofwine_draca
- Jul 26, 2016
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Geld, Macht und Muskeln
- Filming locations
- Paradise Cove - 28128 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California, USA(Columbo running w/ Milo on the beach)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
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