Now You See Him
- Episode aired Feb 29, 1976
- TV-PG
- 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
2.9K
YOUR RATING
A stage illusionist kills his employer and makes it look like a contract killing; it's up to Lt. Columbo to trick the master trickster.A stage illusionist kills his employer and makes it look like a contract killing; it's up to Lt. Columbo to trick the master trickster.A stage illusionist kills his employer and makes it look like a contract killing; it's up to Lt. Columbo to trick the master trickster.
Benjie Bancroft
- Police Officer
- (uncredited)
John Blower
- Magician's Assistant
- (uncredited)
Donald Chaffin
- Club Patron
- (uncredited)
Robert Cole
- Chef
- (uncredited)
Dorothy Dells
- Secretary
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe boarding house interview scene with Mike Lally was filmed several months after principal photography was completed on the episode. The writers hadn't completed, or could not agree on, the plot twist featuring Lally as a damning witness who could help to reveal Santini's true identity. Peter Falk himself wrote and directed the scene. Lally had appeared in 20 previous episodes of Columbo in minor roles or as an extra, making him the second-most cast actor of the show behind Falk. Lally's son said the scene, which uses Lally's real name for his character, was Falk's gift to the elderly Mike Lally for his otherwise nameless contributions to the series.
- GoofsDetective Sergeant John J. Wilson is identified by name not only by Columbo but by himself, and both characters mention having worked together earlier. They did work together before in The Greenhouse Jungle (1972), but Detective Wilson's name (played by Bob Dishy) in that episode is Frederic, not John J.
- Quotes
Santini: And I thought I'd performed the perfect murder!
Lt. Columbo: Perfect murder, sir? Oh, I'm sorry. There is no such thing as a perfect murder. That's just an illusion.
- Alternate versionsThe original German version from the 1970s was censored due to the Nazi topic. The dubbing changed Jack Cassidy's character Santini from the ex-Nazi Stefan Mueller to a wanted British bank robber named Stanley Matthews. Also this Columbo episode was slightly cut in places where the dubbing changes would have become obvious (i.e. the last few seconds of the scene where the name "Stefan Mueller" can be read on Jerome's letter). In the 1990s the German TV network "RTL Television" had the uncut version of this episode re-dubbed, now sticking to the original plot and preserving the Nazi-topic.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Late Night with Seth Meyers: Sarah Silverman/Nico Hiraga (2021)
- SoundtracksCharade
Music by Henry Mancini
Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
Sung by cabaret singer and incorporated into the background score
Featured review
"Is it The Great Columbo?"
Jack Cassidy pops up again as another scheming and conniving scoundrel, and general all round nere-dowell.
Here he is reincarnated as The Great Santini the grand master of illusions, himself replete with concealed skeleton.
This is a 2nd Columbo Episode featuring magicians though they both involve Murders, this is no way near as gruesome.
Columbo is looking rather neater than usual this time replete with, new haircut and coat supplied by his misses as a present.
But, can Columbo ever really be happy in anything in the way of new clothes?
Inspector Columbo is teamed up again with Sargeant John Wilson, and we are reminded of his characters personality.
Sgt. Wilson is an officer who loves to stick by the book of police procedures, and particularly keen to be efficient and punctilious.
What a complete difference in personalities and approach, between Columbo vs Sgt. John Wilson.
Neither of them can seemingly quite appreciate or want to contend with the other, that's certainly what comes across to me.
Columbo is really a solo performer which may appear as a daft observation, as he is invariably seen in situations surrounded by other officers.
But if you watch him at work he is thoroughly emersed, in what he is about. And Columbo really doesn't want to have to be bothered with having to put up with Sgt. John Wilson.
Here he is reincarnated as The Great Santini the grand master of illusions, himself replete with concealed skeleton.
This is a 2nd Columbo Episode featuring magicians though they both involve Murders, this is no way near as gruesome.
Columbo is looking rather neater than usual this time replete with, new haircut and coat supplied by his misses as a present.
But, can Columbo ever really be happy in anything in the way of new clothes?
Inspector Columbo is teamed up again with Sargeant John Wilson, and we are reminded of his characters personality.
Sgt. Wilson is an officer who loves to stick by the book of police procedures, and particularly keen to be efficient and punctilious.
What a complete difference in personalities and approach, between Columbo vs Sgt. John Wilson.
Neither of them can seemingly quite appreciate or want to contend with the other, that's certainly what comes across to me.
Columbo is really a solo performer which may appear as a daft observation, as he is invariably seen in situations surrounded by other officers.
But if you watch him at work he is thoroughly emersed, in what he is about. And Columbo really doesn't want to have to be bothered with having to put up with Sgt. John Wilson.
helpful•50
- ygwerin1
- Dec 20, 2020
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Wenn der Schein trügt
- Filming locations
- The Magic Castle - 7000 Franklin Av Los Angelès, California, USA(Stage and other interiors)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 38 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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