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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsRomania asked Peter Falk to help prevent an uprising after the country ran out of Columbo episodes
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The actor delivered a speech to the Romanian people to assure them that a new season was on the way
Over the past year of hibernation, many viewers have rediscovered the joy of watching Columbo. The landmark 1970s TV mystery series starred Peter Falk in his multiple-Emmy-winning role as a raincoat-wearing, cigar-smoking detective who always had just one more question. The show was also popular in the time of its original airing, where it rotated on the NBC Mystery Movie schedule and featured an array of dazzling murderous guest stars like Janet Leigh, Leonard Nimoy, and John Cassavetes.
Columbos reach even stretched to other countries: The people of Romania, for example, were huge fans. So much so that in 1974, when the Columbo episodes for that season ran out, the populace protested, and the Romanian government reached out to Falk himself to try to stem the uprising. This week, Twitter user John Frankensteiner dug up a 1989 Chicago Tribune article relaying the incident. Many on Reddit have called bullshitbut Falk told the story himself in his memoir Just One More Thing, and also during a 1995 David Letterman appearance.
The confusion, as Falk explains, came from the fact that the Romanian government had a quota on how much American television could be viewed in the country. With Columbo averaging less than 10 shows per season, the people of Romania were convinced that the government was keeping more episodes from them, stoking fears of a massive protest. So the U.S. State Department invited Falk to a meeting in a New York hotel room with a representative from Romania. In his memoir, Falk describes that he was understandably flummoxed, and asked, [P]lease excuse the language, but what the fuck do I know about the Romanian government? He was informed that the show had swept the countrythat Columbo is Romanias Elvis Presleyand was persuaded to deliver a phonetically spelled-out speech in Romanian to assure the populace that Columbo would in fact be returning the next TV season. For doubters, a transcript of the speech is available on WikiLeaks (AssholeLeaks to most).
https://www.avclub.com/romania-asked-peter-falk-to-help-prevent-an-uprising-af-1847093587?rev=1623699982954&utm_campaign=The+A.V.+Club&utm_content=1623709804&utm_medium=SocialMarketing&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR2YWU-vR3N_JkuTjFRuVHSnd45O2kZvI5i5yzM1Xovn-xGd0JKsKJ-BwVw
Holding back on Columbo episodes -- now that's a legit reason to have an uprising.
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MFM008
(19,808 posts)episodes right now.........
TheBlackAdder
(28,189 posts)unblock
(52,206 posts)ChazInAz
(2,567 posts)At least phonetically transcribing and reading off the speech would have been fairly simple with Romanian, a Latin-based language. Good thing for Falk it wasn't for Hungary or Poland!
twodogsbarking
(9,739 posts)if you get my drift.
Harker
(14,015 posts)twodogsbarking
(9,739 posts)Harker
(14,015 posts)twodogsbarking
(9,739 posts)eyes.
Harker
(14,015 posts)twodogsbarking
(9,739 posts)Stay well.
Harker
(14,015 posts)Pinback
(12,154 posts)LudwigPastorius
(9,139 posts)Maybe it was just Fate?
Harker
(14,015 posts)Harker
(14,015 posts)Upthevibe
(8,042 posts)on my T.V.
The episodes are on one of the platforms I have. I don't care how many times I've seen the episodes, it's the comfort I get from Peter Falk's Columbo character. I LOVE that show! And that clip's the best. Thanks for posting...
Tikki
(14,557 posts)I am permanently trapped in the late 60's and the 70's Home Decor style
and relish each of the interior shots, especially the upscale traditional styles and colours.
Tikki
LisaM
(27,806 posts)Most 70s shows (e.g. 'The Brady Bunch" show the worst of 1970s style.
But on 'Columbo', where most of the suspects are upper income L.A. residents, you see some of the best. The furnishings are pretty good, but some of the women's clothes are absolutely haute couture, as if they were designed by Halston or something. I have often said that runway fashion in the 70s just did not, or could not, translate to the ready--to-wear market, and if you look at 'Columbo' versus some other shows from the era, you see it.
Permanut
(5,602 posts)need to put it on their bucket list. Episode is called "Death Hits the Jackpot".
Other favorites are
Donald Pleasance in "Any Old Port in a Storm", and
Jack Cassidy in "Murder by the Book".
Seen them all a dozen times.
pressbox69
(2,252 posts)beloved in Germany as well.
Brother Buzz
(36,422 posts)IronLionZion
(45,433 posts)since humans are contagious and dangerous
Brother Buzz
(36,422 posts)He's a dog, so we call him Dog.
Kali
(55,007 posts)jaxexpat
(6,820 posts)THAT's current AND trendy. For sure!
ZonkerHarris
(24,223 posts)3. Troubled Waters- Columbo takes a cruise and catch is Robert Vaughn
2. Now You See Him: Jack Cassidy as a murderous magician
1. Identity Crisis: Columbo swims with the big spies going after double agent Patrick McGoohan.