Columbo's Creators Tried To Cast A Legendary Musical Star As The Iconic Detective
It's hard to picture anyone other than Peter Falk playing Detective Columbo, but the show's creators had a completely different first choice to play the role.
The creators of the iconic TV detective series Columbo initially sought to cast legendary singer Bing Crosby in the role of Lieutenant Frank Columbo. Richard Levinson and William Link, the show's producers, were big fans of Crosby and believed he would be perfect for the part due to his dramatic acting abilities and laidback nature.
However, Crosby ultimately declined the offer, citing his retirement from acting and concerns about the competitive nature of television. The producers then considered acclaimed character actor Lee J. Cobb, but he too declined the role. Finally, the creators received a surprise phone call from Peter Falk, who expressed his enthusiasm for the part without even seeing the pilot script.
Universal and the showrunners agreed to cast Falk, who played the role with such dedication that he became the definitive portrayal of the bumbling yet obsessive detective.
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