Columbo wasn’t the only detective in the NBC Mystery Movie bullpen! Join us Wednesday at 9 p.m. EDT for an episode of Snoop Sisters, guest-starring (deep breath) Vincent Price, Burt Convy, David Huddleston, William DeVane, Mort Sahl, Katherine Helmond, and Roddy MacDowall with the sisters themselves, Helen Hayes and Mildred Natwick.
From the early days of this podcast (In what, 1986? 2002? 2014?), there has been one episode set aside for the very last Columbo we’d watch. Well, this is it, folks. The last roundup. The final act. The fourth quarter. The seventh ogre. Here, now, is “Strange Bedfellows.”
George Wendt is the owner of a racing horse farm who’s having trouble living up to the standards of his late father. Throw in a brother who’s an inveterate gambler and the guy’s wound a little tight. When little brother owes the mob tons of money, he sees an opportunity to not only kill his brother, but also a gangster in order to clear the debt away. He didn’t count on the local mob boss being a scene-chewing Rod Steiger who has no problem whatsoever working with the cops to entrap Norm Peterson in a third act gaslighting nightmare. Joining us to wrap up the podcast is the same guy who helped start it off, Leonard Pierce.
So it’s come to this. Our final show. Season thirteen’s “Strange Bedfellows,” (AKA The George Wendt Episode) in which the comedian plays a racehorse breeder whose brother is in deep to the mob. Kills the brother, kills a mob guy, there you go. WILL HE GET AWAY WITH IT? Who can say? Leonard Pierce will be our final guest.
In this next-to-last edition of the podcast, Jon and RJ list their top and bottom five Columbo episodes, talk about favorite performances and answer lots of your listener questions, along with a bunch of other talk about the program. And yes- a bunch came in after this was recorded! Don’t worry- they’ll go through them and cover what they can during the George Wendt Episode.
Our next-to-last show will largely be Jon and I discussing Columbo, giving our best-of and worst-of lists, etc. But, we want your questions, too! About Columbo, about the podcast, whatever! Leave them in the comments here, send them to columbo@thecitydesk.net, or post them to our Twitter, @jomtpodcast.
What do you know? The second-to-last Columbo episode ever is the second-to-last one we’re covering! In “Murder with Too Many Notes,” Billy Connolly plays a past-his-prime film score composer whose protégé has secretly been the one producing the maestro’s best work lately. When the kid starts demanding some credit for his work, the composer sees no way out than to stage an untimely death for the wannabe John Williams. Author and film archivist Jenny Hammerton (Cooking with Columbo) joins us to discuss the episode, weather on our respective continents, what Columbo souvenir you’d want in your house, and so much more. Also- a contest to win Jenny’s book! Details in the episode.
Billy Connolly! Film scoring action! A rusty elevator! Tuxedo rental clues! We’re getting close to the end, with Season Ten’s McGoohan-directed “Murder with Too Many Notes.” Joining in will be author and film archivist Jenny Hammerton (Cooking with Columbo).