Columbo Pilot Episodes

1968 · crime · drama · mystery · thriller · Universal Television

Episode 1 : Dr. Ray Flemming ( Gene Barry ), a psychiatrist, murders his wife ( Nina Foch ) and persuades his mistress Joan Hudson ( Katherine Justice ), who is an actress and one of his patients, to support his alibi by impersonating her aboard his plane flight. Columbo notices that Flemming does not call out to his wife when he gets back. Final clue/twist: Columbo stages the suicide of Flemming’s mistress, then urges him to confess now that the love of his life has killed herself for him. Flemming mocks Columbo's words, saying he never cared deeply for Joan and would have gotten rid of her eventually, anyway. Joan, listening in, agrees to testify against Flemming. Episode 2 : Leslie Williams ( Lee Grant ), a brilliant and ruthless lawyer, murders her husband Paul ( Harlan Warde ) to get his money, arranging the act to look as if he had been kidnapped and killed by his captors. Final clue/twist: Margaret (Patricia Mattick), who hates her stepmother Leslie, tells Leslie she will go away if Leslie gives her a lot of money. When Leslie pays Margaret off with some of the ransom cash, Columbo, who had persuaded Margaret to demand money from Leslie, has the final proof he needs.