← Back to explore

Peter Falk

Acting

Born September 16, 1927 · New York City, New York, USA

Died June 23, 2011

Also known as Пітер Фальк · 彼得·法尔克 · Peter Michael Falk

Biography

Peter Michael Falk (September 16, 1927 – June 23, 2011) was an American actor. He is best known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo on the NBC/ABC series Columbo (1968–1978, 1989–2003), for which he won four Primetime Emmy Awards (1972, 1975, 1976, 1990) and a Golden Globe Award (1973). In 1996, TV Guide ranked Falk No. 21 on its 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time list. He received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013. He first starred as Columbo in two 2-hour "World Premiere" TV pilots; the first with Gene Barry in 1968 and the second with Lee Grant in 1971. The show then aired as part of The NBC Mystery Movie series from 1971 to 1978, and again on ABC from 1989 to 2003. Falk was twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for Murder, Inc. (1960) and Pocketful of Miracles (1961), and won his first Emmy Award in 1962 for The Dick Powell Theatre. He was the first actor to be nominated for an Academy Award and an Emmy Award in the same year, achieving the feat twice (1961 and 1962). He went on to appear in such films as It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963), alongside Frank Sinatra in Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964), The Great Race (1965), Anzio (1968), Murder by Death (1976), The Cheap Detective (1978), The Brink's Job (1978), The In-Laws (1979), The Princess Bride (1987), Wings of Desire (1987), The Player (1992), and Next (2007), as well as many television guest roles. Falk was also known for his collaborations with filmmaker, actor, and personal friend John Cassavetes, acting in films such as Husbands (1970), A Woman Under the Influence (1974), Big Trouble (1986), Elaine May's Mikey and Nicky (1976) and the Columbo episode "Étude in Black" (1972). He cameoed as a theatergoer in Cassavetes' 1977 film Opening Night. Description above from the Wikipedia article Peter Falk, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Awards & recognition

  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series · 1990
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series · 1976
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series · 1972
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie · 1962
  • Golden Globe Awards
Show all 8 awards →
  • star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
  • Academy AwardBest Supporting Actor · 1962 · nominated
  • Academy AwardBest Supporting Actor · 1961 · nominated

Filmography50+ titles

The Twilight Zone

1959as Ramos Clementine

Reading Rainbow

1983as Self - Narrator (voice)

Columbo

1971as Lt. Columbo

Wings of Desire

1987as The Filmstar

A Woman Under the Influence

1974as Nick Longhetti

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

1962as Robert Evans

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

1955as Meyer Fine

The Larry Sanders Show

1992as Peter Falk

The Princess Bride

1987as The Grandfather

Opening Night

1977as Self (uncredited)

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962as Self

Ransom for a Dead Man

1972as Columbo

The Red Skelton Show

1951as Colonel Hush-Hush

American Masters

1986as Self

Pocketful of Miracles

1961as Joy Boy

Have Gun, Will Travel

1957as Waller - Gambler

The Player

1992as Peter Falk

Murder by Death

1976as Sam Diamond

My Darling Vivian

2020as Self (archive footage)

Arthur Miller: Writer

2017as Self (archive footage)

The Great Race

1965as Max

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

1963as Third Cab Driver

The Great Muppet Caper

1981as Tramp (uncredited)

Mikey and Nicky

1976as Mikey

The Dick Cavett Show

1968as Self - Guest

The In-Laws

1979as Vincent J. Ricardo

Husbands

1970as Archie Black

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

1967as Self (uncredited)

Decoy

as Fred Dana

Wagon Train

1957as Gus Morgan

Undisputed

2002as Mendy Ripstein

Pressure Point

1962as Young Psychiatrist

The Cheap Detective

1978as Lou Peckinpaugh

The Brink's Job

1978as Tony Pino

Robin and the 7 Hoods

1964as Guy Gisborne

Next

2007as Irv

The Lost World

2001as Theo Kerr

...All the Marbles

1981as Harry Sears

Machine Gun McCain

1969as Charlie Adamo

Shark Tale

2004as Don Feinberg (voice)

Made

2001as Max

Money Kings

1998as Vinnie

Roommates

1995as Rocky Holzeck

Happy New Year

1987as Nick

Vibes

1988as Harry Buscafusco

Castle Keep

1969as Sgt. Rossi

Naked City

1958as Lee Staunton

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

2003as Self

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

1988

Anzio

1968as Cpl. Jack Rabinoff