Unshot Columbo: Cracking the Cases That Never Got Filmed

By David Koenig

Can't get your fill of Columbo? Then sink your teeth into 19 adventures that the show almost filmed.

From the author of the best-selling Shooting Columbo comes this unique, behind-the-scenes peek at the unmaking of episodes that were shot down-and why.

Discover the early 1970s tales by "murder consultant" Larry Cohen and by a young, pre-Carrie Brian De Palma... the aborted pilot for Mrs. Columbo that was reimagined for Columbo... as well as the unmade masterpiece that Peter Falk desperately wanted to close out the series with as his final case. Find out why he never got the chance.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1937878236
• ISBN13: 9781937878238
• Release Date: April 2024
• Publisher: Bonaventure Press
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A treat for fans of 'Columbo' who wished for just one more episode...

As many fans of the show are aware, 'Columbo' was a tough show to write for; the inverse mystery format chronically stumped even experienced scriptwriters. This book shares (almost) 19 stories that didn't make it to air and some of the reasons why. (I say 'almost' because one of the stories never got past a bare outline, so the author doesn't have much to summarize; the characters aren't even all named.) As a big fan of 'Columbo', I read this avidly and critically, imagining what these stories would have looked like if they had actually been filmed. The scripts themselves are not reprinted in the book, but it seems as if the author summarizes them reasonably well. In the case of a couple of these abandoned scripts, there are glaring problems with plot and motivation that probably couldn't have been overcome with any amount of rewriting. One or two had issues that were a little harder to quantify and thus equally difficult to correct; the mood wasn't right, or the structure was off, or both. Depressingly, most of the scripts fell through the cracks for no better reason than a change of guard at the production level. Based on the summaries, I feel like some might have been good to go as-is. Others would only have needed a small rewrite. In some cases, the stumbling block was a slight tweak of the format that would have been a welcome change of pace (or at least, not nearly as jarring as 'Last Salute to the Commodore'.) There are at least 3 that seem like ideal 'Columbo' episodes which were maddeningly rejected by Falk for quibbling reasons. The real motivation must have been his personal preference since the stated reasons were small and easily addressed with a minor rewrite. One script, the one that Falk himself wanted to be 'Columbo's Last Case,' was never filmed because of a deadlock between Falk and the studio over casting. For what it is worth, I think another script in the book would have made a much better series finale than Falk's choice (and not just because it contains a scene that could have easily been reframed as a retirement party for Columbo.) Apart from the typos that are seemingly inescapable these days, there isn't much with which to find fault in this book. Just know what it is going in: a glimpse at some 'Columbo' episodes that might have been, and not a deep dive behind-the-scenes of the show. By the time Mr. Koenig wrote this book, most of the principal actors and personnel had passed away, though he does talk to several surviving writers and production staff who provide insights into how these scripts failed to launch. [For background on the show in general and on specific episodes, at least of the initial 1970s run, consult 'The Columbo Phile.' Mr. Dawidziak was able to consult the principal players while they were still live and is able to provide several viewpoints on each episode and on many of the events taking place around the production.]