Peter Falk Bio - Peter Falk Biography

Peter Falk: Biography

Short, gravely voiced actor best known for his portrayal of rumpled homicide detective Lt. Columbo in the long-running detective drama. Also had an active and acclaimed film career in the 1960's before taking the role of the rumpled police lieutenant. Falk is still active in films though he hasn't been seen on television in a few years.

Falk was asked to appear in The Godfather as Moe Green, but he declined because the role was too small for him to play. Alex Rocco played the part instead.(edit)
Prospect Avenue, Ossining, where Falk used to go to school is renamed 'Peter Falk Place'.(edit)
Falk and his wife Shera own 10 dogs.(edit)
Falk's wife (Shera) uses his Emmys for a hat rack.(edit)
Falk has never been arrested in the United States, but he has been arrested in Paris, Moscow, Havana, Genoa, Belgrade and Trieste. They were all misunderstandings and he always got out within hours.(edit)
Just three months after he joined college, Peter left to join the Merchant Marines. He sailed out as a third cook, for he wasn't allowed to work on or below deck because of his glass eye.(edit)
Peter was a member of the Ossining High School baseball team.(edit)
In 2006, Peter released a book full of short stories about his life. He called his book Just One More Thing, the famous quote from his best known character Columbo.(edit)
Peter loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches(edit)
Falk appeared with the original Lt. Columbo, actor Thomas Mitchell, twice: once in an episode of The Untouchables entitled The Underworld Bank and again in the 1961 movie Pocketful of Miracles.(edit)
Falk's last appearance as Columbo (so far) was in 2003's Columbo Likes the Nightlife.(edit)
Falk won a Golden Globe in 1973 for his role of Lt. Columbo.(edit)
Falk won Emmys in 1972, 1975, 1976, and 1990 for his role as Columbo. He won another in 1962 for his role in an episode of The Dick Powell Show entitled The Price of Tomatoes.(edit)
Falk has an art studio on the grounds of his Beverly Hills residence.(edit)
Falk was married to Alice Mayo from 1960-76 and has been married to Shera Danese since 1977. He has two children from his marriage to Mayo.(edit)
Peter Falk is 5' 6" tall.(edit)
Falk was president of his high school class.(edit)
He claims that his Columbo raincoat is in his upstairs closet.(edit)
Falk's first TV series was the 1966-67 legal drama Trials of O'Brian.(edit)
Falk first portrayed Lt. Columbo in the 1967 made for TV movie Prescription: Murder.(edit)
Falk was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor in 1960 for Murder, Inc. and in 1961 for Pocketful of Miracles.(edit)
His film debut was in 1958's Wind Across the Everglades.(edit)
Falk is close friends with actor Ben Gazzara and was a close friend of the late actor John Cassavetes.(edit)
Falk's daughter, Catherine, is a private detective in real life.(edit)
Falk is of Russian and Polish Jewish ancestry.(edit)
After graduation from college, Falk applied to work at the CIA but was rejected.(edit)
After graduating from college, Falk worked as an efficiency expert for the Budget Bureau of the state of Connecticut before deciding to become an actor.(edit)
His right eye was surgically removed at age 3 because of cancer.(edit)
Falk was born in New York City but grew up in Ossining, NY.(edit)
Falk earned a Masters in Public Administration from Syracuse University.(edit)
He is a close friend of Patrick McGoohan.(edit)
Was not the first choice for the role of Lt. Columbo when NBC decided to make it a series in 1971 despite having played the role in the 1967 made for TV movie Prescription: Murder. (The producers originally had Bing Crosby in mind.)(edit)

Falk: I do share with the lieutenant (Columbo) one very pronounced part of his personality - he loves to talk about his wife. You can't shut him up. I have the same problem. I can tell Shera stories till three in the morning. Shera is my wife.(edit)
Falk (about Columbo): I'm just as sloppy as the lieutenant but not nearly as smart.(edit)
(handing his glass eye to the umpire, believing strongly that he was safe, after he was called out at a Little League game)
Falk: Here, I think you might need this.(edit)
Falk: Being chased by Columbo is like being nibbled to death by a duck.(edit)