Columbo Forums

Who does everyone think the best murderer was? I think it was Patrick McGoohan, especially in "Ashes to Ashes".

I agree he is so menacing, I don't know how he played good guys! Great actor, I also had a huge crush on him from his Prisoner days.

You got that right! LOL He was great in the Disney classic, The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh as Dr. Syn, it scared the crap out of me I was about 6 years old and I still remember the menace and how he convinced the kids that he was a good guy, creepy!

My favorite was Robert Culp. He was the killer a few times on the older episodes. He was perfect in the way he never got fazed by Columbo's constant questioning during the investigations. He always was very cocky & arrogant when dealing with Columbo & usually talked down to him. That made when Columbo nailed him even better. I've always thought Culp was a very good actor.

I totally agree with you there were so many good villians Robert Conrad, Jack Cassidy, John Cassavetes the list goes on but only a few really stood out. Culp being one of them, gave me the creeps that's for sure.

George Wendt was pretty good in "Strange Bedfellows"

All of Robert Culp's Columbo appearences are "Grade A". I would also add Leonard Nimoy, Robert Vaughn & Dick Van Dyke to the list of particularly meanacing murders.

Leonard Nimoy was frighteningly good! He scared the crap out of me.

leonard nimoy scared the crap out of me, but he wasn't really a "murderer", because his is the only episode of the series where the intended victim doesn't die. he did kill 2 people during the execution of his plan, but the intended victim survives. Robert culp was just menacing as hell, as was Jack Cassidy! that guy really gave me the creeps. Dick van Dike... ehhh not so great. although the script was great, his murderous actions were almost justified. his wife was really a bore. and also.. he didn't seem that strong as a character.

now Patrick MacGoohan was a comanding authority on all his 4 appearences. very well done all of them, full of dignaty and charisma, particularly in "by dawn's early light"

if I had to choose the scariest ones Jack cassidy on all his 3 appearences.
Robert culp on "the most dangerous match"
and probably nimmoy

without sounding sexiest I think the women murders were not convincing in the least

ruth gordon was a dear old murderess, who had her actions perfectly justified, under that circunstancies even I would have killed the nephew
Vera Miles was... dreadful, but that script was also terrible, one of the worst, although it has a very young Martin Sheen in it. the forgotten lady one has no actual consequences, because the murderess was already sentenced to die....
the requiem for a falling star... eh... although it has some good insites on the making of movies and the actual location of the body of the dead husband is very clever, the actual 90 minutes have several dreadful bits

although some of them gave good performances, only a couple of them sounded really "evil" to me, and could sustain it for 90 minutes

Right off the top of my head, my repeat favorites are:

Patrick McGoohan
Robert Culp
Jack Cassidy

(with Nimoy a powerhouse villian his one time out - he was only the bad guy one time, right?)

So many great murderers to choose from - Johnny Cash, Patrick McGoohan, Roddy McDowall, Leonard Nimoy, Martin Landau, Jack Cassidy - they all interact so well with Columbo.  But my favourite one is Robert Culp.  His best performance, for me, is the episode where he plays a private detective, hired to investigate the murder he himself committed ('Death lends a hand').

so many good actors in this series. McGoohan certainly stands out for me. My favorite female killer was Lee Grant, who I've always like immensely. She played a smart, mean, and haughty antogonist very well. I have the first five years' DVD collections. Does anyone know when others will arrive? My daughter teases me about my Columbo fixation. I can't watch any of the current crime series on TV, too realistic and depressing for me.

Dick Van Dyke He is so funny .

Johnny Cash had the best murder scheme.  He actually risked his own life.

I love those college kids who killed their professor. That's my favorite episode ever. I can watch it a hundred times and still love it!