30 Images

Peter Falk | 1927-2011

Peter Falk | 1962

Writer Carl Reiner, center, poses with actors Don Knotts, left, and Peter Falk as they hold their statuettes at the Emmy awards in Hollywood, in 1962. Falk was cited for outstanding single performance by an actor in a leading role in “The Dick Powell Show, The Price of Tomatoes.” (Associated Press)

Peter Falk | 1962

Peter Falk and his first wife, Alyce, arrive at the Academy Awards presentation in Santa Monica on April 9, 1962. Falk was nominated for best supporting actor Oscars in 1961 and 1962 for his work in “Murder Inc.” and “Pocketful of Miracles,” respectively. (Associated Press)

Peter Falk | 1962

Actor Peter Falk is shown in Hollywood on Aug. 2, 1962, on the set of the Stanley Kramer Production “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.” (Associated Press)

Peter Falk | 1965

Peter Falk tries out a line from a new script with his then-wife, Alyce, in their Hollywood home on March 10, 1965. Behind him is the Emmy he won for his performance in “The Price of Tomatoes.” (David F. Smith / Associated Press)

Peter Falk | 1966

John Cassavetes, left, and Peter Falk in “Mikey and Nicky” in 1966. (Paramount Pictures)

Peter Falk | 1967

Peter Falk, left, Jack Lemmon and Elaine May in 1967’s “LUV.” (Columbia Pictures)

Peter Falk | 1970

Peter Falk, Ben Gazzara and John Cassavetes in “Husbands.” (Sony Pictures)

Peter Falk | 1970

Peter Falk plays Archie Black in the drama about three men who bond after the death of a friend. (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)

‘Columbo’ | 1971-2003

Peter Falk plays Lt. Columbo, a detective without a first name, in the series created by Richard Levinson and William Link. The long-running show inverted the classic detective formula: The TV audience already knew whodunit when Columbo arrived on the scene of the crime. The enjoyment for viewers was in seeing how Columbo doggedly pieced the clues together. As he said in one episode, “I have this bug about tying up loose ends.” (NBC)

Peter Falk | 1972

The “Columbo” star wins an Emmy award for best actor in a dramatic series on May 15, 1972. Next to him is actress Julie Andrews, holding the Emmy she accepted for Glenda Jackson, who won for the award for best actress in a dramatic series. (Associated Press)

Peter Falk | 1974

Gene Rowlands, right, and Peter Falk in “A Woman Under the Influence.” (Faces International)

Peter Falk | 1975

Peter Falk gives Jessica Walter of “Amy Prentice” a kiss after both won Emmys on May 19, 1975. The “Columbo” star was named best actor in a limited series, and Walter won for best actress in a limited series. (Associated Press)

Peter Falk | 1977

Peter Falk married his first wife, Alyce, in 1960; a year after their divorce in 1976, he married actress Shera Danese. He and Danese are pictured here on Oct. 14, 1979. (Associated Press)

Peter Falk | 1978

Peter Falk stars in “The Cheap Detective” in 1978. (Columbia Pictures)

Peter Falk | 1979

Peter Falk demonstrates a little softshoe routine for photographers as he arrives to attend the premiere of the film “Hair” and the opening of the Los Angeles International Film Exposition on March 15, 1979. (Nick Ut / Associated Press)

Peter Falk | 1987

Peter Falk, right, and Bruna Ganz in “Wings of Desire” in 1987. (Orion)

Peter Falk | 1987

In this 1987 file photo originally released by 20th Century Fox, actors Fred Savage , left, and Peter Falk are shown in a scene from “The Princess Bride.” (20th Century Fox / AP)

Peter Falk | 1987

Peter Falk is photographed with his drawings at his Beverly Hills studio in 1987. He was an avid sketcher. (Los Angeles Times)

Peter Falk | 1989

Peter Falk and Emily Lloyd star as a hot-tempered father-and-daughter duo who manage to outsmart both the mob and the law in Warner Bros.’ 1989 comedy, “Cookie.” (Warner Bros.)

Peter Falk | 1990

In this Sept. 16, 1990, file photo, actor Peter Falk gestures as he accepts the Emmy for best actor in a drama for his role in the “Columbo” series. (Nick Ut / Associated Press)

Peter Falk | 1990

Peter Falk talks about his new movie, “Roommates,” in which he ages to 107. “I thought, ‘If you can’t score with this one, hang it up!’ ” (Los Angeles Times)

Peter Falk | 1996

Peter Falk and Sarah Jessica Parker star in “The Sunshine Boys,” the television version of the hit Neil Simon play about two aging comic legends who -- after years of not speaking to each other -- reunite for a final show. (Hallmark Entertainment)

Peter Falk | 1996

Peter Falk as Lt. Columbo, the role that earned him a Golden Globe for best actor in a drama series in 1990. (NBC)

Peter Falk | 2000

Peter Falk plays a seen-it-all cop dealing with a technophobic librarian, played by Jason Alexander, who threatens to blow up the library if his card catalog is replaced by a computerized filing system. Both actors worked to break out of their beloved television personas in the stage production at the Geffen Playhouse in Westwood. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Peter Falk | 2002

Peter Falk arrives at NBC‘s 75th-anniversary celebration at New York‘s Rockefeller Center. Lt. Colombo, the actor’s iconic rumpled detective, first appeared on the network, but his later mysteries were seen on ABC. (Ron Frehm / Associated Press)

Peter Falk | 2003

In this file photo from 2003, actor Peter Falk wears a German police officer uniform on the TV show “Bet That” in Berlin. (Miguel Villagran / EPA)

Peter Falk | 2005

Peter Falk and Paul Reiser star in a semi-autographical film that Reiser wrote specifically for Falk, who he said was his all-time favorite actor. (Graham Barclay)

Peter Falk | 2007

Peter Falk plays Irv, who tries to helps his cognitively enhanced friend, played by Nicholas Cage, elude the FBI in the film based on “The Golden Man” by Philip K. Dick. (Joseph Lederer / Paramount Pictures)

Peter Falk | 2009

Peter Falk plays Father Randolph in the story of Ethan Inglebrink, an eccentric, agoraphobic heroin addict who is obsessed with his garden. The dark comedy follows the last days of Ethan’s life as he struggles to find purpose at a time when it might be too late to even matter. (Buffalo Speedway Film Co.)