Character mistake: After Columbo disturbs Dr. Kepple and his ball goes in the rough, Kepple says they are playing for rather high stakes. He picks up his ball, looks at it, and places it back on the ground. In a high stakes game, that would be cheating, and the other players would not have tolerated it.
Factual error: Several times, the revolver used to murder the singer is referred to as a "Weatherby" or "British Weatherby." Weatherby is an American manufacturer of rifles and shotguns; they do not make handguns. The revolver used is a Webley, which is of British manufacture.
Continuity mistake: At the cafe when Columbo talks with the police officer his cigar is in his hand in the back shots but disappears in the front shots.
Character mistake: Kingsley carries a briefcase in to the attorney's office, but leaves without it.
Caution: Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health - S10-E2
Continuity mistake: When Sheba the dog scratches Anders' car her claws are on the glass and the top of the metal part of the door, above the character line. In the photo that Columbo shows, the scratches go much further down the door.
Character mistake: Columbo took the Beretta off the gun display by inserting a pencil into the barrel of the gun. In a previous episode, he said to NEVER insert a pencil there because it will ruin the groove of the barrel, making it impossible for ballistics to get a match on the bulletin. When using a pencil, Columbo picks up a gun up near the trigger.
Character mistake: When Columbo is in Mr Benedict's house with Mr Benedict, he calculates the cost of Mr Benedict's house at $720,000. A moment later Mr Benedict asks Columbo; "How did you arrive with that figure, $750,000?" (00:43:20)
Continuity mistake: Just before Viveca murders Martin Sheen, she scribbles an amount on magazine-her nailpolish is red. Seconds later after the murder with the microscope, Vera's nailpolish is a completely different color, mauve.
Character mistake: Twice, Brenner refers to the T-33 aircraft as the Silver Star. The name of the T-33 was the Shooting Star.
Other mistake: In the dart scene, Columbo needed 66 to win, he missed his first two darts so only has one dart left, he hit the 25 or bullseye which is 50 but somehow wins.
Last Salute to the Commodore - S5-E6
Character mistake: After Commodore Otis Swanson is murdered, Columbo goes to the Swanson Shipyard to speak with the Commodore's nephew, Swanny Swanson. Columbo calls him "Mr. Swenson."
Continuity mistake: Close to the end when Colombo is talking to Patrick Kinsley he is holding up the bag with the cigar-end; the bag is upside down. In the next shot from behind the bag is the right way.
Sex and the Married Detective - S8-E3
Continuity mistake: When Dr Allenby is getting dressed for the first time as the lady in black she puts on a camisole under garment with a high v-neck neckline. In the next scene she is wearing a deep v black jacket but there is no sign of the camisole underneath.
Continuity mistake: Columbo stops Mr. Finch on the road after following him from Biltmore hotel; as Columbo is speaking with him, the cigar in Columbo's hand is always in Finch's shot, even after we see Columbo place his hand on the roof. Plus after we see him put his hand down, the cigar ash keeps going from 1" to nothing. (01:44:20)
Butterfly in Shades of Grey - S12-E2
Other mistake: Fielding Chase and Lieutenant Columbo are on a road in the mountains above Malibu and Chase's car will not start. He tries unsuccessfully to call the Automobile Club on his mobile phone. He tells Columbo the phone number is "555-4411" but each time he tries to call, he presses nine digits.
Butterfly in Shades of Grey - S12-E2
Continuity mistake: From his estate, Fielding Chase looks toward his front gate and sees smoke coming from the engine of Columbo's car. When we see Columbo standing atop the car and yelling for Chase to open the gate, there is no smoke.
A Deadly State of Mind - S4-E6
Plot hole: Collier's relationship with Nadia Donner is wildly improper, and her husband knows about it. It seems unlikely that nothing was done about it.
Character mistake: Tommy Brown (Johnny Cash) broke his left leg. Throughout the show, he uses his crutch and then his cane on the left side. It should be on the right (opposite) side.
Factual error: Santini murders Jerome using a revolver with a silencer. Although this is one of the oldest Hollywood tropes, a silencer (properly called a suppressor) does not reduce a gunshot to a whisper; it only cuts the noise to about 110 dB, which is still very loud. In addition, suppressors do not work at all on revolvers, because most of the noise is generated in the gap between the cylinder and the barrel.
Answer: Columbo deduces that the first blow must have been to the front of the head, the force causing the victim to fall backwards and hitting the back of his head hard on the ground.
raywest ★