First Broadcast in Germany: 17.05.1973

Peter Falk as Inspector Columbo

Storyline

Since her husband, Judge Paul Williams, is standing in the way her career and she wants to inherit his money and his company, lawyer Leslie Williams decides to murder him. She shoots her husband and then throws his body into the sea. She then fakes the kidnapping of her husband, the call of the blackmailer being recorded as planned by her answering machine. She then informs the police, whereby the FBI continues the investigation.

Columbo becomes suspicious solely by the fact that the wife is not asking about the health of her husband during the call with the blackmailer. Following the demands of the extortionist, Leslie should drop the ransom from a sport aircraft. A little later, the body of the murdered is found. Then, when the bag is found with the ransom, Columbo assumes that the deceased judge was never kidnapped and that this ransom was paid for a dead judge.

However, all these inconsistencies do not help Columbo convict the killer. But then, the inspector receives a tip from an unexpected source. The step-daughter of the murdered man is traveling from Switzerland to help Inspector Columbo in his efforts to solve the murder.

Starring

Lee Grant as Leslie Williams

John Fink as Michael

Harold Gould as Carlson

Patricia Mattick as Margaret Williams

Co-Starring

Paul Carr as Hammond

Jed Allan as Phil

Charles Macaulay as Richard

Henry Brandt as Attorney

Jeane Byron as Pat

Richard Roat as Perkins

Norma Connolly as Celia

Harlan Warde as Pail Williams

Bill Walker as Crowell

Tomothy Carey as Bert

Judson Morgan as Judge

Richard O/Brien as Priest

Celeste Yarnall as Gloria

Lisa Moore as Nancy

Lois Battle as Waitress

Reginald Fenderson as Mechanic

Directed by: Richard Irving

Story by: Richard Levinson & William Link

Based on a Character/Created by: Richard Levinson & William Link

Music: Billy Goldenberg

Executive Producer: Richard Irving

Produced by: Dean Hargrove

Teleplay by: Dean Hargrove

Director of Photography: Lionel Lindon A.S.C.

Art Director: John J. Lloyd

Film editor: Edward M. Abrams

Set Decorations: Bert F. Allan

Unit Manager: Don Golde

Assistant Director: George Bisk

Sound: Robert Bertrand

Editorial Supervision: Richard Belding

Costumes by: Burton Miller

Aerial Sequences by: Tallmantz Aviation, Inc.