Sources and links for everything used in the video are available in the description! CLARIFICATION: At the time of writing there was no easily available online archive of David Letterman’s talkshow. In the last year, the official Letterman RUclips channel has started uploading clips from the show, but the Peter Falk interview has not been uploaded. Fingers crossed they don't claim this video.
As someone who is Romanian diaspora (both sides of my family managed to escape the country early 80's into NZ when my parents were kids) and currently writing my own type of noir-detective-mystery type of show, and casually getting into Columbo on the side... *I had no idea that the love of the mystery and detective went that hard into my recent bloodstream.* Also editing Columbo into revolution pictures? Galaxy brain moment, made me chuckle. Solid vid throughout!
Really interesting. In the interview, Peter Falk sounds like he is slightly embellishing the truth for comedic purposes. Most of these talk shows, especially Letterman, are more about getting the guest to tell a funny anecdote rather than hard-hitting journalism, so bending the truth can sometimes happen if it makes a story more funny. But this is an amazing story, well done for all your research.
It’s funny that this show had such an impact in Romania. It was an iconic series in the US, too, or course. Were there any other US series that were popular in Romania? At first, I thought this might have been a humorous hoax video, but it seems confirmed Taft Columbo was indeed popular in Romania.
Dallas was huge in communist times. They intended to show the decaying of westerners but it ended up people loving it of course. It really helped regime collapse because everyone wanted to live like that....ha ha...like the J.R. quote...one car not enough....buy the second!...we love that....
This is an absolutely excellent deep dive on this fascinating piece of trivia, and the fact you've extensively sourced it too is just amazing as well! I feel like I should tell you that there is a subreddit called r/lostmedia that deals with media that isn't publicly available. I was gonna make a post about this on there but felt as though that right ought to belong to you considering you did all the work of finding and verifying a multitude of sources. If you don't care to that's fine, just thought I'd let you (or anyone else) know (:
Just watched both of your Columbo videos and loved them! Thanks for releasing this one in English as well. It deserves way more views, I hope the algo picks it up soon. I also hope you continue to make video essays, these were both very good!
Peter Falk’s career obsession with Columbo is explained in one simple lesson I learned long ago When Samual L Jackson star’s in a movie He isn’t playing that character He’s playing Samual L Jackson Then that character For Peter it’s a bit more the opposite but the point is there He is Columbo; Columbo is Him He’s playing Himself He’s more into it than many other actors Not Leonardo DiCaprio nor Brad Pitt playing Themselves with different clothes in a different Context He is Columbo He is the show Columbo is Him
Sources and links for everything used in the video are available in the description!
CLARIFICATION: At the time of writing there was no easily available online archive of David Letterman’s talkshow. In the last year, the official Letterman RUclips channel has started uploading clips from the show, but the Peter Falk interview has not been uploaded. Fingers crossed they don't claim this video.
i have an earlier source on this from the 2nd of February 1980 Australian TV Week about this on my twitter.
I wouldn't be shocked if someone made a movie about this.
you'd have to find someone to play Falk and if that was easy to find... we'd already have a New Columbo series happening
A very good point... @@ogto
It has to be filmed like "The Death of Stalin"
As someone who is Romanian diaspora (both sides of my family managed to escape the country early 80's into NZ when my parents were kids) and currently writing my own type of noir-detective-mystery type of show, and casually getting into Columbo on the side...
*I had no idea that the love of the mystery and detective went that hard into my recent bloodstream.*
Also editing Columbo into revolution pictures? Galaxy brain moment, made me chuckle. Solid vid throughout!
Really interesting. In the interview, Peter Falk sounds like he is slightly embellishing the truth for comedic purposes. Most of these talk shows, especially Letterman, are more about getting the guest to tell a funny anecdote rather than hard-hitting journalism, so bending the truth can sometimes happen if it makes a story more funny. But this is an amazing story, well done for all your research.
Fascinating piece of trivia and "Columbo revolution" has a nice ring to it
"nicolae ceausescu this court finds you guilty and sentences you to the Columbia Dimension"
It’s funny that this show had such an impact in Romania. It was an iconic series in the US, too, or course. Were there any other US series that were popular in Romania?
At first, I thought this might have been a humorous hoax video, but it seems confirmed Taft Columbo was indeed popular in Romania.
Dallas was huge in communist times. They intended to show the decaying of westerners but it ended up people loving it of course. It really helped regime collapse because everyone wanted to live like that....ha ha...like the J.R. quote...one car not enough....buy the second!...we love that....
This is an absolutely excellent deep dive on this fascinating piece of trivia, and the fact you've extensively sourced it too is just amazing as well! I feel like I should tell you that there is a subreddit called r/lostmedia that deals with media that isn't publicly available. I was gonna make a post about this on there but felt as though that right ought to belong to you considering you did all the work of finding and verifying a multitude of sources. If you don't care to that's fine, just thought I'd let you (or anyone else) know (:
thanks for the tip and kind words, i'll try that!
Thanks for giving us an English version of this video!
Columbo turns us all into detectives. You learn how Columbo thinks the longer you watch the show, and thus, we can think like Columbo
Incredible History
Beautiful work
Now this is Real Romanian History
Excellent research work, an amazing story.
Just watched both of your Columbo videos and loved them! Thanks for releasing this one in English as well. It deserves way more views, I hope the algo picks it up soon. I also hope you continue to make video essays, these were both very good!
i have an earlier source on this from the 2nd of February 1980 Australian TV Week about this on my twitter.
Great video, very interesting cold war footnote, I would love to hear the Kojack story too
Just found the channel hope there's more to come.
amazing video, really great information. I just HAD to look this topic up after reading it as a footnote in an article on Columbo's popularity.
I am sure I saw a picture from the recording he made to say more shows were on the way, hopefully the video is available somewhere
This is a fascinating deep dive! Thank you for making it.
really liked that falk speaking romanian created sensation.
This was awesome! Thank you so much!
That was Carter not Ford
Oh God, Hollywood's gonna take this story and run with it... make it like a prequel to Tetris...
Im also a fan i love peter falk and columbo saw it like 5 times rip falk
I am so fucking exited to watch this video. This is incredibly interesting holy shit.
Subscribing immediately, I'm looking forward to your future videos!
Bravo!
Peter Falk’s career obsession with Columbo is explained in one simple lesson I learned long ago
When Samual L Jackson star’s in a movie
He isn’t playing that character
He’s playing Samual L Jackson
Then that character
For Peter it’s a bit more the opposite but the point is there
He is Columbo; Columbo is Him
He’s playing Himself
He’s more into it than many other actors
Not Leonardo DiCaprio nor Brad Pitt playing Themselves with different clothes in a different Context
He is Columbo
He is the show
Columbo is Him