"...In fact, you can find Columbo's car in the opening sequence to a Rockford Files episode filmed five years later. It's parked right next to the yellow Pontiac GTO above the "Ocean Side East Cafe" where he [Peter Falk as Columbo] meets with Ralph Dobbs [Val Avery] in 'Crucial Game'..." ---
Actually the Columbo episode first aired November 1972, and the Rockford pilot first aired March 1974, maybe a year and a half apart. Both were Universal series on NBC. Did this shot also appear in the original 90-minute version of the Rockford pilot, or just in the extended 2-part "Backlash" version?
Then again, with so many detectives working in Southern California, Rockford was bound to be seen around Lt. Columbo's stomping grounds sooner or later. :-) It is possible that more detail of this scene can be found in the Columbo episode, "The Most Crucial Game."
That is the Santa Monica Pier and the scene is from an earlier Columbo episode shown on November 5th 1972, "The Most Crucial game". So the clip had to be shot sometime before that. The end of the pier has been heavily modified sometime in the past 43 years and Mariasol restaurant now sits where Columbo had parked his car. To confirm compare the buildings at right of frame before the camera pans left. Those buildings are still there with several additional ones now present as well. Also notice the shallow reef about 150 yards past the pier which is also still there.
The end of Samo pier which a chunk was lost in a huge storm in 79? Took out the paradise cove pier ending fishing boats there and Malibu pier was damaged and closed for a long time before repairs and maintaining its length. Both Samo and pc lost acreage off their ends, sadly.
The first thing I noticed was Columbo's beat up car in the center of the picture. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd a Google search turns up the following:
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http://pub10.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=806565873&frmid=6&msgid=989826&cmd=show
"...In fact, you can find Columbo's car in the opening sequence to a Rockford Files episode filmed five years later. It's parked right next to the yellow Pontiac GTO above the "Ocean Side East Cafe" where he [Peter Falk as Columbo] meets with Ralph Dobbs [Val Avery] in 'Crucial Game'..."
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Actually the Columbo episode first aired November 1972, and the Rockford pilot first aired March 1974, maybe a year and a half apart. Both were Universal series on NBC. Did this shot also appear in the original 90-minute version of the Rockford pilot, or just in the extended 2-part "Backlash" version?
Then again, with so many detectives working in Southern California, Rockford was bound to be seen around Lt. Columbo's stomping grounds sooner or later. :-) It is possible that more detail of this scene can be found in the Columbo episode, "The Most Crucial Game."
--Don H.
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ReplyDeleteThat is the Santa Monica Pier and the scene is from an earlier Columbo episode shown on November 5th 1972, "The Most Crucial game". So the clip had to be shot sometime before that. The end of the pier has been heavily modified sometime in the past 43 years and Mariasol restaurant now sits where Columbo had parked his car. To confirm compare the buildings at right of frame before the camera pans left. Those buildings are still there with several additional ones now present as well. Also notice the shallow reef about 150 yards past the pier which is also still there.
ReplyDeleteThe end of Samo pier which a chunk was lost in a huge storm in 79? Took out the paradise cove pier ending fishing boats there and Malibu pier was damaged and closed for a long time before repairs and maintaining its length. Both Samo and pc lost acreage off their ends, sadly.
ReplyDelete