ABC THURSDAY NIGHT MOVIE: COLUMBO: A TRACE OF MURDER (TV)

Summary

One in this series of police dramas in which Los Angeles homicide detective Lt. Columbo's unassuming manner masks his keen intelligence and sharp investigative abilities. In this episode (presented under the umbrella of "ABC Thursday Night Movie"), Columbo investigates the murder of Howard Seltzer, a business associate of the cigar-chomping, cowboy hat-wearing, billionaire Clifford Calvert, who he was suing for bad financial advice. At the murder scene, Columbo is joined by forensics specialist Patrick Kinsley, who, on the sly, is having an affair with Calvert's wife Cathleen. Columbo notices cat hair on the scene and orders his men to find him the feline. Next, he visits Seltzer's lawyer Tracy Rose who leads him to Calvert. During the questioning of Calvert at his mansion, the billionaire is shocked to find his .38 missing, but offers an alibi: he was at a wedding with Cathleen. Columbo visits the bride's mother and father who provide him with several photographs of Calvert taken during the wedding. Eventually, Columbo is able to match a cigar on the scene to Calvert, as well as finding similar cat hair on the man's suit jacket. Just as Calvert is about to be indicted, Columbo notices something that reveals Cathleen's link to Kinsley and proves Calvert's innocence. Includes commercials.

Details

• NETWORK: ABC
• DATE: May 15, 1997 Thursday 9:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 2:02:23
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: T:48764
• GENRE: Drama, police/private detective
• SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, police/private detective
• SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1968-1978; ABC - 1989-2003
• COMMERCIALS:
  • TV - Commercials - Best Foods mayonaisse
  • TV - Commercials - Burger King fast food restaurants
  • TV - Commercials - Carnation instant breakfast drink
  • TV - Commercials - Colgate toothbrushes
  • TV - Commercials - Dodge automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - Dodge trucks
  • TV - Commercials - French's dijon mustard
  • TV - Commercials - GMC automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - Glade air fresheners
  • TV - Commercials - Jerzees T-shirts
  • TV - Commercials - Kellogg's Nutri-Grain bars
  • TV - Commercials - McDonald's fast food restaurants
  • TV - Commercials - Microsoft computer software
  • TV - Commercials - Pepcid AC heartburn medication
  • TV - Commercials - Reynolds food wrap
  • TV - Commercials - Sears stores
  • TV - Commercials - Tidy Cat cat litter
  • TV - Commercials - Toyota Corolla automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - Wendy's fast food restaurants
  • TV - Commercials - Zantac75 heartburn medication
  • TV - Commercials - Ziploc storage bags
  • TV - Promos - "ABC News"
  • TV - Promos - "America's Funniest Home Videos"
  • TV - Promos - "Clear and Present Danger"
  • TV - Promos - "Daytime Emmy Awards"
  • TV - Promos - "Detention: Siege at Johnson High"
  • TV - Promos - "Disclosure"
  • TV - Promos - "Home Improvement"
  • TV - Promos - "Roseanne"

CREDITS

• Peter Falk … Executive Producer
• Christopher Seiter … Producer
• Vincent McEveety … Producer, Director
• Jack Horger … Co-Producer
• Richard Levinson … Created by
• William Link … Created by
• Charles Kipps … Writer
• De Benedictis, Dick … Music by
• Peter Falk … Cast, Lieutenant Columbo
• David Rasche … Cast, Patrick Kinsley
• Shera Danese … Cast, Cathleen Calvert
• Barry Corbin … Cast, Clifford Calvert
• Raye Birk … Cast, Howard Seltzer
• John Finnegan … Cast, Barney
• Franklin Cover … Cast, Harry Jenkins
• Alice Backes … Cast, Harriet Jenkins
• Dion Anderson … Cast, Stuart March
• Donna Bullock … Cast, Tracy Rose
• John F. Donohue … Cast, Doherty
• Dyana Ortelli … Cast, Colenari
• Kymberly S. Newberry … Cast, District Attorney
• Maury Sterling … Cast, Store Clerk
• Jeffrey King … Cast, Kurtz
• Vincent J. McEveety … Cast, Bus Boy
• Richard Sexton … Cast, Newscaster
• Cady Huffman … Cast, Receptionist
• Roma Alvarez … Cast, Maid
• Jim Almanzer … Cast, Bartender