List of Columbo episodes - wikipedia List of Columbo episodes The following is an episode list for the crime fiction television series Columbo. After two pilot episodes, the show originally aired on NBC from 1971 to 1978 as one of the rotating programs of The NBC Mystery Movie. Columbo then aired less frequently on ABC beginning in 1989. The last installment was broadcast in 2003. Because the Columbo episodes from 1989 to 2003 aired infrequently, different DVD sets have been released around the world. In Region 2 and 4, all episodes have now been released as 10 seasons, with the 10th season covering the last 14 shows from `` Columbo Goes to College '' ( 1990 ) to the most recent, `` Columbo Likes the Nightlife '' ( 2003 ). However, in France, and The Netherlands ( also Region 2 ) the DVDs were released as 12 seasons. And in Region 1, all episodes from season 8 are grouped differently ; all the episodes that are originally aired on ABC were released as the COLUMBO : The Mystery Movie Collections. For the sake of clarity, all episodes in this article are arranged as they appear in the UK release. Contents 1 Series overview 2 Episodes 2.1 Pilot episodes 2.2 Season 1 ( 1971 -- 72 ) 2.3 Season 2 ( 1972 -- 73 ) 2.4 Season 3 ( 1973 -- 74 ) 2.5 Season 4 ( 1974 -- 75 ) 2.6 Season 5 ( 1975 -- 76 ) 2.7 Season 6 ( 1976 -- 77 ) 2.8 Season 7 ( 1977 -- 78 ) 2.9 Season 8 ( 1989 ) 2.10 Season 9 ( 1989 -- 90 ) 2.11 Season 10 and specials ( 1990 -- 2003 ) 3 Repeat offenders 4 Notes 5 References Series overview Season Episodes Originally aired First aired Last aired Network Pilots February 20, 1968 ( 1968 - 02 - 20 ) March 1, 1971 ( 1971 - 03 - 01 ) NBC 7 September 15, 1971 ( 1971 - 09 - 15 ) February 9, 1972 ( 1972 - 02 - 09 ) 8 September 17, 1972 ( 1972 - 09 - 17 ) March 25, 1973 ( 1973 - 03 - 25 ) 8 September 23, 1973 ( 1973 - 09 - 23 ) May 5, 1974 ( 1974 - 05 - 05 ) 6 September 15, 1974 ( 1974 - 09 - 15 ) April 27, 1975 ( 1975 - 04 - 27 ) 5 6 September 14, 1975 ( 1975 - 09 - 14 ) May 2, 1976 ( 1976 - 05 - 02 ) 6 October 10, 1976 ( 1976 - 10 - 10 ) May 22, 1977 ( 1977 - 05 - 22 ) 7 5 November 21, 1977 ( 1977 - 11 - 21 ) May 13, 1978 ( 1978 - 05 - 13 ) 8 February 6, 1989 ( 1989 - 02 - 06 ) May 1, 1989 ( 1989 - 05 - 01 ) ABC 9 6 November 25, 1989 ( 1989 - 11 - 25 ) May 14, 1990 ( 1990 - 05 - 14 ) 10 + specials 14 December 9, 1990 ( 1990 - 12 - 09 ) January 30, 2003 ( 2003 - 01 - 30 ) Episodes Pilot episodes Before Peter Falk was cast in the role of Columbo, Bert Freed played the character in `` Enough Rope '', a 1960 episode of The Chevy Mystery Show, a TV anthology series. In 1962, that episode became a stage play titled `` Prescription : Murder '' ( starring Thomas Mitchell as Columbo ). The play was adapted as a made - for - TV movie in 1968, with Falk debuting in the role. In this pilot episode, Columbo -- rather than making the rumpled presentation that would later become the character 's trademark -- is less shabbily dressed, wearing suits, shorter hair, and heavier stage makeup. He carries a raincoat, which would become a staple, during some scenes. He also appears somewhat more aggressive when confronting suspects. No. in series Title Directed by Written by Murderer played by Length Original air date `` Prescription : Murder '' Richard Irving Richard Levinson & William Link based on their play Gene Barry 98 minutes February 20, 1968 ( 1968 - 02 - 20 ) Dr. Ray Fleming ( Gene Barry ), a psychiatrist, murders his wife ( Nina Foch ) and persuades his mistress Joan Hudson ( Katherine Justice ), who is an actress and one of his patients, to support his alibi by impersonating her. Final clue / twist : Knowing that he has no hard evidence against Fleming, Columbo stages the suicide of his desperate mistress. Fleming shows no sign of emotion and even suggests that if he were the murderer, he would have gotten rid of Joan anyway. Hearing it, the alive Joan testifies against Fleming. `` Ransom for a Dead Man '' Richard Irving Story by : Richard Levinson & William Link Teleplay by : Dean Hargrove Lee Grant 92 minutes March 1, 1971 ( 1971 - 03 - 01 ) Leslie Williams ( Lee Grant ), a brilliant lawyer and pilot, murders her husband Paul ( Harlan Warde ) to get his money, arranging the act to look as if he had been kidnapped and killed by his captors. Final clue / twist : Columbo and Leslie 's stepdaughter Margaret ( Patricia Mattick ) who hates her, successfully work together to get Leslie to implicate herself by revealing where she is keeping the cash ransom with which she absconded. Season 1 ( 1971 -- 72 ) Main article : Columbo ( season 1 ) No. in series No. in season Title Directed by Written by Murderer played by Runtime Original air date `` Murder by the Book '' Steven Spielberg Steven Bochco Jack Cassidy 73 minutes September 15, 1971 ( 1971 - 09 - 15 ) `` Death Lends a Hand '' Bernard L. Kowalski Richard Levinson & William Link Robert Culp 73 minutes October 6, 1971 ( 1971 - 10 - 06 ) 5 `` Dead Weight '' Jack Smight John T. Dugan Eddie Albert 73 minutes October 27, 1971 ( 1971 - 10 - 27 ) 6 `` Suitable for Framing '' Hy Averback Jackson Gillis Ross Martin 73 minutes November 17, 1971 ( 1971 - 11 - 17 ) 7 5 `` Lady in Waiting '' Norman Lloyd Story by : Barney Slater Teleplay by : Steven Bochco Susan Clark 73 minutes December 15, 1971 ( 1971 - 12 - 15 ) 8 6 `` Short Fuse '' Edward M. Abrams Story by : Lester Pine & Tina Pine and Jackson Gillis Teleplay by : Jackson Gillis Roddy McDowall 73 minutes January 19, 1972 ( 1972 - 01 - 19 ) 9 7 `` Blueprint for Murder '' Peter Falk Story by : William Kelley Teleplay by : Steven Bochco Patrick O'Neal 73 minutes February 9, 1972 ( 1972 - 02 - 09 ) Season 2 ( 1972 -- 73 ) Main article : Columbo ( season 2 ) No. in series No. in season Title Directed by Written by Murderer played by Runtime Original air date 10 `` Étude in Black '' Nicholas Colasanto Story by : Richard Levinson & William Link Teleplay by : Steven Bochco John Cassavetes 98 minutes September 17, 1972 ( 1972 - 09 - 17 ) 11 `` The Greenhouse Jungle '' Boris Sagal Jonathan Latimer Ray Milland 73 minutes October 15, 1972 ( 1972 - 10 - 15 ) 12 `` The Most Crucial Game '' Jeremy Kagan John T. Dugan Robert Culp 73 minutes November 5, 1972 ( 1972 - 11 - 05 ) 13 `` Dagger of the Mind '' Richard Quine Story by : Richard Levinson & William Link Teleplay by : Jackson Gillis Richard Basehart and Honor Blackman 93 minutes November 26, 1972 ( 1972 - 11 - 26 ) 14 5 `` Requiem for a Falling Star '' Richard Quine Jackson Gillis Anne Baxter 73 minutes January 21, 1973 ( 1973 - 01 - 21 ) 15 6 `` A Stitch in Crime '' Hy Averback Shirl Hendryx Leonard Nimoy 73 minutes February 11, 1973 ( 1973 - 02 - 11 ) 16 7 `` The Most Dangerous Match '' Edward M. Abroms Story by : Jackson Gillis and Richard Levinson & William Link Teleplay by : Jackson Gillis Laurence Harvey 73 minutes March 4, 1973 ( 1973 - 03 - 04 ) 17 8 `` Double Shock '' Robert Butler Story by : Jackson Gillis and Richard Levinson & William Link Teleplay by : Steven Bochco Martin Landau 73 minutes March 25, 1973 ( 1973 - 03 - 25 ) Season 3 ( 1973 -- 74 ) Main article : Columbo ( season 3 ) No. in series No. in season Title Directed by Written by Murderer played by Runtime Original air date 18 `` Lovely But Lethal '' Jeannot Szwarc Story by : Myrna Bercovici Teleplay by : Jackson Gillis Vera Miles 73 minutes September 23, 1973 ( 1973 - 09 - 23 ) 19 `` Any Old Port in a Storm '' Leo Penn Story by : Larry Cohen Teleplay by : Stanley Ralph Ross Donald Pleasence 98 minutes October 7, 1973 ( 1973 - 10 - 07 ) 20 `` Candidate for Crime '' Boris Sagal Story by : Larry Cohen Teleplay by : Irving Pearlberg & Alvin R. Friedman and Roland Kibbee & Dean Hargrove Jackie Cooper 98 minutes November 4, 1973 ( 1973 - 11 - 04 ) 21 `` Double Exposure '' Richard Quine Stephen J. Cannell Robert Culp 73 minutes December 16, 1973 ( 1973 - 12 - 16 ) 22 5 `` Publish or Perish '' Robert Butler Peter S. Fischer Jack Cassidy 73 minutes January 13, 1974 ( 1974 - 01 - 13 ) 23 6 `` Mind Over Mayhem '' Alf Kjellin Story by : Robert Specht Teleplay by : Steven Bochco and Dean Hargrove & Roland Kibbee José Ferrer 73 minutes February 10, 1974 ( 1974 - 02 - 10 ) 24 7 `` Swan Song '' Nicholas Colasanto Story by : Stanley Ralph Ross Teleplay by : David Rayfiel Johnny Cash 94 minutes March 3, 1974 ( 1974 - 03 - 03 ) 25 8 `` A Friend in Deed '' Ben Gazzara Peter S. Fischer Richard Kiley and Michael McGuire 94 minutes May 5, 1974 ( 1974 - 05 - 05 ) Season 4 ( 1974 -- 75 ) Main article : Columbo ( season 4 ) No. in series No. in season Title Directed by Written by Murderer played by Runtime Original air date 26 `` An Exercise in Fatality '' Bernard L. Kowalski Story by : Larry Cohen Teleplay by : Peter S. Fischer Robert Conrad 94 minutes September 15, 1974 ( 1974 - 09 - 15 ) 27 `` Negative Reaction '' Alf Kjellin Peter S. Fischer Dick Van Dyke 92 minutes October 6, 1974 ( 1974 - 10 - 06 ) 28 `` By Dawn 's Early Light '' Harvey Hart Howard Berk Patrick McGoohan 94 minutes October 27, 1974 ( 1974 - 10 - 27 ) 29 `` Troubled Waters '' Ben Gazzara Story by : Jackson Gillis and William Driskill Teleplay by : William Driskill Robert Vaughn 94 minutes February 9, 1975 ( 1975 - 02 - 09 ) 30 5 `` Playback '' Bernard L. Kowalski David P. Lewis & Booker T. Bradshaw Oskar Werner 73 minutes March 2, 1975 ( 1975 - 03 - 02 ) 31 6 `` A Deadly State of Mind '' Harvey Hart Peter S. Fischer George Hamilton 73 minutes April 27, 1975 ( 1975 - 04 - 27 ) Season 5 ( 1975 -- 76 ) Main article : Columbo ( season 5 ) No. in series No. in season Title Directed by Written by Murderer played by Runtime Original air date 32 `` Forgotten Lady '' Harvey Hart William Driskill Janet Leigh 92 minutes September 14, 1975 ( 1975 - 09 - 14 ) 33 `` A Case of Immunity '' Ted Post Story by : James Menzies Teleplay by : Lou Shaw Hector Elizondo 73 minutes October 12, 1975 ( 1975 - 10 - 12 ) 34 `` Identity Crisis '' Patrick McGoohan William Driskill Patrick McGoohan 94 minutes November 2, 1975 ( 1975 - 11 - 02 ) 35 `` A Matter of Honor '' Ted Post Brad Radnitz Ricardo Montalban 73 minutes February 1, 1976 ( 1976 - 02 - 01 ) 36 5 `` Now You See Him... '' Harvey Hart Michael Sloan Jack Cassidy 85 minutes February 29, 1976 ( 1976 - 02 - 29 ) 37 6 `` Last Salute to the Commodore '' Patrick McGoohan Jackson Gillis Fred Draper 98 minutes May 2, 1976 ( 1976 - 05 - 02 ) Season 6 ( 1976 -- 77 ) Main article : Columbo ( season 6 ) No. in series No. in season Title Directed by Written by Murderer played by Runtime Original air date 38 `` Fade in to Murder '' Bernard L. Kowalski Story by : Henry Garson Teleplay by : Lou Shaw and Peter S. Feibleman William Shatner 73 minutes October 10, 1976 ( 1976 - 10 - 10 ) 39 `` Old Fashioned Murder '' Robert Douglas Story by : Lawrence Vail Teleplay by : Peter S. Feibleman Joyce Van Patten 73 minutes November 28, 1976 ( 1976 - 11 - 28 ) 40 `` The Bye - Bye Sky High IQ Murder Case '' Sam Wanamaker Robert Malcolm Young Theodore Bikel 73 minutes May 22, 1977 ( 1977 - 05 - 22 ) Season 7 ( 1977 -- 78 ) Main article : Columbo ( season 7 ) No. in series No. in season Title Directed by Written by Murderer played by Runtime Original air date 41 `` Try and Catch Me '' James Frawley Story by : Gene Thompson Teleplay by : Gene Thompson & Paul Tuckahoe Ruth Gordon 70 minutes November 21, 1977 ( 1977 - 11 - 21 ) 42 `` Murder Under Glass '' Jonathan Demme Robert van Scoyk Louis Jourdan 73 minutes January 30, 1978 ( 1978 - 01 - 30 ) 43 `` Make Me a Perfect Murder '' James Frawley Robert Blees Trish Van Devere 94 minutes February 25, 1978 ( 1978 - 02 - 25 ) 44 `` How to Dial a Murder '' James Frawley Story by : Anthony Lawrence Teleplay by : Tom Lazarus Nicol Williamson 70 minutes April 15, 1978 ( 1978 - 04 - 15 ) 45 5 `` The Conspirators '' Leo Penn Based on an Idea by : Pat Robison Teleplay by : Howard Berk Clive Revill 98 minutes May 13, 1978 ( 1978 - 05 - 13 ) Season 8 ( 1989 ) Main article : Columbo ( season 8 ) No. in series No. in season Title Directed by Written by Murderer played by Runtime Original air date 46 `` Columbo Goes to the Guillotine '' Leo Penn William Read Woodfield Anthony Andrews 89 minutes February 6, 1989 ( 1989 - 02 - 06 ) 47 `` Murder, Smoke and Shadows '' James Frawley Richard Alan Simmons Fisher Stevens 91 minutes February 27, 1989 ( 1989 - 02 - 27 ) 48 `` Sex and the Married Detective '' James Frawley Jerry Ludwig Lindsay Crouse 90 minutes April 3, 1989 ( 1989 - 04 - 03 ) 49 `` Grand Deceptions '' Sam Wanamaker Sy Salkowitz Robert Foxworth 89 minutes May 1, 1989 ( 1989 - 05 - 01 ) Season 9 ( 1989 -- 90 ) Main article : Columbo ( season 9 ) No. in series No. in season Title Directed by Written by Murderer played by Runtime Original air date 50 `` Murder : A Self Portrait '' James Frawley Robert Sherman Patrick Bauchau 88 minutes November 25, 1989 ( 1989 - 11 - 25 ) 51 `` Columbo Cries Wolf '' Daryl Duke William Read Woodfield Ian Buchanan 90 minutes January 20, 1990 ( 1990 - 01 - 20 ) 52 `` Agenda for Murder '' Patrick McGoohan Jeffrey Bloom Patrick McGoohan 88 minutes February 10, 1990 ( 1990 - 02 - 10 ) 53 `` Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo '' Vincent McEveety Peter S. Fischer Helen Shaver 88 minutes March 31, 1990 ( 1990 - 03 - 31 ) 54 5 `` Uneasy Lies the Crown '' Alan J. Levi Steven Bochco James Read 90 minutes April 28, 1990 ( 1990 - 04 - 28 ) 55 6 `` Murder in Malibu '' Walter Grauman Jackson Gillis Andrew Stevens 92 minutes May 14, 1990 ( 1990 - 05 - 14 ) Season 10 and specials ( 1990 -- 2003 ) Main article : Columbo ( season 10 ) No. in series No. in season Title Directed by Written by Murderer played by Original air date 56 `` Columbo Goes to College '' E.W. Swackhamer Story by : Jeffrey Bloom and Frederick King Keller Teleplay by : Jeffrey Bloom Stephen Caffrey / Gary Hershberger December 9, 1990 ( 1990 - 12 - 09 ) 57 `` Caution : Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health '' Daryl Duke Sonia Wolf, Patricia Ford and April Raynell George Hamilton February 20, 1991 ( 1991 - 02 - 20 ) 58 `` Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star '' Alan J. Levi William Read Woodfield Dabney Coleman April 29, 1991 ( 1991 - 04 - 29 ) 59 `` Death Hits the Jackpot '' Vincent McEveety Jeffrey Bloom Rip Torn December 15, 1991 ( 1991 - 12 - 15 ) 60 5 `` No Time to Die '' Alan J. Levi Story by : Ed McBain Teleplay by : Robert van Scoyk ( No murder. Daniel McDonald plays the would - be murderer. ) February 15, 1992 ( 1992 - 02 - 15 ) 61 6 `` A Bird in the Hand... '' Vincent McEveety Jackson Gillis Tyne Daly and Greg Evigan June 19, 1992 ( 1992 - 06 - 19 ) 62 7 `` It 's All in the Game '' Vincent McEveety Peter Falk Faye Dunaway and Claudia Christian October 31, 1993 ( 1993 - 10 - 31 ) 63 8 `` Butterfly in Shades of Grey '' Dennis Dugan Peter S. Fischer William Shatner January 10, 1994 ( 1994 - 01 - 10 ) 64 9 `` Undercover '' Vincent McEveety Story by : Ed McBain Teleplay by : Gerry Day Ed Begley Jr. May 2, 1994 ( 1994 - 05 - 02 ) 65 10 `` Strange Bedfellows '' Vincent McEveety Lawrence Vail George Wendt April 23, 1996 ( 1996 - 04 - 23 ) 66 11 `` A Trace of Murder '' Vincent McEveety Charles Kipps David Rasche November 4, 1997 ( 1997 - 11 - 04 ) 67 12 `` Ashes to Ashes '' Patrick McGoohan Jeffrey Hatcher Patrick McGoohan October 8, 1998 ( 1998 - 10 - 08 ) 68 13 `` Murder With Too Many Notes '' Patrick McGoohan Story by : Jeffrey Cava Teleplay by : Jeffrey Cava and Patrick McGoohan Billy Connolly March 12, 2001 ( 2001 - 03 - 12 ) 69 14 `` Columbo Likes the Nightlife '' Jeffrey Reiner Michael Alaimo Jennifer Sky and Matthew Rhys January 30, 2003 ( 2003 - 01 - 30 ) Repeat offenders Here is a list of the actors who starred as murderers in more than one episode : Patrick McGoohan starred in four episodes as the murderer : By Dawn 's Early Light ( Emmy Award ) ( 1974 ), Identity Crisis ( 1975 ), Agenda for Murder ( Emmy Award ) ( 1990 ), and Ashes to Ashes ( 1998 ). Jack Cassidy starred in three episodes as the murderer : Murder by the Book ( 1971 ), Publish or Perish ( 1974 ), and Now You See Him... ( 1976 ). Robert Culp starred in three episodes as the murderer : Death Lends a Hand ( 1971 ), The Most Crucial Game ( 1972 ), and Double Exposure ( 1973 ). Also appeared in one episode as the father of the murderer : Columbo Goes to College ( 1990 ). George Hamilton starred in two episodes as the murderer : A Deadly State of Mind ( 1975 ) and Caution : Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health ( 1991 ). William Shatner starred in two episodes as the murderer : Fade in to Murder ( 1976 ) and Butterfly in Shades of Grey ( 1994 ). Notes Jump up ^ `` Columbo - Complete Series DVD UK ''. Retrieved April 2, 2012. Jump up ^ UK DVD Cover shows the complete collection Jump up ^ `` Columbo, saison 12 Fr ''. Retrieved April 2, 2012. Jump up ^ `` COLUMBO US DVD release at Universal Studio ''. Retrieved April 2, 2012. References Dawidziak, Mark ( 1989 ). The Columbo Phile : A Casebook. New York : Mysterious Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 89296 - 984 - 5. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Columbo_episodes&oldid=800317258 '' Categories : Columbo Lists of American crime television series episodes Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Deutsch Français Nederlands Norsk Русский Українська Edit links This page was last edited on 12 September 2017, at 19 : 41. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: when did the first episode of columbo air
Answer: February 20, 1968