Just One More Thing

Author: Peter Falk
Stars: 4
Review by: jamBob

First book in a long time I did not want to put down. Not because it a literary masterpiece, far from it, but a walk down memory lane with an actor who created great characters in film and on TV. This is an autobiography of a man who stumbled into show business and had a great time in the process. My two favorite comedies are It's a Mad Mad Mad World and The In-Laws. Falk was in both of them, one a bit part the other a comedic lead. These are my therapy videos when life gets too serious. 

 

But who can forget the one and only Columbo! Episodes spanned nearly 30 years. People threw Columbo parties. And in the country of Romania he was their #1 favorite actor- detective. So much so that he had to appear at the behest of the Romanian government on Romanian TV to let the public know he only filmed 6 episodes / year as the Romanian people thought their government was controlling the amount of American TV they could see. They did have strict quotas, but they were not intentionally limiting Columbo. That's all there were. 

 

The book is written as if he is in the room having a pleasant conversation with you and sharing his memories. Delightful! Sadly Mr. Falk passed away in 2011 after dementia became Alzheimer's . Sadly too there was some disagreement between his children from  his first marriage and his second wife toward the end of his life. I believe they initiated some lawsuits regarding the rights of children to visit a sick parent.

 

Despite the loss of one eye at the age of 3, Peter was a charming successful actor in a tough business. In many of his films he was not the top actor, but every director seemed to want him in their film including a bit part in the Godfather that just was too small for him to take. To this day I enjoy the Columbo series and happily watch repeats just to relive how how he unravels a case and nails the murderer with the tiniest of clues.He is always understated and polite and as he exits the scene something comes to his mind before he reaches the door, he turns and says....."Just one more thing!"