May 9, 2025: The Columbo rewatch continues with…Swan Song!

Our Columbo rewatch continues with…

“Swan Song”

This episode aired March 3, 1974.

The prized black guitar featured in this episode was a one-of-a-kind custom build for Johnny Cash that was created without the knowledge of Martin Company President C.F. Martin III as he had always resisted requests to make a black version. Eventually, the company came around and, in honor of Cash, created two black guitars: The Black Martin D-35 and the Black Martin DX.

Although Johnny Cash plays a pilot in this episode, he was actually afraid of flying.

Director Nicholas Colasanto would go on to find fame as Ernie ‘Coach’ Pantusso on Cheers (1982). Tommy Brown’s manager is named after him.

Lucille Meredith, who played Jean the chatty seamstress, was married to Roland Kibbee, a writer/producer on the show.

John Randolph, who portrays Colonel Mayhoff, was the original Frank Costanza on Seinfeld but was ultimately recast.

Actor Sorrell Brooke, who played the groovy-looking J.J. Stringer, would go on to play Boss Hogg on The Dukes of Hazzard.

Columbo co-creator Dick Levinson was not a fan of what he felt was the show’s over-reliance on humor. According Levinson: “Peter tended to play broader comedy. He also could make it too cute. They started using to many close-ups, which we disagreed with.” While I agree that a little goes a long way, I also feel that humor really allows viewers to connect with characters.

My thoughts on this episode in chronological viewing order…

They’re intercutting this concert scene with actual Johnny Cash concert footage. Not exactly seamless, but interesting nevertheless.

Pack that parachute for later. Just in case!

She’s 16!!! He registered them at motels as father and daughter!

And then we have the bible-thumping blackmailer. This episode pulls no punches.

That is one rocky ride. You could not pay me to fly in one of those.

How is that plane crash within crawling difference? And who would possibly believe anyone could “be thrown clear” and survive?

I do like Columbo wandering around in the background, ruining the shot.

Of course Columbo’s wife is a big fan and has all Tommy Brown ‘s albums.

Hmmmm. The seatbelts.

Hmmmm. The empty case.

Columbo on his fear of heights: “As a matter of fact, I don’t even like being this tall.” Best line of the episode.

Even though it’s clearly vamp designed to fill out the longer run time, I really do like this scene of John Vitti’s Mr. Grindell trying to sell Columbo a funeral plan. Apparently, a number of scenes (like the cooking show scene in “Double Shock”) were improvised.

Columbo on his wife: “She cries easily. She cries when she loses at bowling.” I once dated a girl who was much the same. Every time she would start to lose at something, she would burst into tears and quit.

The brother offers Columbo a possible motive: “She had something on him.”

Note that at the opening concert and here at the “pool party”, they practically play the whole song. Gotta make the most of that licensing fee. Also, sounds like he’s backed by a full invisible orchestra.

Looks like a pretty overcast day for a pool party. Can’t help but notice all the guys are wearing jackets while the women are in bikinis.

Columbo on being informed the chili is made with squirrel meat: “Yeah, that explains it.”

Tommy Brown is one cool customer. He’s got an answer for everything: the seatbelts, the missing maps.

Honestly, why would the mechanic mention anything as inconsequential as a thermos?

Tommy creeping on Tina!

Columbo turns down a drink because he says he’s on duty. Come on. Since when has that ever stopped him?

Again, Tommy has an answer for everything.

“People think we got all sorts of record on microfilm, think all we gotta do is push a button and – “
“Well don’t you?
“Yes we do, but not everything.”
Great exchange.

He was a parachute rigger. Well, isn’t that convenient?

“I want to order an autopsy.” Would you like fries with that?

The tox screen reveals trace barbiturates but Tommy suggests it could have been the air sickness pills they took. Again, the man with all the answers.

Another vamp scene but I really do like Lucille Meredith’s kooky and quasi-flirtatious performance here. Ultimately pointless, but fun.

“My husband was half Italian. Oh and a wonderfully warm man too. Just the way Italians are supposed to be.” True.

“Is it old age?”
“No, it’s not that. Who knows what it is, but it’s not that.”
Love this.

Holy smokes, it feels like the extra 20 minutes added to this episode are all parachute-related.

“Guy would probably break something. An arm, a leg or a pelvis or something.” You know, now that you mention it…

The Mystery of the Missing Parachute.

He overhears Columbo enlisting the boy scout troop in the retrieval operation. The kids can make a fun afternoon of searching for the thermos or any overlooked corpses.

Another great little exchange when Columbo talks about what a huge fan his wife is and how she carries on while listening to his records:
“Sometimes I even wonder about my wife.”
“But not like she wants to kill me.”
“No,sir. Just the opposite.”

Tommy won’t require police protection as he is conveniently leaving town.

And he does, but there’s something about the keys…

Ye olde “Caught in the glare of the headlights” shot.

“You know I’d come up here.”
“I knew, then I didn’t know, and then I knew.”

A nice little ending reminiscent of the final scene of Any Old Port in a Storm.

A lot of fun moments here and a great performance by Johnny Cash, but the whole parachute thru-line was ridiculous. The fact that he was a parachute rigger in the army felt enormously contrived, and then the subsequent beats of Columbo pulling together the whole parachute theory felt very drawn out. He could have just learned he was a parachute rigger and then gone straight to “he hid the parachute somewhere”. Did we really need all of the investigate beats related to the size of the parachute, how it would have fit in the case, etc.? Also, the entire sequence of Tommy announcing he was leaving, going to the airport, Columbo seeing him off, and Columbo clocking the keys was unnecessary when you think about it. Why tell Tommy he was going to get police security? Just don’t tell him and allow the whole thing to play out. Finally, the rental key revelation is pointless as well because Columbo would have staked the place out anyway.

In the end, I don’t rate this episode as highly as many Columbo fans. My revised episode rankings: 1. Any Old Port in a Storm, 2. Double Exposure, 3. Double Shock, 4. A Stitch in Crime, 5. Death Lends a Hand, 6. Suitable for Framing, 7. Publish or Perish, 8. Dagger of the Mind, 9 Requiem for a Falling Star, 10. Prescription: Murder, 12. Murder by the Book/Ransom for a Dead Man (tie), 12. Swan Song, 13. Lady in Waiting, 14. Etude in Black, 15. The Most Crucial Game, 16. Blueprint for Murder, 17. Lovely But Lethal, 18. The Most Dangerous Match, 19. The Greenhouse Jungle 20. Dead Weight, 21. Short Fuse, 22. Candidate for Crime, 23. Mind Over Mayhem.

Finally, does Columbo have enough evidence for a conviction. Will Tommy Brown be found GUILTY or is he looking at an ACQUITTAL? Well, after being caught red-handed with that parachute, I think it’s lights out for Tommy. Guilty!

The post May 9, 2025: The Columbo rewatch continues with…Swan Song! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.