[78-L] Hi-yo Columbo (not Cristofo), wuz Re: Heigh-ho Silver!

[David Lennick]

And apparently there's some truth to the story that his first name was FRANK. 
This is from Wonkypederast but it's turning up elsewhere as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbo

When Columbo is explicitly asked if he has a first name in season 4 episode By 
Dawn's Early Light, he just dispassionately answers back that he does, but the 
only person who uses it is his wife. In the season 12 episode "Undercover", 
Columbo is asked once again what his first name is, to which he emphatically 
answers, "Lieutenant," a sentiment echoed by actor Peter Falk and creators 
Richard Levinson and William Link.
[edit] Frank
Columbo's warrant card and badge with the name Frank Columbo in the episode 
"Dead Weight". The website of the LAPD has a description of the LAPD badge.

However, in the 1971 episode "Dead Weight", when Columbo introduces himself to 
General Hollister the audience is shown a brief close-up of Columbo's badge and 
warrant card, complete with signature, which appears to read "Frank Columbo". 
The same ID badge and warrant card is seen in numerous other episodes, and the 
signature "Frank Columbo" is clearly visible in the season 5 episode "A Matter 
of Honor".

Universal Studios, in the box set of seasons 1–4 under their Playback label, 
included a picture of Columbo's police badge on the back of the box, with 
signature "Frank Columbo" and the name "Lt Frank Columbo" in type. This appears 
to be a different badge from the one seen in "Dead Weight", with a different 
signature.
[edit] The "Philip Columbo" myth

Several sources cite the lieutenant's name as "Philip Columbo", variously 
claiming that the name was either in the original script for Prescription: 
Murder, or that it was visible on his police badge. For instance, in denying a 
rumor that Columbo's first name is actually "Peter", Falk said "if he has a 
name at all it is 'Philip,' which was the name used in the original story, 
Prescription: Murder."[20] Peugeot ran an advertising campaign that mentioned 
"Lt Philip Columbo" as the most famous driver of the Peugeot 403 convertible.

The name "Philip Columbo," was, in fact, invented by Fred L. Worth, in whose 
book, The Trivia Encyclopedia, the fictitious entry about Columbo's first name 
was actually a "copyright trap" – a deliberately false statement intended to 
reveal subsequent copyright infringement.[contradiction][21] Ultimately, 
however, Worth's ploy was not successful. In 1984, he filed a $300 million 
lawsuit against the distributors of the board game, Trivial Pursuit, claiming 
that they had sourced their questions from his book, even to the point of 
reproducing typographical errors contained in the book. Worth's suit revolved 
around the use of the name, "Philip Columbo", included in a game-question about 
Lt Columbo. The makers of Trivial Pursuit did not deny that they sourced 
material from Worth's book, but argued there was nothing improper about using 
the book, as one of a number of other references, in the process of building 
game-questions. The judge agreed, ruling in favor of Trivial Pursuit, and the 
case was dismissed.[21] Worth appealed, but the Court of Appeals for the Ninth 
Circuit affirmed.[22] Worth asked the United States Supreme Court to hear the 
case, but it declined.[23]

--dl

On 12/9/2011 6:21 PM, Mike Daley wrote:
> It's a contentious matter -
> http://www.columbo-site.freeuk.com/firstnamecourt.htm
>
> On Fri, Dec 9, 2011 at 5:54 PM, David Lennick<dlennick at sympatico.ca>  wrote:
>> Lou for short.
>>
>> dl
>>
>> On 12/9/2011 5:27 PM, Cary Ginell wrote:
>>>
>>> That's easy. Lieutenant.
>>>
>>> Cary Ginell
>>>
>>>
>>>> Date: Fri, 9 Dec 2011 17:22:52 -0500
>>>> From: dlennick at sympatico.ca
>>>> To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
>>>> Subject: Re: [78-L] Heigh-ho Silver!
>>>>
>>>> So Cary's friend can now get back on the wall. Now then, what's Columbo's first
>>>> name?
>>>>
>>>> dl