Best known as the rumpled genius detective in the television series Columbo as well as the film
The Princess Bride, he also did a star turn in arguably one of the best films ever made, Wim Wender's
Wings of Desire
A lieutenant in the Los Angeles Police Department, Columbo was a comic variation on the traditional fictional detective. With the keen mind of Sherlock Holmes and Philip Marlowe, he was cast in the mold of neither — not a gentleman scholar, not a tough guy. He was instead a mass of quirks and peculiarities, a seemingly distracted figure in a rumpled raincoat, perpetually patting his pockets for a light for his signature stogie.(and incidentally, the detectives signature raincoat and battered car were chosen by Falk)
On a personal note, THANK YOU MR.FALK for helping to encourage my love of mystery stories and great detectives, anything with you in it was worth watching!