London, June 25 : ‘Colombo’ star Peter Michael Falk, who played the legendary shabby-coated cigar-chomping TV detective, has died at the age of 83.
The American actor, who had been suffering from dementia for a number of years, breathed his last at his home in Beverly Hills on Thursday night.
The octogenarian actor, who had an eye removed at the age of three due to cancer, had been under 24-hour care since several years, reports the BBC.
He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Shera, and daughters Catherine and Jackie from a previous marriage.
Falk had won four Emmys for the role of the deceptively bumbling Columbo, and was nominated for Oscars in 1960 and 1961.
It is known that the actor had bought Columbo''s trademark raincoat himself, which got replaced after it became too tattered through its near constant use in the series.
In one of his interviews, on being asked about his shabby detective look “like a flood victim,” he answered: “you feel sorry for him. He appears to be seeing nothing, but he''s seeing everything. Underneath his dishevelment, a good mind is at work.”
The octogenarian actor, who had an eye removed at the age of three due to cancer, had been under 24-hour care since several years, reports the BBC.
He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Shera, and daughters Catherine and Jackie from a previous marriage.
Falk had won four Emmys for the role of the deceptively bumbling Columbo, and was nominated for Oscars in 1960 and 1961.
It is known that the actor had bought Columbo''s trademark raincoat himself, which got replaced after it became too tattered through its near constant use in the series.
In one of his interviews, on being asked about his shabby detective look “like a flood victim,” he answered: “you feel sorry for him. He appears to be seeing nothing, but he''s seeing everything. Underneath his dishevelment, a good mind is at work.”