Peter Falk
Biography
Peter Falk was an American actor who began on the New York stage, appearing off-Broadway and at Circle in the Square before his film breakthrough as the killer Abe Reles in Murder, Inc. (1960), which brought him an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor. A second nomination followed for Pocketful of Miracles (1961), and he won an Emmy for the television drama The Price of Tomatoes. He became best known as Lieutenant Columbo, the rumpled detective he first played in Prescription: Murder (1968) and then across three decades of television movies, winning four Emmys and a Golden Globe. His films included Husbands (1970), A Woman Under the Influence (1974), Murder by Death (1976), Mikey and Nicky (1976), The In-Laws (1979), The Princess Bride (1987), Wings of Desire (1987) and Next (2007). He published an autobiography, Just One More Thing, in 2006, and died in 2011.
83years old at death
- Born New York City
- Died Beverly Hills
- Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
- Peter Michael Falk (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 38
- Career span
- 62 years1958 to 2020
Genres
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First role
Falk's first New York stage role was the second lead, Sganarelle, in an off-Broadway Don Juan that closed after a single performance in January 1956.
Early training
Falk trained with Eva Le Gallienne, whose acting class met at the White Barn Theatre in Westport, Connecticut. He got in, he remembered, by lying his way into a course intended for professional actors.
Getting ready for a role
Falk supplied Columbo's wardrobe from his own closet, high-topped shoes and shabby raincoat included. That raincoat made its first appearance in Prescription: Murder.
Behind the camera
Falk directed one Columbo episode, "Blueprint for Murder" in 1971, and was rumored to have shared direction duties on "Étude in Black" with John Cassavetes.
Peter Falk movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- The Princess Bride1987 Adventure, Comedy, Familyas The Grandfather / Narrator
IMDb rating 8.0491K votes
Most often with
John Cassavetes directed three of these films, Wim Wenders two and Robert Moore two. Three actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Vincent Pastore's page
Gena Rowlands's page
John Cassavetes's page
Bruce Dern's page
Charles Durning's page
All films by Wim Wenders
All films by Robert Moore
Also two films together22 more actors
- Alan ArkinBig Trouble (1986) and The In-Laws (1979)
- James CromwellThe Cheap Detective (1978) and Murder by Death (1976)
- Seymour CasselA Constant Forge (2000) and Murder, Inc. (1960)
- Carol KaneA Constant Forge (2000) and The Princess Bride (1987)
- Ann-MargretThe Cheap Detective (1978) and Pocketful of Miracles (1961)
- Jerome CowanPenelope (1966) and Pocketful of Miracles (1961)
- Arthur O'ConnellThe Great Race (1965) and Pocketful of Miracles (1961)
- Blake ClarkAmerican Cowslip (2009) and Corky Romano (2001)
- Eileen BrennanThe Cheap Detective (1978) and Murder by Death (1976)
- Natalie WoodPenelope (1966) and The Great Race (1965)
- Ben GazzaraA Constant Forge (2000) and Husbands (1970)
- Bruno GanzFaraway, So Close! (1993) and Wings of Desire (1987)
- Richard LibertiniBig Trouble (1986) and The In-Laws (1979)
- Richard BakalyanRobin and the 7 Hoods (1964) and Pressure Point (1962)
- Sheldon LeonardThe Brink's Job (1978) and Pocketful of Miracles (1961)
- Carmine CaridiThe In-Laws (1979) and The Cheap Detective (1978)
- Howard SmithMurder, Inc. (1960) and Wind Across the Everglades (1958)
- James CocoThe Cheap Detective (1978) and Murder by Death (1976)
- John FinneganBig Trouble (1986) and A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
- Arlene GolonkaThe In-Laws (1979) and Penelope (1966)
- Otto SanderFaraway, So Close! (1993) and Wings of Desire (1987)
- Solveig DommartinFaraway, So Close! (1993) and Wings of Desire (1987)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Peter Falk's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$652 million
16 of the 38 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 38 films: 16 worldwide figure; 5 us gross only; 4 never in cinemas; 13 figure not found.
- 16Worldwide figure
- 5US gross only
- 4Never in cinemas
- 13Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 93% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$367M56.3% of the total
- 2$76M11.7% of the total
- 3$38M5.9% of the total
- 4$33M5.0% of the total
- 5$31M4.7% of the total
- 6$25M3.9% of the total
- 7$24M3.7% of the total
- 8$15M2.3% of the total
$43.2 millionfrom the other 8 films with a worldwide figure, 7% of the total
Awards
Six awards and honors from 1962 to 1990, five of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Globes | |||
| Awards | Won | ||
| Emmy Awards | |||
| 1990 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | Columbo | Won |
| 1976 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | Columbo | Won |
| 1972 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | Columbo | Won |
| 1962 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie | The Dick Powell Show | Won |
| Other honors | |||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.