Of all of the repeat offenders who appeared on Columbo, I admit to liking Jack Cassidy the best. Handsome, charming, exuding great self-confidence, always immaculately dressed, he's one you just love to see Columbo drag off to prison, no matter what character he's playing.
Here's he's a well-known magician with a secret. Calling himself The Great Santini, he's known by the blackmailing club owner Jesse Jerome (Nehemiah Persoff) of the Magic nightclub where he performs as Stefan Mueller, former SS officer.
Jerome collects 50% of The Great Santini's earnings - he's a regular Tom Parker. Elvis may not have known any better, but Santini does, and he's sick of paying up. When he tries to pay just 10%, Jerome informs him that if he doesn't have the rest of the money by performance time, he'll be writing to the Israeli government and turning him in.
Santini doesn't appear with the rest of the money - he has other plans, which include shooting Jerome during the time when he has an excellent alibi, stuck on stage in a locked case submerged in a tank of water.
I always try to find the moment where Columbo knows the identity of the killer - this one didn't take him long. Bob Dishy is a riot as the officer assisting Columbo, constantly returning the new raincoat Mrs. Columbo gave her husband, which he is desperate to lose.
Fantastic episode, with the lovely Cynthia Sikes as The Great Santini's daughter. Sadly, it was Cassidy's last appearance - he died in a fire in December 1976, the year of this episode.
Here's he's a well-known magician with a secret. Calling himself The Great Santini, he's known by the blackmailing club owner Jesse Jerome (Nehemiah Persoff) of the Magic nightclub where he performs as Stefan Mueller, former SS officer.
Jerome collects 50% of The Great Santini's earnings - he's a regular Tom Parker. Elvis may not have known any better, but Santini does, and he's sick of paying up. When he tries to pay just 10%, Jerome informs him that if he doesn't have the rest of the money by performance time, he'll be writing to the Israeli government and turning him in.
Santini doesn't appear with the rest of the money - he has other plans, which include shooting Jerome during the time when he has an excellent alibi, stuck on stage in a locked case submerged in a tank of water.
I always try to find the moment where Columbo knows the identity of the killer - this one didn't take him long. Bob Dishy is a riot as the officer assisting Columbo, constantly returning the new raincoat Mrs. Columbo gave her husband, which he is desperate to lose.
Fantastic episode, with the lovely Cynthia Sikes as The Great Santini's daughter. Sadly, it was Cassidy's last appearance - he died in a fire in December 1976, the year of this episode.