Now You See Him
- Episode aired Feb 29, 1976
- TV-PG
- 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
2.9K
YOUR RATING
A stage illusionist kills his employer and makes it look like a contract killing; it's up to Lt. Columbo to trick the master trickster.A stage illusionist kills his employer and makes it look like a contract killing; it's up to Lt. Columbo to trick the master trickster.A stage illusionist kills his employer and makes it look like a contract killing; it's up to Lt. Columbo to trick the master trickster.
Benjie Bancroft
- Police Officer
- (uncredited)
John Blower
- Magician's Assistant
- (uncredited)
Donald Chaffin
- Club Patron
- (uncredited)
Robert Cole
- Chef
- (uncredited)
Dorothy Dells
- Secretary
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe boarding house interview scene with Mike Lally was filmed several months after principal photography was completed on the episode. The writers hadn't completed, or could not agree on, the plot twist featuring Lally as a damning witness who could help to reveal Santini's true identity. Peter Falk himself wrote and directed the scene. Lally had appeared in 20 previous episodes of Columbo in minor roles or as an extra, making him the second-most cast actor of the show behind Falk. Lally's son said the scene, which uses Lally's real name for his character, was Falk's gift to the elderly Mike Lally for his otherwise nameless contributions to the series.
- GoofsDetective Sergeant John J. Wilson is identified by name not only by Columbo but by himself, and both characters mention having worked together earlier. They did work together before in The Greenhouse Jungle (1972), but Detective Wilson's name (played by Bob Dishy) in that episode is Frederic, not John J.
- Quotes
Santini: And I thought I'd performed the perfect murder!
Lt. Columbo: Perfect murder, sir? Oh, I'm sorry. There is no such thing as a perfect murder. That's just an illusion.
- Alternate versionsThe original German version from the 1970s was censored due to the Nazi topic. The dubbing changed Jack Cassidy's character Santini from the ex-Nazi Stefan Mueller to a wanted British bank robber named Stanley Matthews. Also this Columbo episode was slightly cut in places where the dubbing changes would have become obvious (i.e. the last few seconds of the scene where the name "Stefan Mueller" can be read on Jerome's letter). In the 1990s the German TV network "RTL Television" had the uncut version of this episode re-dubbed, now sticking to the original plot and preserving the Nazi-topic.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Late Night with Seth Meyers: Sarah Silverman/Nico Hiraga (2021)
- SoundtracksCharade
Music by Henry Mancini
Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
Sung by cabaret singer and incorporated into the background score
Featured review
jack cassidy + peter falk= pure magic on screen
This the third Columbo that Jack Cassidy has played the villain and sadly the last. This is my favorite of the three where Cassidy plays the Great Santini who is on a us tour for his magic act. Santini's boss is aware that the Great Santini used to be an ex-Nazi named stefan Mueller during the end of world war II and the exposure of this leads Santini to preform the " perfect murder." In my opinion this was one of the most clever murders of the entire series due to beguiling tricks up Santini's sleeve. Once Peter Falk joins the festivities the pure magic begins as these two icons of film trifle around about magic tricks and secrets that must be revealed to sort out alibi's. Lt Columbo states "Your really not in that cube"? This terrific episode continues with other side acts including a Sergeant from a previous Columbo titled "The Greenhouse Jungle" returns to rekindle some comic relief with Lt Columbo. Lt Columbo constantly forgetting his new coat and Seargent Wilson always finding it for him is some of the funniest moments in the series. As good as Falk is here the show really belongs to Cassidy with his cocksure panache and smug posture really is convinced that he has preformed the perfect murder until Columbo tests his abilities to pick a pair of handcuffs for hardened criminals. This particular scene is one of tense moments in the entire series. Cassidy knows if he picks it he is guilty but still the master of illusions is more concerned about his image than to confess a murder. It's at this point Columbo moves in for the kill and starts to glean and glean some more until The Great Santini succumbs to his confession. This is in my top Five Columbo's of all time.
helpful•210
- nightwatch4773
- Mar 29, 2012
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Wenn der Schein trügt
- Filming locations
- The Magic Castle - 7000 Franklin Av Los Angelès, California, USA(Stage and other interiors)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 38 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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