Peter Falk Has Died at the Age of 83

Peter Falk, the actor most famous for his role in "Columbo," died Friday. My first reaction to hearing the news was literally, "What?" I am not sure why it struck me like that. He was not a young man. He'd been out of the public eye for a bit. My guess is that when you are so famous for that one character you played, and played so well, you seem immortal. And today I found out it's not the case.

I saw "Columbo" mostly in reruns, but I always felt a connection to the show. Falk's character reeled me in and made me care about every victim, every storyline, every person Columbo investigated.

His disability is what struck the biggest chord with me. Many people would have given up the notion of an acting career having a glass eye, but, instead of it being a hindrance, it ended up being one of his most famous and successful qualities. Having the career he did when he could have hidden himself away instead is one of the many reasons I wanted to become a writer: I wanted to do something I loved no matter the obstacles.

The way Peter Falk looked as Lt. Columbo with that raincoat, the short cigar, and the squinty eye, is how I always saw Falk. Lt. Columbo was him. I always thought to myself that surely when Falk went home from work on the set, he was still that character. Lt. Columbo was so powerful that it was hard to see Falk as his own man with a normal life and a family.

Falk is survived by his second wife and his two daughters from his first marriage. He will be missed, but will always be fondly remembered by his many fans.