Columbo Clothes and Laughs

Season 7, Episode 4, Columbo - How to Dial a Murder (1978)   This episode was directed by James Frawley, and written by Tom Lazarus, Anthony Lawrence, and Richard Levinson.   The dog episode!    The three best outfits in this episode are:  1) Miss Cochran the dog trainer's outfit:      She is wearing a light brown plaid butterfly collar blouse with a khaki denim western coat along with dark jeans tucked into high saddle leather boots.   Love her matching saddle leather dog treat pouch.  Bonus points for her orange 70s Chevy Blazer truck   And bonus points for her assistant Henry's "funny suit."  2) Charlie Hunter's tennis outfit:    He's sporting a two-tone brown matching sweatsuit with a green and white rugby stripe polo golf shirt  Unfortunately this will be his final outfit. The rainbow Head tennis racquet cover is a nice touch.  3) Joanne Nicholl's (Kim Cattrall) red cardigan outfit:  She is in a ch...

Season 7, Episode 3, Columbo - Make Me a Perfect Murder (1978)   This episode was directed by James Frawley, and written by Robert Blees, Richard Levinson, and William Link.    The three best outfits in this episode are:   1) Kay's men's shirt with nothing else:      She's in a blue and white striped oxford button down shirt and no pants. The two-tone green, yellow, and brown patio furniture here is so fresh.  She later puts on a denim skirt. Nicely coordinated with her secret lover slash boss slash murder victim's blue shirt with white short shorts.  2) Luther's pink and red ensemble:  He's rocking a bright red ribbed turtleneck under an open cotton candy pink button down shirt      His sleeves are rolled up and his light denim jeans are bell bottoms.  3) Kay's dark blood red murder outfit:  She's wearing some dark red hiphugger flares with a matching blouse and striped tie. She's carrying a big saddle brown pur...

With the end of the 70s Columbo episodes rapidly approaching, I was feeling a little melancholy about the end of this project.      Columbo Clothes and Laughs has given me something wholesome and interesting to focus on (disassociate with) for the past 10 months straight.    I posted the three best outfits and funny lines from every episode, in order, every Wednesday without fail or delay since last April! This was the most disciplined and committed I've been to anything in decades.  Posting to Instagram has brought me in touch with a couple hundred of the most creative, compassionate people around the globe - Italy, Japan, Scandinavia, the Midwest of the US and Canada - the site has attracted some really funny and kind people - artists, writers, film buffs, fishers of memes, activists, vintage slingers, and more - and I don't want it to end! So, I am planning on picking my favorite 70s Columbo scenes and painting them on 8x10 canvas with acryl...

Season 7, Episode 2, Columbo - Murder Under Glass (1978)   This episode was directed by Jonathan Demme, and written by Robert Van Scoyk, Richard Levinson, and William Link.      This is the food episode! It runs 75 minutes, and Columbo is eating for a solid 58 of them.   The three best outfits in this episode are:  1) Paul Gerard and Eve Plummer's Japanese kimonos:  Paul's kimono has a blue and gray stylized ocean wave and or shark motif       Eve's kimono appears to be bright orange satin embroidered with an island scene   Perfect for eating fugu sashimi in Los Angeles  2) Paul Gerard's pink butterfly collar polo under navy sweater  He looks extra suave later at the farmers' market with the sunglasses:  3) Eve Plummer's v-neck tennis sweaterdress This is a gray and white space dye vertical knit dress with half sleeves and three pastel stripe trim Bonus points for clothing go out to Eve's black dress with silver ...

Season 7, Episode 1 - Columbo - "Try and Catch Me" (1977)   This episode was directed by James Frawley, and written by Gene Thompson, Luther Davis , and Richard Levinson.  The Harold and Maude episode! The three best outfits from this episode are:    1) Abigail Mitchell's beach outfit -      The vengeful mystery writer is wearing a bold red and navy psychedelic graphic scarf on her head that matches her lipstick perfectly.        She's paired this with some cobalt blue slacks and wedge loafers, and a navy blue knit ribbed collared cardigan sweater with wooden toggles Perfect for almost being trampled by horses 2) Abigail's pink plaid suit:   She's sporting a tassel fringe tweed plaid suit in ivory, pink and purple.    Short skirt and a long jacket.  3) The crowd of women at the ladies' luncheon, including Abigail:  The hats! The yellow tablecloths and bouquets, the collars, it's 1977 like a jello mold o...