Swan Song
- Episode aired Mar 3, 1974
- TV-PG
- 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
3.3K
YOUR RATING
A gospel singer wants to be rid of his zealous wife. But a murder made to look like an airplane accident does not fool the wily Lt. Columbo.A gospel singer wants to be rid of his zealous wife. But a murder made to look like an airplane accident does not fool the wily Lt. Columbo.A gospel singer wants to be rid of his zealous wife. But a murder made to look like an airplane accident does not fool the wily Lt. Columbo.
Don Mantooth
- Phil
- (as Donald Mantooth)
Douglas Dirkson
- Jeff
- (as Doug Dirkson)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe black guitar used in this episode is the first ever black Martin D-35 guitar. Johnny Cash had the luthiers of the Martin company make him this one-of-a-kind guitar without the permission or knowledge of Martin's president, C. F. Martin III. Mr. Martin never wanted his company to make a black guitar and was against making one. Martin didn't find out that the guitar had been built until he saw Cash playing the black Martin on this show. The first black Martin became Johnny's favorite guitar, and he used it on many recordings and on concerts for the next 20 years. The Martin company eventually came to accept the black Martin and has made two different tribute guitars to Cash - The Black Martin D-35 and the Black Martin DX.
- GoofsThe odds of Tommy's parachute landing being anywhere near the scene of the plane crash would be near zero, especially since the plane continued flying after Tommy jumped out. Yet, Tommy managed to limp to the crash site on his injured leg.
- Quotes
Lt. Columbo: My ears pop in an elevator. As a matter of fact, I don't even like being this tall.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Blow up: Le web magazine cinéma d'Arte: Johnny Cash (2019)
Featured review
A guitar, a thermos flask and a home-made parachute....
Johnny Cash's limited acting ability is remarkably offset by his semi-autobiographical portrayal of a gospel crusader who wishes to use half of the concert earnings to finance his lavishly reckless lifestyle, rather than plough all of the monies into building an ornate tabernacle. His blackmailing wife and one very young concert group member are killed off so that his reputation remains unblemished and his lifestyle can be maintained.
Everything you would want in a Columbo story is in evidence here: a refreshingly original, well-thought-out plot with an ingeniously conceived "murder" scenario; a very tightly structured script with each scene leading on nicely from the last; circumstantial clues which are clever and instinctively-developed; an abundance of well-crafted scenes between a typically persistent Columbo and a relatively self-assured murderer which have a progressive intensity about them; and well-timed injections of humour.
A crackerjack Columbo episode, that is all the better for making it look like the murderer has won(nb: the marvelous airport scene); and for not being sentimental when Columbo pities the murderer. Almost flawless in its conception and execution, this must be one of the top-three Columbo episodes.
Everything you would want in a Columbo story is in evidence here: a refreshingly original, well-thought-out plot with an ingeniously conceived "murder" scenario; a very tightly structured script with each scene leading on nicely from the last; circumstantial clues which are clever and instinctively-developed; an abundance of well-crafted scenes between a typically persistent Columbo and a relatively self-assured murderer which have a progressive intensity about them; and well-timed injections of humour.
A crackerjack Columbo episode, that is all the better for making it look like the murderer has won(nb: the marvelous airport scene); and for not being sentimental when Columbo pities the murderer. Almost flawless in its conception and execution, this must be one of the top-three Columbo episodes.
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- The Welsh Raging Bull
- Sep 14, 2004
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Schwanengesang
- Filming locations
- 861 Flintridge Avenue, La Cañada Flintridge, California, USA(Home location, demolished 2022)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
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