McGoohan the only Columbo (1971) guest star to have won two Emmy Awards. In fact, these were the only times he was ever nominated for an Emmy.

He played four different murderers in four different episodes:

By Dawn’s Early Light” (1974) S04E03

1. “Identity Crisis” (1975) S05E03
2. “Agenda for Murder” (1990) S09E03
3. “Ashes to Ashes” (1998) S13E03

He directed five episodes:

1. “Identity Crisis” (1975) S05E03
2. “Last Salute to the Commodore” (1976) S05E06
3. “Agenda for Murder” (1990) S09E03
4. “Ashes to Ashes” (1998) S13E03
5. “Murder with Too Many Notes” (2000) S13E04

A wee bit o’ young Paddy on film

“Be seeing you!” FOUR times in “Identity Crisis” (S05E03)

The timestamps are: 01:48, 03:08, 04:43, and 01:26:37:

“It’s your funeral!” is the closing line of “Ashes to Ashes” (S13E03)

The timestamp is 1:29:16:

Columboic Criticisms

In S05E03, “Identity Crisis,” Columbo is played, for the first time ever, as a bit of a dick. He’s arrogant and impatient and very un-Columbo-like. If this were a body snatcher movie, we’d all know he’d been replaced. It’s quite sad—the power and divinity of Columbo is his humility. Is the efficient cause of this first-ever non-Columbo Columbo discernible? Yes, and I’m afraid Paddy is to blame.

Is there a good excuse? Actually, yes! Remember: in The Villiage, arrogance is not a vice. It is what prevents the cabbage-headedness of mutualism. Arrogance is a vaccine against loss of self. So give him a break.

Still, Columbo has his power in his humility. He is a bard with an AD&D Wisdom score of 17. 17 is huge. You kids think 18 is good, but actually 18 is supra-human. The highest human level, the “fully man, fully God” level, is 17. That’s the highest, and Columbo has it. But not in this episode, which is the first one directed by … yes, Paddy.

In S05E6, “Last salute to the commodore,” is jokey and cocky and he finally has a non-idiotic sidekick for the first time—Sergeant Theodore “Mac” Albinsky. The directing is bad, and I’m afraid Paddy is to blame.