Peter Falk
Actor Peter Falk Honored with a Posthumous Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Watch the complete star ceremony as the Hollywood Chamber helps unveil the star for Peter Falk below.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce honored the late Peter Falk a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on July 25, 2013. “Peter Falk was one of Hollywood’s most beloved character actors,” stated Leron Gubler, President & CEO for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. “We are proud to honor him with his star and keep his legacy alive for fans from around the world.”
Accepting the star on behalf of Falk family is long-time friend and Walk of Famer Joe Mantegna. Emcee Gubler and guest speakers Ed Begley, Jr. and Paul Reiser and Mantegna will help unveil the 2,503rd Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the category of Television at 6654 Hollywood Boulevard.
Film and television actor Peter Falk started his career on stage in 1955. From 1958 he enjoyed modest success in such films as The In-Laws (1979) and in various television dramas. He usually played urban types, such as gangsters or working-class men, in which he employed his rough-hewn mannerisms to create a beloved character.
Peter Michael Falk was born on September 16, 1927, in New York City. While he had many roles on stage and on the big screen, Peter Falk is probably best remembered for his portrayal of Lieutenant Columbo on television. He played the rumpled and quirky detective for more than 30 years in numerous television movies.
Falk grew up in Ossining, New York. After high school and a brief stay at college, Falk became a merchant marine, working as a cook. He later went back to school, eventually earning a master’s degree from Syracuse University in public administration.
Falk discovered acting in his twenties while working in Hartford. At the age of 29, he abandoned public service for the stage. Falk moved to New York City and made his off-Broadway debut in 1956 in a production of Don Juan. In 1958, he made the leap to film, appearing in the drama Wind Across the Everglades with Christopher Plummer and Gypsy Rose Lee. Falk soon became a notable character actor, often playing shady criminals. For Murder Inc. (1960), he picked up an Academy Award® nomination for his portrayal of a notorious thug. Falk received another Best Supporting Actor nod the following year for Pocketful of Miracles, for his comic turn as a mobster.
In 1967, Falk won his most famous part after Bing Crosby turned down the role. He first appeared as Lieutenant Columbo in the 1968 television movie Prescription: Murder. In 1971, Columbo became a regular feature on the NBC Sunday Mystery Movie. He received four Emmy Awards for his work on the popular television movies. With his disheveled appearance and tattered trench coat, Columbo came across as the perennial underdog. “He looks like a flood victim,” Falk once said. “You feel sorry for him. He appears to be seeing nothing, but he’s seeing everything.”
In addition to Columbo, Falk enjoyed success on the stage and in film. He starred on Broadway in Neil Simon's The Prisoner of Second Avenue in 1971. Working with director John Cassavetes, Falk played Gina Rowland’s husband in the critically-acclaimed A Woman Under the Influence (1976). He also appeared in several popular comedies, including Murder by Death (1977) and The In-Laws in 1981. One of his favorite on-stage roles was opposite his long-time friend Joe Mantegna in David Mamet’s Pulitzer Prize winning play Glengarry Glen Ross in 1986.
Falk continued to work during the next two decades, often in small, but memorable, supporting roles, such as “grandpa” in The Princess Bride (1987). He made his last appearance as Columbo in a 2003 television movie “Columbo Like The Nightlife.” Peter continued to work up to 2009, lending his voice to the animated Dreamworks film Shark Tale and staring films such as Three Days in Vegas with Rip Torn and George Segal and The Thing About my Folks written by Paul Reiser.
On June 23, 2011, Falk died peacefully at his Beverly Hills home, he was 83 years old.
For more information and to view who shares a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, visit www.walkoffame.com
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ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME www.WalkOfFame.com
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is an internationally-recognized Hollywood icon. With approximately 24 star ceremonies annually broadcast around the world, the constant reinforcement provided to the public has made the Walk of Fame a top visitor attraction. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce continues to add stars on the Walk of Fame as the representative of the City of Los Angeles. The Walk of Fame is a tribute to all of those who worked diligently to develop the concept and to maintain this world-class tourist attraction. The Walk of Fame is open to the public. No paid admission or assigned seating at star ceremonies.It is understood that the cost of installing a star on the Walk of Fame upon approval is $30,000 and the sponsor of the nominee accepts the responsibility for arranging for payment to the Hollywood Historic Trust, a 501(c)3 charitable foundation. The funds are used to pay for the creation/installation of the star and ceremony, as well as maintenance of the Walk of Fame.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Sign are registered trademarks of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
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