John P. "J.P." Finnegan (August 18, 1926 - July 29, 2012) was an American character actor who appeared on both the big and small screen. He is perhaps best remembered for his role as a recurring cast member on Columbo, often playing different bit parts across the show's 35 year run. He first appeared in the Season 1 finale Blueprint for Murder and made his final appearance in the last ever episode, Columbo Likes the Nightlife. Similar actors in this vein were Vito Scotti, Bruce Kirby, Mickey Golden, Fred Draper and Mike Lally.
A friend of actor/director John Cassavetes (himself a friend and frequent collaborator of Peter Falk), Finnegan appeared in several of his films, including A Woman Under the Influence which co-starred Falk and Gena Rowlands. Among Finnegan's other well-known roles was his voiceover performance as the villainous Warren T. Rat in Don Bluth's animated film An American Tail.
John Finnegan died from complications of pneumonia at his home in Palm Desert in 2012. He was 85 years old. He died a year and one month after Peter Falk died, also from pneumonia.
Columbo roles[]
- Blueprint for Murder (1972) as Carl, the construction foreman.
- The Most Dangerous Match (1973) as the first maintenance workman.
- Lovely But Lethal (1973) as a police sergeant.
- A Friend in Deed (1974) as Lieutenant Duffy, Columbo's opposite number in the L.A.P.D. Robbery Division.
- Last Salute to the Commodore (1976) as a security guard.
- Fade In to Murder (1976) as the Assistant Director filming an episode of Detective Lucerne.
- Columbo Cries Wolf (1990) as the Chief of Police.
- Uneasy Lies the Crown (1990) as Fred, the waiter who serves Columbo his chili.
- Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star (1991) as Police Chief Quentin Corbett.
- It's All in the Game (1993) as Barney, proprietor of Barney's Beanery, Columbo's favourite chili restaurant.
- Strange Bedfellows (1995) as Barney.
- A Trace of Murder (1997) as Barney.
- Columbo Likes the Nightlife (2003) as Sean Jarvis, neighbour to Vanessa Farrow.
Finnegan went uncredited for his brief role in Uneasy Lies the Crown. It can be presumed that the unnamed police chief he plays in Cries Wolf is the same character as Chief Corbett from Rock Star.