Murder, A Self Portrait is the first episode of the ninth season of Columbo and the fiftieth episode overall. It first aired on November 25, 1989 and was directed by James Frawley in his final contribution to the series. In addition to Peter Falk as Lieutenant Columbo, the episode stars Patrick Bauchau, Shera Danese, Fionnula Flanagan and Isabel García Lorca.
In Murder, A Self Portrait, a famed artist agrees to paint Columbo's portrait while he investigates the mysterious death of the artist's first wife.
Cast[]
- Peter Falk as Lieutenant Columbo.
- Patrick Bauchau as Max Barsini, a renowned but "temperamental" artist who killed his unscrupulous agent years ago. Worried his ex-wife could expose his secret, he murders her too.
- Shera Danese as Vanessa Barsini, Barsini's mouthy current wife.
- Fionnula Flanagan as Louise Barsini, Barsini's ex-wife who still lives next door to him. When she decides to move away, he kills her and makes it look like a swimming accent.
- Isabel García Lorca as Julie, Barsini's live-in model and current muse.
- Vito Scotti as Vito, a local bar owner. Barsini offers to paint a picture of his bar as thanks for being his friend, but in reality is setting up his alibi for the time of Louise's murder. This was Scotti's final Columbo role.
- George Coe as Dr. Sydney Hammer, Louise's therpist-turned-lover. She makes plans to start a new life with him, which spurs Barsini to murderous action.
- David Byrd as Ralph, announcer of the Bassett Hound competition which Columbo enters with Dog. Byrd later appeared in No Time to Die as a different character.
- Harold Harris as Harry Chudnow, Barsini's former agent who disappeared in mysterious circumstances some years previously.
- Lenny Hicks as the morgue attendant.
- Don Bovingloh as the customer at Vito's bar who converses with him about Barsini.
Additionally, Roger Etienne plays the "night visitor" in Louise's dream, Danny Hassel plays the lifeguard and Don Schneider plays a bystander on the beach where Louise's body is found, while Frank L. Wiltse plays a police officer at the scene.
| Columbo (season 9) |
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| 1."Murder, A Self Portrait" 2."Columbo Cries Wolf" 3."Agenda for Murder" 4."Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo" 5."Uneasy Lies the Crown" 6."Murder in Malibu" |