"[Woman Screaming]" " Stop it!" " I think it was you." " [ Gasps ]" "That's Big Ben, isn't it?" "Boy, that's terrific." "A thing that old, and it's only a minute slow." " Not that our little rendezvous meant very much." " Don't be so ridiculous." "No one would believe that." "From what I hear, yourwife might know Sir Roger better than you do, sir." " Filthy snoop." " Ma'am, I didn't mean to pry." " I can handle Miss Dudley." " Pardon me?" "." "~~ [March ]" "Not onlydo I need to see to playthis part, the characteris not a pauper." " So that can go!" " All right." "[ Workers Chattering] We will change the crown in the third act." "Make a note, Miss Dudley." "And how about the heater in my dressing room?" "The whole thing's going to explode any moment." "[Hammers Banging]" "I told the stage doorman, and he will fix it when he can." "Now, Lilly, at your entrance at the top ofthe dagger scene" "My entrance!" "That scenery is covered in nails." "Ifyou want to see me disrobed and disemboweled,just carry on like this." "Sweetie, theyare hammering as fast as theycan." "Now, can we please get back to the subject at hand, which, in this case, happens to be your emergence at the top ofthe scene." "My emergence at the top ofthe scene-- I've askedyou repeatedly to play it with more speed and more conviction." "Conviction?" "You've repeatedly ignored my requests." "[ Both Continue Arguing, Overlapping Dialogue ]" "Aha." "Miss Dudley." "More of his stupid notes, huh?" "." " Why don't you bring them back to my dressing room later." " Nicky!" "Uh, no, no." "Better not." "Where the devil haveyou been?" "To see the queen!" "Look, we're an hourlate now forthe dinnerbreak, and I would like to get this curtain up before midnight." "Don't worry, dear boy." "It'll be up by dark." "Oh, yes?" "." "I've got at least 30 changes to argue withyou, and Lillykeeps insisting-- "Argue"?" "." "We'll do whateveryou say." "Aren't we always the little lambs?" "." "Nick, are you smashed?" "." "Pay no attention to him, darling." "Directors are always hysterics." "My gracious wife... forgives you." "Now, offto the pub, everyone." "Tonight's only dress rehearsal, remember?" "." "Well, what areyou waiting to see?" "." "Clear out of our castle!" "All right." "Everybody back in one hour." "[ Both Laughing ]" "Lilly, my love, how would you like to do A Doll's House in New York next season?" "." "[ Laughing ] Or star-- star in some magnificent film at Sir Roger's expense." "[ Laughing ] Lover!" "~~ [ Humming ]" "~~ [ Vocalizing ]" "~~[Continues Vocalizing] Nicky, for heaven's sake." "Lover!" "What a gorgeous surprise." "But you never come to dress rehearsals." "I think I managed to get in without being noticed." "[ Kiss ]" "Butyou couldn't stand not seeing me for anotherwhole day, could you?" "." "Is anything wrong?" "." "You're not worried about this production of Macbeth, areyou?" "." "We're gonna get rave notices." "[ Laughing ] Well, you know actors." "We're all just children anyway." ""Children!"" "Roger, I have the most perfect idea for Sunday." "I was walking past Covent Garden-- Nickwill never know." "He'll think I've gone to visit my cousin with arthritis." "So I got us two seats for the symphony." "We'll be all alone in a box together." "And then afterwards-- "Afterwards"?" "." "What do you think I am, you lying" "You didn't buy those tickets today." "Your husband did." " What?" "." " And last weekend at Brighton, I suppose he arranged that for us too." "[ Scoffing ] Not that our little rendezvous meant very much." "You so conveniently had a headache." "[ Exclaims ] Roger, old boy." "This is a pleasant surprise." "Lilly, what a curious position." "Andyou,you connivingpanderer, you put herup to everybit ofit." "He's gone out ofhis mind." "He's come straight out of a Victorian novel." "And all just to lure me into reopening my theater, into backing you, and into playing angel to a has-been leading man and his aging ingenue." " Listen to him!" " Lilly, be quiet." "Really, Sir Roger, I don't know who's been telling you stories, but ifyou're implying any misunderstanding... of mywife's deep devotion toyou" "Why, she looks onyou as her own father." "Don'tyou, Lilly?" "That's enough!" "Today, I finally realize, after all myyears as a producer," "I-I've simplybeen taken-- taken by a ham and a tart." " Roger, I'll forgive your nasty language." " You've just helped me decide." "There won't be any Macbeth." "I'm going out and tell the whole company." "This play is not only canceled, but I'll see to it that neither one ofyou everworks again on any stage!" " Stop him!" " Roger!" " Nick" "Let go of me!" "[Punch Lands ]" "Stop it!" "Stop it, both ofyou!" "[Jar Thuds, Clatters To Floor]" " [ Knocking ] - [Man ] Miss Stanhope?" "Everything all right?" " What?" "." "Yes." " Is Mr. Frame in there with you?" "We're about ready for curtain." "J ust a I ittle family fight." "That's all." "We'll be ready." " [ Whispering ] Dead?" "." " [ Whispering ] Dead." "Nick, I didn't mean to." "Well, ofcourseyou didn't, darling." "Neither ofus did." "Well, what are we gonna do?" "." "I can tell them that he attacked us." "It was self-defense, you know." "[ Raises Voice ] Sir Roger-- [ Lowers Voice ] Sir Roger Haversham?" "." "Don't be so ridiculous." "No one would believe that." "[ Exhales ]" "Nicky." "He said that no one saw him come in here tonight." "[Knocking] [Man ] Places, please." "First-act places, Miss Stanhope." "[ Knocking ] [ Nick, Playing Macbeth ] Whence is that knocking?" "[ Exhales ] How is it with me, when every noise appalls me?" "What hands are here?" "." "Ha!" "They pl uck out m i ne eyes." "[ Gasps ]" "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?" "." "No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red." "My hands are ofyour color, but I shame to wear a heart so white." "[Knocking]" "I hear a knocking at the south entry." "Retire we to our chamber." "A little water clears us ofthis deed." "How easy is it, then!" "Your constancy hath left you unattended." "Be not lost so poorly in thy thoughts." "To know my deed, 'twere best not know myself." "[Knocking] Wake Duncan with thy knocking!" "I would thou couldst!" "Did you call Roger's club?" "." "Yes." "They said he hadn't been in town all day." "But he must have talked to someone." "It makes no difference, Nick." "The club was positive that Roger was alone at home this evening." "So I said, "Never mind." "I wouldn't disturb him!"" "At home?" "." "That's 20 miles." "Shh!" "You're coming unglued." "Oh, go on." "Go on." "Here's a farmer, that hanged himself on the expectation ofplenty." "Come in time, wearnapkins enough aboutyou." "Here you'll sweat for it." "[Knocking]" "Knock!" "Knock!" "Knock!" "[Banging On Pipe ]" "[ Banging Continues ]" "What on earth's going on?" "." "Oh, excuse me, mum." "I-I thought it'd be a good chance to fixyour heaterpipes here." "You know, what with all that knockin' goin' on out there." "I won't be a jiffy." " I think I'd better move this." " No!" "Don't botherwith the heater tonight,Joe." "What, and haveyou freezing' from icicles?" "." "Oh, no, no, mum." "No leading' lady's gonna go trippin' over pipes and tools what I leave lying' all over her boudoir." "That's all right,Joe." "I don't mind." "Fix it tomorrow." "Just wanted you to be comfortable." "[Tools Clatter]" "Very kind ofyou,Joe." "Oh." "[DoorCloses ] [ Sighs ]" "The queen, my lord, is dead." "[Nick] She should have died hereafter." "There would have been a time for such a word." "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow." "[ Whispering ] It'll be tomorrow ifyou don't get a move on." "...petty pace from day to day to the last syllable of recorded time." "And all ouryesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death." "Out." "Out, brief candle." "Life is but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more." "It is a tale told by an idiot!" "Full of sound and fury, signifying... nothing." "I found his car." "I brought it around close in the alley." "Still here, Mr. Frame?" "." "It stopped rainin', you know." "Oh, it did?" "." "That's very nice." "I'm sorry I'm so slow." "I-I guess we're the last ones." "Yes." "Still 20 minutes to closing time next door,Joe." "Here." "On us." "Oh." "I'll lock up foryou." "Why, that's most gracious ofyou, sir." "Bless you both." "Night, Miss Stanhope." "Oh." "Roger's umbrella." "[ Door Closes ]" "[Dog Barks ]" "[ Chuckling, Laughing ]" ""Ifit were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well it were done quickly!"" "[ Engine Starts ] He had a dirty mind." "[ Chattering ]" "Hello, Freddie." "What's up?" "." "Scotland Yard out there." "They muffed it." "Lost some bloke in the airport." "Dangerous?" "." "No." "Big V.I.P. comin' in from the States." "Missed him entirely." "Bit of an embarrassment, hey?" "." "Excuse me, sir." "You didn't happen to notice my luggage?" "." "Purple, kind offlowers." "Actually, it's mywife's." "Luggage inquiries, bear left, sir." "I was in there, sir." "There was no one there." "Ma'am, you don't mind ifl just take a look at this loose handle here?" "." "Last night, when mywife was packing, I happened to notice" "I haven'tseen anySenate orfilm-startypes in here, Freddie." "Why don't you-- He's some ruddy great detective from Los Angeles." "That's who." "Detective?" "." "[ Object Clatters ]" "Ma'am, I'm terribly sorry." "I didn't mean to do that." "I thought it was my bag." "That's my suitcase!" "I lost my bag." "This is not mine." "I know that now." "I saw the purple on the outside." "No, it's mine." "A little mix-up, eh, sir?" "." "You don't mind ifwe have a look atyour baggage stubs, now, doyou?" "." "Uh, well" "I don't have any." "That's the problem, sir." "I thought I had some." "I had 'em here in my passport." "I came in on 28-- 707 from L.A. I thought I had 'em right in here." "I think I made a mistake when I came in the wrong door-- Quite so, sir." "You don't mind just stepping over here with me, doyou?" "." "Well, I'd like to help this lady ifl could." "No, thankyou." "I'm quite sureyou can explain it all to the inspector." "I want to apologize, ma'am." "I certainly didn't-- This way, sir." "Fine." "Uh, one moment." "Thankyou very much." "[Woman On P.A., Indistinct]" "Any luck?" "." "Afraid not, Sarge." "Usual lot." "[ Sighs ] Bloody hell." "Well, it's notyour fault he missed his plane, Sarge." "He didn't miss it." "I've just checked with the airline." "Freddie." "Not a police lieutenant, is he?" "." "I was just about to put the arm on this light-fingered bloke" "You what?" "." "Where?" "." "Over there, sir." "Him?" "." "Blimey." "There he is, Sarge." "You have everything back in?" "." "Yes, I'm" " Oh, these." "I need these." "You understand, I thought it was my suitcase." "Is this lady causing you a problem?" "." "They both have flowers." "I'm sorry?" "." "Is this lady causing you a problem, sir?" "." "Beg your pardon?" "." "No, not at all." "I'm, uh, Sergeant O'Keefe, Scotland Yard." "Lieutenant." "Oh." "This is all my fault." "I'm here to escortyou to London, sir." "I'm sorry I, uh-- I missed you at the plane, sir." "How doyou do, Sergeant?" "." "How doyou do, Lieutenant?" "." "Oh, this is a great honor." "Well-- [ Chuckles ] The car's just parked outside." "Wouldyou excuse me, please?" "I-I-I-- Ma'am, I'm terribly sorry." "It's all right." "All right." "The problem here is I seem to have lost my suitcase." "Then the Yard will find it foryou, sir." "It's the least we can do foran honoredguest, eh?" "I don't wanna be a nuisance." "No, no, no." "It's no trouble, sir." "Oh, fine." "Alreadywe've, uh, found your passport foryou." "Oh, and the commissioner's office asked me to, uh, giveyou their official welcome, Lieutenant." "Even ifl did muck up the red carpet business a bit, sir." "Oh, it's just great to be here." "How doyou do?" "." "Lieutenant Columbo." "How doyou do, Lieutenant?" "." "Thankyou very, very much." "That's all, you know." "I mean,just to be here-- Scotland Yard, Jack the Ripper and all that." "Thankyou very much." "This way, Lieutenant." "Oh, fine." "Take it easy, fellas." "I got the car waiting out here, sir." "Thankyou very much." "Good." "Here, sir." "Right here." "Fine." "~~[Marching Band]" "~~ [ Continues ]" "[ Camera Shutter Clicks ]" "[ Shutter Clicks ]" "[ Shutter Clicks ]" "~~ [Marching Band]" "~~ [ Continues ]" "Gee, thanks for stopping." "No trouble at all, Lieutenant." "Wait till my brother-in-law sees that picture." "Thankyou very much for stopping." "I borrowed this camera from him." "See, he's in the National Guard." "He thinks he looks good in his uniform." "Certainly, Lieutenant." "Gee, I hope I put the film in right." "You mean that's it?" "." "[ Chuckles ]" "I expect you've seen pictures of the New Scotland Yard, Lieutenant." "That looks pretty new to me." "The New Scotland Yard was the old headquarters." "Uh, but it wasn't old Scotland Yard." "No, no." "It was New Scotland Yard, but, um" "O'Keefe." "I'm gonna take a picture." "Where the devil haveyou been?" "." "That plane got in two hours ago." "Didn'tyou meet it?" "." "I'm sorry, sir." "I didn't realize there was a hurry on." "He's never been here before." "I suppose things do look a bit different." "Theywere changing the guard at Buckingham Palace." "Fortunately, his camera wasn't in his suitcase." "Yeah, he's lost it." "Uh, his suitcase, I mean." "[ Shutter Clicks ]" "Yeah, there was a bit of a mix-up at London Airport." "What, you mean-- I say." "Uh, Lieutenant." "[ Shutter Clicks ] Lieutenant." "This is, uh, Detective ChiefSuperintendent Durk." "Lieutenant Columbo." "Lieutenant." "Detective ChiefSuperintendent Durk." "This is a great honor." " "Durk" will do." " He's to beyour host on this inspection visit, sir." "I certainly don't wanna get in your hair, sir." " Nonsense." "I'm the one that's messing upyour schedule." " Beg pardon?" "." "We weresupposedto visit the newpolice academy at Reading today." "But I'm afraid mywife called, and we're going to have to make a little detour." " I hope you don't mind." " Mywife always calls about some errand at the grocery store." "A bit different this time." "Death in the family." "We'll use my car." "[ Engine Starts ]" "Sure must be a big family." "[ Clicks Tongue ] Hmm." "The oldduffierlived allalone actually." "Mywife's uncle, twice removed." "Actually, I saw very little ofthe fellow." "Come on." "[ Doorbell Chimes ]" "This is just a duty call." "I'll leave my card, and then we can be moving along." "I thoughtyou might like to look around one ofthese old places." "Oh, uh, Mr. Durk, sir?" "." "Yes." "Areyou the local constable?" "." "Fatheringham, sir." "And my accident report is already filed." "Mr. Tanner, he was properly disturbed finding the master expired." "Andbefore breakfast andall." "So I stayed around to help see to the removal of the remains." "Uh, just took His Lordship off, they did, to have him properly coffined." "Uh, forpublic mourning, considering his station." "What did he say?" "." "His Lordship died." "Uh, some sort of accident." "What happened?" "." "Well, I really don't know." "You thinkyou could ask?" "." "[ Sighs ] Could you fill us in, Constable?" "." "Oh, uh, took a fall down the staircase, he did." "Landed just there, fully clad." "Must have happened before midnight, the doctorthought, what with the rigor mortis." "But we added it all up quite neatly." "Sir Roger was reading in the upstairs sitting room, you see, and he started to come down." "Here we are, Charlie, dear." "In times oftrial, I always say there's nothing like..." "[ Coughing ] cold beer." "[ Clears Throat ] Yes." "Well, uh," "I'll just have a word with the servants, Columbo." "Look around as much asyou like." "Quite an old showplace really." "[ No Audible Ringing ]" "Excuse me." "Irish whiskey before luncheon?" "." "I would have thought perhaps that a glass of sherry-- a nice amontillado-- would have been more appropriate." "Oh, no, sir." "No." "Thankyou very much." "I reallywasn't looking for a drink." "No." "I was, uh" "I was just wondering, uh" "I wonder, could you tell me, doyou know whether or not Mr., uh-- the gentleman, Sir Haversham-- was that the chair that he was reading in last night?" "." "Well, as a matter offact, that was Sir Roger's favorite chair when he wanted to read, yes." "Oh, I see." "Terrible thing, wasn't it?" "." "Yes." "Very shocking." "Thankyou very much." "Why doyou suppose he started downstairs?" "." "No idea." "No." "Couldn't have been to get any liquor." "Certainly plenty of stuff up here." "Well, sir, it's not for me to question my master's wishes." "As a matter offact, he sometimes preferred to have a cup ofcocoa as a nightcap, from the kitchen." " You work here?" "." " I ndeed I do." "I 've been here for many happy years." "[ Exhales ] I thought you were a friend of the family." "[ Chuckles ] Thankyou very much." "And you, I take it, are the gentleman who rang the bell just now." "Oh, that works?" "." "Indeedit does." "Gee, I thought it was just decoration." "[ Chuckles ]" "Boy, that's funny, isn't it?" "." "What's funny?" "No." "I was just wondering, if, uh-- if he wanted something last night, why he didn't just ring for it." "Well, ifl may say so, unlike many masters," "SirRogerwas veryconsiderate to his staffi." "Perhaps you'll be good enough to excuse me." "Oh, certainly, sir." "I'm sorry." "I didn't mean to hold you up." "I just get curious about these things." "I guess nobody heard anything when he fell downstairs." "Well, that's understandable." "You see, cook's quarters are in the south wing." "And the maids also sleep there." "I live in the old cottage." "And it so happens Sir Roger dismissed us early last night." "I should say not later than 7:00." "What I was wondering-- [ Clears Throat ]" "Ah." "Tanner's been the butler here for over 20 years, Columbo." "Uh, the lieutenant's here from Los Angeles for a few days." "He's observing our latest techniques at the Yard." "How interesting." "Let's hope some ofit "rubs off," as they say." "Oh, thankyou very much." "I certainly hope so." "Listen, now, ifyou're the butler, then maybe, uh" "You know, this is not too important." "But, with your permission, it's just that I noticed that somebody said that Sir Rogerwas fully dressed." "And I was wondering-- I guess they meant by that that he was wearing, like, a smoking jacket?" "." "Actually, Sir Rogerwas wearing a gray Harris tweed suit with a blue tie." "While he was reading?" "." "[ Chuckling ]" "Well, isn't that something?" "." "You know, I can't even stand a necktie." "Sir Roger, ifl may say so, was rather particular." "Quite." "Well, uh, shall we be getting along, Columbo?" "." "Oh, yes." "Certainly, sir." "Oh, uh, sir." "Uh" "You know, I couldn't help noticing, uh" "Doyou have a moment?" "." "[ Mumbles ]" "[ Clears Throat ]" "Now, I couldn't help noticing that a man with such an impressive library, isn't it funny what he did to that book?" "." "What?" "." "I mean, ifthis was the book that Sir Rogerwas reading last night." "I'm afraid I don't followyou." "This is a valuable book, isn't it?" "." "Alice in Wonderland, first edition." "I, uh" " I imagine it's worth a few thousand, yes." "You see, back home, we call this the spine ofthe book, and you know you can break that thing by putting it down upside-down like that." "Of course, I never knew that until I did it to my mother-in-law's cookbook." "She almost hit me with a frying pan." "Well, perhaps he was in a hurry, or, uh, perhaps something startled him." "Yes, sir." "You know, maybe that's why he started downstairs." "Maybe he heardsomething." "He was an olderfella, wasn't he?" "Yes." "J ust looking for his reading glasses, 'cause I didn't notice any around." "Would you mind asking the gentleman?" "." "[ Clears Throat ] Tanner." "Mr. Columbo wouldlike to knowthe whereabouts ofSirRoger's glasses." " Ifyou don't mind, sir." " No, not at all." "Actually, it was Sir Roger's custom, when not actually reading, to keep his spectacles in his breast pocket." "And, ifyou must know, that's where they still are." "Ah." "They must have gotten smashed up pretty badly after he fell down all those stairs." "Oh, well, we didn't actuallywaste time looking for broken glass... undersuch tragic circumstances." "Besides, we noticed nothing unusual or abnormal." "No, no, no." "J ust a-- J ust a simple accident." "Well, thankyou, Tanner." "Thankyou." "And, once again, my sympathies." "Thankyou, Mr. Durk." "Constable." "I just had a thought." "[ Continues, Indistinct ]" "[ Mumbles ] Lovely chatting with you." "My pleasure." "I'm gonna tell mywife that I met a real English butler." "She's gonna get a terrific kick out ofthat." "You flatter me." "Thankyou." "Good-bye." "Afteryou, Columbo." "~~ [String Quartet:" "Elegiac]" "[ Shutters Clicking ]" "[ Wails ]" "[ Sobbing ]" "[ Continues Sobbing]" "Please." "Please, gentlemen." "Not now." "[ Sobs ] I'm-I'm sorry." "Hold it just like that, Mr. Frame." "Thankyou, sir." "No, no, no." "We don't want that sort ofthing." "Lilly, pull yourselftogether, huh?" "." "Hmm?" "." "Let's getyou out ofhere." "Out ofthe lights." "[ Continues Crying ] Poor Lillian." "Shewas like a favorite daughter to Sir Roger." "A daughter, Mr. Frame?" "." "Not much older than you, was he?" "." "Whose idea is this little bash?" "." "This little "bash" is a dream, gentlemen," "SirRoger's own dream which he confided to me on several occasions." ""When I'm dead," he told me," ""I'd like one last chance to say good-bye... to all those beautiful actors and musicians and--"" "[ Sniffling ] There, there, there, Miss Dudley." "Stiff upper..." "Iip." "[ Clears Throat ] And what about Macbeth, Mr. Frame?" "." "Somebody says you're still opening tonight." "Oh, but-but for his sake, not for ours." "Oh, ifwe didn't go on, Sir Rogerwould roll over in his grave." ""Spectaculum procedere debet, " he always said." ""The show must go on!"" " Doesn't hurt advance ticket sales either, I suppose." " Swine." "Uh, I'll be right back, darling." "[ Sobbing ]" "[ Continues Sobbing]" "Ma'am." "It's a lucky thing I packed a spare in my pocket instead of my suitcase." "Thankyou." "It got lost somewhere." "You're American." "L.A. Got in yesterday." "707." "Eleven hours." "At leastyou're not a photographer." "My makeup must look dreadful." "Actually, I did bring a camera and I wanted to take a picture ofyou, but not now." "Wrong time." "You can keep that." "Thankyou." "Guess you must have been as close to Sir Roger lately as anybody in the whole world." "He was our dearest friend." "Sir Rogerwas mostly retired, you know, until the last few months, when he persuaded us to do this lavish production-- what he'd always wanted to do." "[ Crying ] Now he won't even be able to see it." "Terrible time to ask, but how could I get tickets?" "." "I'd love to see the show tonight." "Well, I-- I think I could" "Well, can'tyour newspaper arrange it?" "." "You are a reporter." "Oh, no, ma'am." "No." "Oh, no." "I'm terribly sorry." "No." "My name is Columbo." "I'm just a visiting fireman." "Fireman?" "." "Oh, that's just an expression." "I'm a policeman." "Police?" "." "Yeah." "You see, I'm just tagging along with that fella overthere." "[ Chattering ]" "Mr. Durk-- detective chiefsuperintendent, Scotland Yard." " He's showing me around London." " Well, Lieutenant, can we go now?" "." "Oh, yeah, certainly." "Let's see ifwe can get out this way, shall we?" "." "Excuse me, ma'am." "It was wonderful talking to someone as famous as you." "And I hope I've been able to makeyou feel a little better." "Yes. [ Sniffles ]" "I, uh" " I had a word with the funeral chaps." "They're bringing the body about 2:00." "No fuss." "Listen, that was a great idea thatyou had about checking up on those glasses." "I mean, ifhe fell all the way down that staircase with his glasses in his pocket, and theyweren't even cracked" "Actually, I rather had it on my mind to request a postmortem." "Post what?" "." "Autopsy." "Well, one never knows with these little, uh, accidents." "You can never be too sure." "In the meantime, you might like to take a look at our ballistics laboratory." "It's quite the latest thing." "Wonderful." "Wonderful." "Autopsy?" "." "And detective chief superintendent." "That means the murder squad, doesn't it?" "." "Well, I'm not sure." "Well, why aren'tyou sure?" "." "Oh, Nicky, they'll find something." "No, no, no." "Not here, theywon't." "Now, this trunk is absolutely clean." "And we washed that cold cream jar that-thatyou hit him with." "I hit him with?" "." "Ifyou hadn't moved" "Now-Nowwait." "Nobody even knows that Roger was in the theater last night." "Nobodyeven knows he left home." "How do you know that?" "." "He knew already about us when he came here last night." "He must have been talking to someone." "And I bet I know who-- that nasty little Miss Dudley." "[ Chuckling ] Oh, that child?" "." "Don't be absurd." "Besides, I can handle Miss Dudley." "You try that just once, and I'll haveyour guts for garters." "Oh, Lilly, please!" "Nicky, darling, won't an autopsy give a clue as to what we did with Roger's body after he was dead?" "." "I'm not sure." "I really don't know." "Well, why don'tyou know?" "." "Ifyou'd taken that part in the Agatha Christie play," "like I told you to, you would know these things." "You know perfectlywell why I didn't take that rubbish." "I" " Huh!" " What, "huh"?" "." ""False face must hide what the false heart doth know!" Huh?" "." "[ Horns Honking ]" "[ No Audible Dialogue ]" "[ No Audible Dialogue]" "[ No Audible Dialogue]" "[ No Audible Dialogue]" "Ah, Mr. Durk, sir." "Spot oftea this afternoon?" "." "My guest is rather hungry, George." "I've been hauling him about sightseeing." "I'm afraid he hasn't had much time to eat." "Would you, uh, care to sit here?" "." "[Glassware Clatters ]" "When you said "club," I thoughtyou meant a country club or a health club." "Mm." "Bit stuffy, I'm afraid." "Hasn't changed since Father's day." "My fatherwas an Elk once, till my mother stopped him." "Ah." "Here we are." "Pitch in." "That's for us?" "." "Yes." "Oh." "When you said "tea," I was afraid we were gonna get nothin' but those tiny sandwiches." " This is terrific." " Why doyou think we keep the ladies out, sir?" "." "Diver." "What areyou doing here?" "." "I left my assistant to finish up the job." "This is Lieutenant Columbo, Los Angeles Police." "Really?" "." "Now, there's a place with opportunity." "Why, 20 times the business I get here." "[ Chuckles ] Beg pardon?" "." "Liverwurst, sir?" "Yes." "Go on." "Go on, gentlemen." "I'll just talkwhileyou eat." "Uh, Diver is our pathologist." "Oh." "Waiter." "Chop." "Postmortem lividity, Mr. Durk." "There it was, all overhim." "There was your answer before I even made the first slice." "Oh." "You're the autopsy surgeon." "Yes." "Stilton cheese is particularlynice today, sir." "Fine." "Thankyou." "As ifyou didn't know more about postmortems than I do, Lieutenant." "All that opportunity." "Here." "These photos are still wet." "Just notice those purplish spots on the left thigh there." "Oh, yes." "Do start." "Don't wait for us." "Get to the point, Diver." "You mean the bodywas moved?" "." "Oh, yes." "Some little time after death, I'd say." "What time did he die?" "." "The abdomen too." "Notice there where the-- the blood's settled." "Oh, anywhere from early evening to midnight." "I've got the, uh, fluid samples." "I" " I don't think they'll tell us much more." "Then Sir Roger did not die by falling down a staircase." "Oh, no." "He died somewhere else, and then hewas moved there later on." "Mm." "There are several bruises, almost as ifhe'd been in a fight." "And a blow to the occipital region causing that brain hemorrhage there." "You agree, Lieutenant?" "." "Uh, oh, yes." "It's murder, all right." "Hmm." "Extraordinary." "Mm." "Thankyou." "Yoo-hoo!" "Tanner." "Go on, go on." "Well." "[ Chuckles ] This is a surprise." "I must say, I didn't expect to see you here at this hour, with your opening and everything tonight." "This must be dreadful foryou, Tanner." "Thankyou, miss." "And foryou too." "For all of us." "Uh, Tanner, I didn'twant to bring this up at this time, but something's been bothering me." " MySir Henry Irving, remember?" "." " Irving, sir?" "." "Yes." "The other day, out on the terrace, I was showing it to Sir Roger-- Irving's own copy of Macbeth." " Of course." " Yes, well, I left it here for Roger to have a look at." "Hmm, I didn't realize." "And you need it before your performance tonight." "Oh, scarcely." "I do know my lines." "But, uh, that old book had Irving's own comments on every page." "And I got to thinking, when someone dies, there's always all that legal nonsense." "You know, inventories and sealing things up." "And, uh, since it is just about the most valuable thing I own" "I quite understand, sir." "Wewon't let those stupid tax people even see it." "I'll slip it toyou myself, and mum's theword." "[ Chuckles ] I'd, um" " I'd rather not go in, darling, ifyou don't mind." "Yes, I understand, dear." "Shan't be a moment." "[DoorOpens, Closes ]" "That actor fellow" " Frame." "That's odd." "~~ [ Man Whistling ]" "I thought he had a play opening." "Hey!" "Better stop that." "You'd better leave that." "We don't want anything touched for a while." "Scotland Yard." "Sir Roger's, huh?" "." "That's right." "Sure pretty." "Well, Mr. Tannersays wash 'em." "I wash 'em." "Well, it's not very dirty anyhow." "A few spots." "That's all." "Say, did you wash this car yesterday?" "." "I wash it every day." "You'd think it was his own bloomin' chariot." "Murdered?" "." "Oh, God!" "I can't believe it." "Yes, well, you see, the autopsy showed the, uh" "But we won't go into those little details." "No luck, darling." "Wasn't in the downstairs library." "Wasn't anywhere I could-- Nick!" "This is Superintendent Durk." "He says that someone..." "murdered poor dear Roger." "Good heavens!" "[ Exhales ] We had no idea." "Uh-- [Tanner] Mr. Frame." "Yes, Tanner." "Uh" "Here." "It's not upstairs, sir." "I've looked everywhere, even in Sir Roger's safe." "What is this you're all looking for?" "." "Oh, nothing." "A book." "We were out for a drive and stopped by." "That's all." "It's not important." "Tanner." "Mr. Durk says-- Now,just one moment." "The Yard will decide what's important here." "A book, you say." "What sort ofbook?" "." "Well, it's rather a nice little volume." "I lent it to Roger one day last week." "Sir Henry Irving's own copy of Macbeth." "Had his own notes scribbled on every page." "Really?" "." "And now you say you can't find it?" "." "No." "Searched everywhere." "Have you indeed?" "." "Do you hear that, Columbo?" "." "Yes, sir, I did." "I was just wondering, who is Irving?" "." "[ Chuckles ] Excuse me, sir." "Sir Henry Irving-- perhaps the greatest English actorwho ever lived." "Well, one ofthem, let's say." "But I do suppose that, uh, little copy of Macbeth... must be worth all of, uh, 20,000 or 30,000 by now." " Doyou hear that, Columbo?" "." " [Nick] There, nevermind." "I'm sure it'll turn up." "We have an 8:00 curtain, so, uh" "Please call us ifthere's anything we can do, Mr. Durk." "My dear fellow, you already have." "You already have." "Now, simple deduction, I suppose." "Suppose there were a thief in the house." "Suppose that's what Sir Roger heard." "Came down to investigate-- Would you excuse me forjust one moment, sir?" "." " Mr. Tanner." " Yes, sir." "Mr. Tanner, sir, could you tell me, was there any sort of rain out here last night?" "." "Rain, sir?" "." "No." "We haven't had a drop all the week." "[Engine Starts ]" "Excuse me." "Say,you won't forget, willya?" "What?" "." "My ticket." "You won't forget my ticket for tonight." "No." "I'll leave it at the box office in my name." "Hook, line and sinker." "[ Chattering ]" "Nice to see you." "Oh, you are a dear." "Thankyou so much." "Thrilling, wasn't it?" "." "Oh!" "How areyou?" "." "Lilly, you divine little devil." "You were simply marvelous." "Thankyou." "[ Man ] Lilly, astounding." "Absolutely astounding." "Ah, you are sweet." "If only Roger could have seen it." "[Lilly] Yes." "Oh." "Oh." "Sorry." "Oh, it'syou." "I think I stepped on something and broke it." "Oh, no." "Oh." "I guess this is somebody's necklace." "[ Laughs ] Mine, silly." "I thought I'd found all the beads last night." "It was like this." "Mywardrobe mistress made me another one this morning." "Lillian." "Oh!" "Darling." "Gorgeous thing." "Oh, you were fantastic." "Just fantastic." "Oh, you are sweet." "Excuse me." "Sarah Bernhardt." "Our own divine Sarah Bernhardt." "In otherwords" " This is just a little thing thatyou broke last night during that little fight thatyou had?" "." "That's right." "Did you really like it?" "." "You were incredible." "Of course I'm tooyoung to have seen Sarah Bernhardt-- I was so nervous." "What did you say, darling?" "." "Listen, before I forget, let me thankyou for the tickets." "I have never been so shook." "I saw Hamlet, but that was back in high school." "I mean, tonight when you stood there with that bloody dagger" "It was thrilling, wasn't it?" "." "Yes." "Come on." "You've had her long enough." "Oh, yes, ma'am." "Lilly, love." "What insight." "What depth." "Oh!" "You were delicious." "Oh, darling." "You are sweet." "Come to the party." "Yes, I will." "Come tomorrow night." "You'll see something" "Thankyou." "Ah!" "Thereyou are." "Ah, so, you liked it, huh?" "." "Better than any movie I've ever seen in mywhole life." "I don't know what that fella Irving had, but, believe me, the wayyou took that part-- Oh, thanks." "I'll never forget it." "I was thrilled." "Thankyou." "Wasn't it thrilling?" "." "Huh?" "." "Thanks for coming." "Thanks." "Good to seeyou." "Oh, by the by, they haven't found that little book of mine, have they?" "." "I don't think so, sir." "No." "[ Woman ] Oh, you were simply marvelous tonight." "Thankyou." "Mmm." "Good ofyou to come by." "They seem to think there was a robber in the house, I guess." "Good Lord." "Oh, oh." "Oh." "Thanks." "Uh, well, that would explain things, wouldn't it?" "." "I" " I mean, uh, if-- if old, uh, Sir Roger caught him in the act, then" "No, sir." "I don't think so, sir." "Nicky, darling, you were simply marvelous." "Thankyou, my love." "Thankyou." "You don't think so?" "." "No, no." "I don't think so, because... ifhe had killed Sir Roger and then moved the body in order to make it look like an accident" "With all those beautiful things around, whywould he just take one book?" "." "Would you?" "." "Right on, Nicky Frame." "All hail Macbeth!" "[ Shouting ]" "Magnificent." "[ Laughing ]" "Good to seeyou." "Splendid." "Good to seeyou." "Well, we-we've got to have a drink." "Thankyou, dear." "Thankyou." "We did try-- for Roger's sake." "This needs a damn good brush, Mary." "It's been trampled to death." "Oh." "Hereyou are again, Lieutenant." "What little snoop told you there was a fight in here?" "." " Was she perhaps blonde?" "." " Oh, no.Just some guy in overalls out there happened to mention it." "Oh, Nick and I always fight." "Ma'am, I didn't mean to pry." "I wasjust asking about the rain last night" "Lilly, get your clothes off." "It's time to celebrate." "Rain?" "." ""Spots on the hood"?" "." "Oh, the bonnet." "Well, anyway, on his car, and it hasn't rained out there for over a week." "Ah." "You think that Roger might have driven somewhere else last night?" "." "No, no, no, no, no." "Tannerwould have noticed his leaving." "Mr. Tanner says not, sir." "So I got to wondering." "Uh, well, anyway, of course, from what I hear, uh, yourwife might know Sir Roger better than you do, sir." "But at any rate, uh-- Come along, Nick, darling." "We're having a simply smashing party." "Yes, go on." "No, I was just gonna say that the, uh-- the paper does say that it sprinkled here in London a little last night." "Uh-huh." "But it must have rained in lots of places, don'tyou think?" "." "That's exactlywhat Mr. Frame said." "Only I got to thinking" "Sinceyou and Sir Roger were so close, maybe he might have come here to wish you luck in private or something like that." "But he didn't." "I don't know what your man in overalls told you." "Oh, nobody saw him." "Of course, I haven't asked the stage doorman yet." "I can't seem to find him." "Lieutenant, the last time I saw Sir Roger Haversham... was the day before yesterday." "It was at the Dorchester for lunch." "Uh, Roger, Lilly and I... were discussing plans for an American production of Macbeth." "That's ifthe critics like us, of course." "And after lunch, Nick and I came back here for rehearsal." "And Roger never interfered on those days." "But as for that childish little fight last night" " Lilly struck me." " Well, he was making fatherlyeyes at one ofthe understudies." "Lilly is paranoid." "So I struck her back." "I n a not very nice place." "She landed against this wall over here." "[ Chuckles ] Clumsy thing." "So I picked up my bloody dagger, and I went at him!" "[ Laughing ]" "Oh, gosh." "I'm sorry." "I didn't realize itwas so late." "Didn't mean to stay so long." "Oh, yes, you did, Columbo." "You heardsomesillygossip, Isuppose, about-- about SirRogerand mywife." "You have some vulgar American notion of a love triangle." "No, sir." "Not at all." "You have some nasty idea that poor old Roger must have been lured into town last night... byMacbeth himself, perhaps." "The play is rather suggestive of murder, I suppose, to impressionable minds." "Too bad he didn't come visiting at Christmas." "You could have got him tickets for the children's pantomime." "Nicky, stop it." "I'm terribly sorry, sir." "Believe me." "I guess I did get carried away by those questions." "But, you see, I just" "I just have never seen anything likeyou." "Like that performance you both just gave." "[ Chuckles ] Thankyou." "I didn't mean to be nasty, old boy." "No hard feelings." "You both must be exhausted." "I don't know how you do it." "With innocent, loving hearts." "Good night, Lieutenant." "Well, whatever it is, it sure must be most unusual." "Uh, the reason I say that is because, you know, when mywife and I try to remember what happened yesterday or the day before, well, we don't agree on anything." "And you two, you not only agree, you use almost the exact same words to tell about it." " Good night." " [ Lilly] Good night." "After that performance we just gave." "Of all the nerve." "Holdit!" "Holdit!" "We can't have ourleading lady opening her own door." "Oh, I just stepped out for a-- for a moment, sir, to get a little sniff of the fresh air." "Oh, and I never heard such glorious remarks about an opening night, sir." "Oh, and you too, Miss Stanhope." "You were an angel in the part." "Ifl heard it a thousand times, I heard it once." "The queen herselfwill be buying tickets." "Here." "Ooh." "Dear me." "Oh, these doors, how they do go on." "Well, in you get." "Oh." "Oh, sir." "That's most especially gracious." "Thankyou." "And you was marvelous too." "That dagger and the blood and all... and holding upyour hand like a carnation and making the audience gasp." "Well, thankyou both so much." "Good night, sir." "Good night, Miss Stanhope." "Good night." "Where did he get that umbrella?" "." "Hmm?" "." "That little engraving on the handle, just like the one that" "Don'tyou remember?" "." "Roger told us... that Lady Astor had given him this engraved umbrell" "You took the umbrella last night." "Yes, of course." "I put it in Roger's closet with his coat and hat, just where it belonged." "Mm-hmm." "You sureyou got the right one?" "." "Oh, Nick." "Yes, of course." "It was the only one there." "Umbrella, I mean." "In my dressing room." "Except" " Well,Joe did pick up some ofhis own things earlier." "Oh, no." "Oh." "[ Chattering ] ~~[Accordion ]" "Here." "Watch it, mate." "Why, Mr. Frame." "What a delight." "What are-- I thoughtyou'd gone home." "I couldn't get away from the curb." "Oh." "Some of Lilly's country cousins came by." "Stopped us." "Dreary things." "They'll be talking forever." "Soyou drop in for a pint ofwallop, eh?" "." "Ah. [ Chuckles ]" "Uh, what areyou having?" "." "Uh, well, it was bitter." "I'm dying ofthirst." "Uh" " Uh, Bess, uh, give us two ofthe same, and put it on my account, love." "Yes, sir, Mr. Frame." "Why, that's extremely gracious ofyou, Mr. Frame." "Thankyou." "Thankyou very much." "Very nice." "[ Chuckles ]" "Oh." "Mm-hmm?" "." "You know, that thing is rather dangerous." "Uh, you're gonna stab somebodywith that." "Let me put it on the stand foryou." "No, no." "No, I'm" " I'm very careful with it, Mr. Frame." "Thankyou." "Ah." "[ Chuckles ]" "Cheers,Joe." "Toyou." "Ah!" "Not so rusty after all, huh?" "." "No, Mr. Frame." "Ah." "It's not bad." "What doyou say,Joe?" "." "Uh, a penny a point?" "." "Pennya point?" "Oh." "Well, you know, my rheumatiz." "Oh, rheumatism." "All right." "Let's make it a tuppence." "Tuppence a throw, sir?" "." "Well, ifit's going to be high finance." "[ Clears Throat ]" "~~[Accordion Continues ]" "All a matter ofbalance, sir." "[ Chuckles ]" "[ Laughs ]" "[Horn Honks ]" "Well, that cleans me." "Here." "Why, thankyou, Mr. Frame." "Thankyou very much." "Oh, well, that's it,Joe." "I've really got to, uh" "You're empty again." "Oh, oh." "Ah." "Bess." "Yes, Mr. Frame." "Drinks all around." "You hear me?" "." "Certainly." "It's on me." "Drinks for the whole house." "Oh, that's-- that's gracious ofyou, Mr. Frame." "Very gracious." "[ThunderRumbling]" "[ Gasps ]" "[ Engine Starts ]" "[ Clears Throat ] Do you have a minute, sir?" "." "Excuse me." "Don't touch me." "Sorry." "Mr. Fenwick?" "." "The stage doorman?" "." "You see, I was at the theater earlier, but I couldn't find you around anyplace." "I was there in my post of duty as always." "I wanted to askyou aboutyesterday, because you're the only person who could have noticed anything." "My name is Columbo." "I know that doesn't mean anything around here." "I wish I could find mywallet." "I've got a friend over there at Scotland Yard" " Mr. Durk." "He's chief of all the detectives there." "This is me." "Columbo." "C-O-L-U-M-B-O." "Police officer." "Yes, sir." "You want to ask me aboutyesterday?" "." "I do, sir." "Yes." "Well, no." "Tomorrow." ""And tomorrow and tomorrow!" Did Mr. Haversham come to the theateryesterday?" "." "Did he call or anything like that?" "." "Ifyou happen to be referring... to Sir Roger Haversham, for 20 years I've been in his trusted employ... and never once have I caught a glimpse ofhim... on dress rehearsal day." "[ Groans ]" "It's the shrapnel." "Oh!" "It sort of makes the trotters a bit wobbly." "Areyou sure aboutyesterday?" "." "I know sometimes it's kind ofhard to remember." "I mean, couldn't Sir Roger have maybe come to the theater?" "." "Areyou calling me a liar?" "." "No, sir." "Saying I wasn't at my post of duty?" "." "No, sir." "With Monty I was, at El Alamein." "That's where I caught mine." "Mr. Fenwick, could we maybe go to someplace more dry?" "." "Someplace where we could sit and talk." "I mean, I don't have an umbrella either." "You know something?" "." "Josser nabbed it." "My brolly." "Right up there at the pub." "And, you know, it's theyoung ones what does it-- the ones with the long hair." "As I was saying to Mr. Frame, there's no honor left in this evil world." "You were saying to who?" "." "To Mr." "Frame." "Mr. Nicholas Frame." "The great actor." "Oh, a finer gentleman never breathed." "And y-you know-- You know, he took the time to buy me a couple of pints." "He did." "And for all ofthem too." "Right there in the public section." "You mean Mr. Frame was just now in that same pub?" "." "Yes." "[Doorbell Chimes ]" "Miss Stanhope, Mr. Frame." "Come in." "[ Laughing ] Tanner, I was afraid you'd gone offto bed." "No." "Mr. Durk thought it'd be better for me to stay in the main house tonight." "Of course." "Of course." "We don't want any more robberies." "Butyou know what, Tanner?" "." "I got to thinking." "We never looked in the sunroom." "Rogerwas always putting things in that, uh, little mahogany desk." "Excuse me, sir, but Mr. Durk did say he didn't want anything else touched." "Oh, no, no, no." "Just have a look." "That's all." "And ifthe Irving is there, um" "Be right back, darling." "Well, now thatyou're here, for heaven's sakes, find it." "[ Chuckles ]" "[Nick] Iam sorry, Tanner." "Iapologize." "I" " Ijust had to know." "You were right, Lilly." "Still no Irving." "[ Laughs ] Isn't that typical of my brainy husband?" "." "Driving all this way out here, all this distance" "[ Chuckles ] I'll crawl all theway back-- hands and knees." "I want a drink." "Uh, Tanner, doyou suppose we could?" "." "Of course, madam." "No, it's too late." "Now come on." "Let's go." "Nick, there's something I'd like to find here." "Something of Roger's that I always loved." "I'm sorry, madam, but the police were rather explicit." "Oh, hang the police." "I-It'sjust that silly old tweed hat he always wore." "You know the one with the feather in it?" "." "I'd love to have it." "Nick, it must be in a closet somewhere." "Uh-- [ Coughs ]" "You want me to get it?" "." "Tanner, didn't he keep it in the closet?" "." "Yes, madam." "It was kept-- It does seem a bit ghoulish, dear, but" "Yes, it's not there now, sir." "The Wax Museum picked it up this morning, along with his cape and umbrella." "Who?" "." "The Wax Museum." "They're using it, I am told, in their new exhibit, alongsideyourwax figures as Macbeth and LadyMacbeth." "I must say I thought it rather an honor for the late master to be included." "Oh, yes, yes, yes." "Roger would be pleased." "The Wax Museum?" "." "The things some people will do to sell tickets." "And doyou mean to say you let them walk out ofhere with" "Actually, madam, it was the downstairs maid who saw the gentlemen." "This was before Mr. Durk came, ofcourse." "But I must say I really saw nothing wrong about it." "Of course." "We must all be willing to share his memorywith the public." "Yes, I'm" " I'm sorry." "I'm" " I'm being selfish." "I think it's just lovely that now the whole world... will be able to see... everything." "[Doorbell Chimes ]" "[Knocking]" "Oh, dear." "Hi, Mr. Tanner." "Look, I'm sure sorry if I got you out ofbed, but at least it doesn't look like you were asleep." "Do you mind if I come in?" "." "Seems to meyou are in." "Well, look." "It's just a little thing I wanted to askyou about." "It's unimportant, but, well, it's about an umbrella." "An umbrella?" "." "Comewith me." "Come along, love." "Smells like the Roman catacombs." "A storeroom, I think." "I was here before." "They keep all the things for each exhibit in a big box." "Jolly.Just like a treasure hunt." "Ifwe don't get Roger's umbrella backwhere it belongs and getJoe's out" "You don't have to rub it in." "Itwasn't myfault." "[ Gasps ] Oh, Nicky, look." "Aren't they marvelous?" "." "I've always wanted to be in a horrorfilm." "Well, you certainly qualify." "Thanks." "Oh." "Over here." "[ Gasps ]" "Sorry, Roger." "Ah." "Here you are, sir." "Did Sergeant O'Keefe explain what this American wanted?" "." "Yes, I got the message." "Good.Jones here is unlocking for us, sir." "Jones, you say." "Well, I hope we're not wasting his time." "Uh" "I just hopeyou don't think it's a waste oftime, sir." "Like I told your sergeant on the telephone, I know I shouldn't be interfering like this." "Nonsense." "You're our guest here." "I invited you on the case myself." "We're, uh" "We're most fortunate to haveyour assistance." "Thankyou." "Thankyou very much, sir." "'Cause, you see, it's been bothering me." "Whoever arranged that little scene on the staircase... must have known that house prettywell-- and Sir Roger's habits too." "[ Clears Throat] Gentlemen, um, see, this is where Sir Rogerwill go." "Right next to the new Macbeth there." "Will you come this way, gentlemen?" "." "All our storage is downstairs." "[Durk] When areyou openingyour exhibit?" "Oh, in a few days." "And now that his death is a murder, we'll hurry it up." "Naturally, you know, people do enjoy that sort of thing." "Oh, yes." "Naturally." "And over here-- [Man ] Ruddylifelike set ofarms there." "Uh, come over this way, because I think Sir Roger's things are in one of these baskets." "I didn't think there was any harm, Mr. Durk, in letting them have, uh, Sir Roger's clothes." "After all, he was famous for the way he dressed." "Oh, good heavens." "Look." "Look." "Look." "[ Columbo ] Oh." "Good heavens." "That's not wax." "Oh, yes, sir." "We took it from a bust that was made last year." "It's not a bad likeness." "Oh, uh" " Ah, yes." "Here we are." "Now then, exactlywhat is it you're looking for in here?" "." "The umbrella, sir." "Oh, yeah." "You see, I have this theory that it might be the wrong one." "Yeah." "Otherwise, whywould the stage doorman's be stolen?" "." "I mean, ifthe stage doorman's umbrella somehow got mixed up with Sir Roger's" "Quite." "Quite." "We would know exactlywhere Sir Rogerwent last night." "Ifindeed he went anywhere at all." "Ah." "Hereyou are, sir." "Oh." "Thankyou." "Mr. Tanner said that the maid might not have noticed a differencewhen theytook the stuff out." "Mr. Tanner, could you identify this?" "." "Oh, yes." "That's it." "That's it." "Rosewood, you see." "That was a gift from Lady Astoryears ago." "The" " Yes, the engraving's a bit faded, and, of course, they've had the material changed time and again." "No, no." "You're wrong." "You have to be wrong." "It is SirRoger's." "I recognize it myself." "No, that's impossible." "Unless, of course, somebody" "Mr. Tanner, who else has been asking you about umbrellas?" "." "Possiblyjust before I arrived at the house tonight." "No one." "Areyou certain?" "Absolutely." "I could have sworn" "On myway up the house, mytaxi was almost hit by one ofthose English sports cars." "The same kind as Mr. Frame drives." "[ Chuckles ] We do have quite a number of English cars over here." "And I suppose you can find dangerous drivers anywhere." "There's got to be an explanation." " Somebody feel a draft?" "." " A draft?" "." "I think I feel a draft." "Maybe there's a window open." "Maybe somebody got in here through a window." " Is this the onlywindow?" "." " Oh, yes, sir." "That's the onlywindow." "Hmm." "[Durk] Soyourbirdhas flown." " Hmm?" "." "What?" "." " Your little theory, Columbo." " [ Chuckles ] Good Lord." "Look at the time." " Wait." "Please." "There has to be an explanation." "Oh, come, come, come, come." "Don't be so distressed." "At least it's been amusing chasing an American wild goose for a change, eh?" "." "Hmm?" "." "[ Chuckles, Clears Throat ]" "[Lilly] "Astonishing, "he says." ""One would never have guessed that this radiant ingenue ofyears past..." ""could deliver such power as Lady Macbeth-- almost as though she were born for the part!"" "[ Chuckles ] What's that?" "The Express?" "." "Mmm." "I love him." ""And as for Mr. Nicholas Frame's surprisingly eloquent interpretation... ofthis Shakespearean tragedy, I think it's the best--"" "Here." "Let's trade." "Ah." "Listen to this." ""Regretfully, though," ""Mr. Nicholas Frame's still glorious voice was in charge ofthe evening-- charging in various noble directions!"" "[ Shouts ] I thought I'd hidden that one." "Coward." "Well, one out of 1 0, you know." "That's not bad." "Oh, I'm lovely." "I'm gorgeous." "I'm the greatest actress since Sarah Bernhardt." "Oh, darling." "They actually liked us." "Success, Your Majesty." "Stark, raving success." "After all thoseyears ofthose miserable second leads." "Now nothing can stop us, can it?" "." "And no one will ever be able to prove that we were within miles of Roger-- [Doorbell Buzzes ]" "Listen." "More cables and telegrams." "Go on." "Answer it." "Answer it." "[ Chuckles ]" "[ Laughs ]" "Ahhh." "[ Laughs ]" "[ Chuckles ] [ Chuckles ]" "Ooh!" "[ Chuckling ]" "Oh." "Tanner." "Good morning, sir." "I hope I'm not too early." "[ Chuckles ] Excuse me." "Uh, I happened to notice the Guardian just reached the newsstands." "I thought perhaps you'd like to, uh, glance at it." "Oh." "That's" " That's very thoughtful ofyou." "Gives us quite a rave, sir." "I'm delighted to read that, up to now, uh, you've only received one, shall we say, inadequate notice." "Oh, but that was" "What's this?" "." "Croissants, sir." "Nick, what is it?" "." "Oh." "Oh, good morning, madam." "I broughtyou some croissants." "Fresh from that nice old dairy on the corner ofyour street." "I thought that afteryourtriumph last night, the least I could do was to serve you breakfast in bed." "Tanner, what the devil-- I'm afraid I won't be able to stayvery long today." "When someone in my position suffers a tragic loss, madam, one has to think of one's future employment." "But we already have a maid." "Hmm." "Scarcely adequate for persons ofyour station." " Wouldn'tyou say?" "." " Uh, now, now." "See here." "Tanner, was ityou, by any chance, who happened to notice my husband... buying tickets to Covent Garden the other day... and toldSirRogerabout it?" "Oh, very regrettable." "But, uh, loyalty to one's master." " Filthy snoop." " I told you it wasn't Miss Dudley." "Throw him out ofhere." "Madam, please, please." "You know, Sir Roger was beginning to show signs of distrust... with regard toyouramorous interest in him." "But be rest assured, both ofyou, that in your employ my loyaltywill be doubly great." "I take it that's the kitchen in there." "Nick!" "Wait." "Uh, Tanner." " Yes." " What else?" "." "Let me think." "Oh, yes." "Uh, it might interest you to know that your concern about a certain umbrella... hasn't been mentioned to a single soul." "But I do hope that certain other umbrellas... have been properly disposed of in the river by now." "Tanner, uh, what sort ofwages would you expect, working for us?" "." "Oh, madam." "Don't let's talk about that until after breakfast." "Holmes." "Sherlock Holmes was, I suppose, our most famous detective." "But I'm sureyou noticed on yourvisit to our new file section at the Yard... why he wouldn't even qualify these days." "No, no." "In our modern police" "Those fish-and-chips are greasy, but they're sure good." "What wereyou saying, sir?" "." "Uh, special section." "Well, as you've only a couple of days here, I expectyou'd like to see how we handle some of our larger cases." "[ Bells Chiming ] I think I can lay that on foryou." "As a matter offact, we had a very interesting case" "That's Big Ben, isn't it?" "." "Yes." "[Chiming Continues ]" "Boy, that's terrific." "A thing that old, and it's only a minute slow." "Really?" "." "We must put another penny on the governor." "Did you get petrol?" "." "Yes, ofcourse I gotpetrol." "Now, watch it, darling." "[ Grunts ]" "There." "Take these." "Is there any air in these tires?" "." "Oh." "Tie that tightly." "Nicky, supposing you had a flat tire." "Of course there's air." "Listen." "We've gotta hurry." "Uh, no, I know." "We do." ""This deed I'll do before this purpose cools!"" "And stop acting." "Lilly." "D-D-Do we really have to do this?" "." "Nick, we've been through all that before." "What else can we do?" "." "Lilly, ifwe get out there too early, the police might still be there." "But that's what the bicycle is for-- so thatyou can ride in the backway, and no one will noticeyou." "[ Chuckling ] I haven't ridden a bicycle for 1 0 years." "You can't start practicing now." "Oh!" "Besides," "Tanner says there won't be any police there... because they haven't started doing an inventoryyet." "They have to wait for-- for an expert from Oxford." "Ah, yes." "What would we have done without Tanner, huh?" "." "Good old, faithful Tanner." "[ Cackling ]" ""I knew him well!" You're off again." "Ah, yah." "Ah." "Thereyou are." "Frame." "This your bicycle?" "." "Yes." "I, uh-- I had a flat up the road." "A farmer's fixing it for me, so I borrowed this from, uh, his kid and came in the backway." "What have we got here?" "." "The books, sir." "I'm going to post them to our numbered box as we arranged." "I just want to have a look." "That's all." "You know, sir-- excuse me saying so-- but I am rather concerned about removing any more books." "[ Chuckling ] Oh." "Oh, nonsense, Tanner." "We're all in this together now, aren't we?" "." "Can't verywell payyou suitable wages without the wherewithal." "I see." "And, of course, it would make it look more like a robbery, wouldn't it?" "." "Afteryou, sir." "Get in there!" "Mr. Tanner." "Mr. Tanner, where areyou, sir?" "." "I've been trying to phoneyou from the house." "[Screams ]" "[ Grunts ]" "Lieutenant." "Lieutenant." "Good news, sir." "We found something pretty important." "You did?" "." "I knew you would, because I just" "I couldn't believe the stupid stuffing the newspaper." "Your suitcase, sir." "I've got it in the car." "Just in the nick oftime, eh?" "." "Yeah." "Mr. O'Keefe-- Well, we'd better be getting to the airport pretty quick, sir." "Tell me something." "It says here the butler did it." "ChiefSuperintendent Durk" "Does he really believe that Mr. Tanner killed Sir Roger, panicked and then killed himself?" "." "Uh, there was some evidence." "I mean, the butler had quite a little cache ofSir Roger's best books-- including the Irving-- stashed away beneath the floorboards." "Must be worth..." "close to half a million" " I know, but" " As to what the papers guess at... and what Durk really thinks" " He's not much to live with today." "I can tell you that, sir." " Hmm." "You know, I keep thinking to myself, ifl had stayed out ofhis hair, if maybe I hadn't come up with my theory and butted in" "Oh, no, no, no, no." "No blame, sir." "No." "Well, he told you so himself when he said good-bye." " It's notyour fault there are no clues." " And all we needed was one little one." "Like where Sir Rogerwas that one night." "Well, as Ialways sayto the missus, sir, a policeman's lot is not an happy one." "Yeah." "You know, I bet I've read this thing a hundred" "Didn't read that part." "That exhibit at the London Wax Museum is opening this afternoon." "Would you take me?" "." "Now, we gotta call Mr. Durk, ask him to meet us there." "Oh, and I want to buy something-- an umbrella." "[ Murmuring ]" "[ No Audible Dialogue ]" "[LillyLaughs ] All those sweetpeople." "They'rejust lovelypeople." "Uh, my name is Jones, Miss Stanhope and Mr. Frame." "Uh, perhaps you remember me." "Of course." "Of course." "We got your message, hurried over as quickly as we could." "Aren'tyou a little late with the opening?" "." "They'll break down the door." "Yes." "A bit, but" "Oh, look!" "Drapes and everything." "Oh, what's the idea,Jones?" "." "You going to have a regular unveiling?" "." "Oh, yes, sir." "In a manner ofspeaking." "I thought it might be something like that, so on theway over I made some notes." "I'll be glad to say a fewwords." "Oh." "Oh, thankyou." "Thankyou very much, sir." "Uh, excuse me." "They hereyet,Jones?" "." "Yes, sir." "Theyjust arrived." "[ O'Keefe ] That's Mr. Durk's car, sir." "He's beaten us to it." "Good luck, Lieutenant." "Where the devil is-- [Knocking]" "Columbo?" "." "Boy, a lot of people here." "[ Mumbles ]" "[ Whispers ]" "[Lilly] Why, Mr. Durk." "Miss Stanhope, Mr. Frame." "Oh, and, Lieutenant." "You're beginning to look exactly like a Londoner." "Oh, you mean this." "No, no, ma'am." "I just bought this." "You see, ever since I've been in London, I've been thinkin' and thinkin', what would be the best souvenir to bring back to Los Angeles?" "." " I thoughtyou'dbe onyourwayhome bynow." " Right." "But Isort ofmissed the plane." "Anyway, it suddenly struck me-- an umbrella." "Mr.Jones, did someone askyou to invite us here?" "." "What are those curtains doing there?" "." "I thought we were going to get to see an exhibit." "[Durk]Jones." " Oh, yes." " Yes." "I'm dying to see it." "After all that silly business we had modeling for it." "Thereyou are, sir." "Quite remarkable." "Yes, it is." "[ Lilly] Do I really look like that?" "." "Marvelous." "Let me tell you." "I don'twant to repeat myself, but the other night when I saw that performance thatyou two" "Durk, will you please explain what we're doing here?" "." "Why don'tyou ask the tour guide?" "." "What about the other one?" "." "Isn't Mr. Haversham ready?" "." "[Jones ] Oh,yes." "Yes." "[ Columbo ] I'm sure you want to see this too." "It's part ofthe exhibit." "Look at that." "Boy, isn't that something." "Of course, I didn't know him the wayyou folks did." " I guess you were closer to him than anybody." " Poor Roger." "[LillySniffles ] Kind of shakes ya, doesn't it?" "." "Do you know, they have stuff in the chamber ofhorrors here that actually makes my skin crawl?" "." "I think it's disgusting-- putting him on display." "Oh, listen." "I know howyou must feel." "And I sympathize with ya." "But somebody's been murdered." "And you know what they tell me?" "." "They tell me folks around here kind of enjoy that sort ofthing." "You want to bet they hang up a figure of Mr. Tanner too?" "." "Most people, Columbo, have frightful taste." "Yourselfincluded." "Nowyou'll have to excuse us." "Come along, Lilly." "Not justyet, sir." "Ifyou thinkwe're going to play some sort of charadewith this ridiculous" "Gee, Mr. Frame, I'm always getting you angry." "I'm sorry about that." "It must be my accent or something." "But I wanted you here because I wanted you to help me prove something." "Um, I think I'll get rid ofthis." "I don't think Mr. Tanner killed anybody like the newspapers are saying." "I think itwas you." "[LillyLaughing] Oh, Lieutenant.Just when I was beginning to likeyou." "This is going to sound silly, but Sir Roger" "He was killed someplace else, and his body was moved later on." "And if I can only prove where it was that he drove that night-- prove who it was that he went to see-- then everything will start falling into place." "Well, he did not come to see us." "Now, how many times" "No, sir." "Not toyour dressing room in the theater." "It was toyours." "That's where the umbrellas come in." "I guess umbrellas are the kind ofthing that I can understand." "You know, I've been watching people to see what they do with umbrellas when they come in out ofthe rain." "They close the umbrella, they give it a shake like this, and they find someplace to lean it against." "But... they never fasten this strap because then it won't dry properly." "Fascinating." "There's onlyone problem with that." "Sometimes things drop in." "Almost anything can drop in." "So I got to thinking... if maybe that's what Sir Roger did with his umbrella, and something dropped into it... that night," "well, then maybe, uh" "I got these things here somewhere." "Just give me a moment, would ya?" "." "[ Coughs ] Oh." "Forgive me." "Amazing likeness, isn't it?" "." "Where was I?" "." "Oh, yes." "Uh, ma'am, the other night, I stepped on a pearl in your dressing room." " I have some more just like it." "I got it from your costumer." "She says she makes them." " Oh, yes." "Well, maybe, ifthe necklace was broken in a fight likeyou said" "But" " But that-- that was Nicky and I." " Uh,Jones, bring us that umbrella, would you?" "." " Oh,yes." "Yes, sir." "Well, there's a chance-- a pretty good chance that ifthe fight was with Sir Roger" "No." "No, it wasn't." "Well, there's no point speculating." "Mr.Jones. Could we move backjust a little, give the gentleman room." "Mr.Jones, would you open the umbrella, sir?" "." "Why, it's the same." "Exactly the same." "Well, ma'am?" "." "Sir?" "." ""Sir!" [ Chuckles ]" "[ Giggling ] "Sir!"" ""Tomorrow!" [ Cackling ]" ""Tomorrow... and tomorrow--"" "Nicky, stop it." "He put it there." "Can't you see?" "." "Before we came." " He put it there!" " Uh,Jones, has anybody but you touched that umbrella?" "." "No, sir." "I'll testify to that." ""...recorded time." "He must have done it when we weren't looking." "Oh, Nicky, please!" "And all ouryesterdays have lighted fools--"" "He" " He was mad." "Don'tyou see?" "." "Yes, ma'am." "He" " He didn't know what he was doing." "I know he didn't, ma'am." "And Sir Roger-- That was my fault." "I understand." "It was an accident." "I" " I swear it!" "Oh, Mr. Durk-- "...frets his hour upon the stage!"" "Don't be too hard on Nicky." "You must try to understand." "Yes, well, uh, I thinkwe can settle all this at the Yard." "Smythe, will, uh, you take over, eh?" "." "Very good, sir." "[Nick] "...andfury. "" ""Tomorrow... and tomorrow--"" "[LillySobbing]" "[ Siren Wailing ]" "Thankyou, Mr.Jones. And now I believe you can replace the umbrella and open your doors." "Anything for the Yard, Mr. Durk." "It's been very, um, interesting." "Ah." "Bit ofluck, eh?" "." "Hmm?" "." "How did you know that bead was in there?" "." "Oh.Just the odds." "The odds were very poor, and you know it." "Come now." "You can do better than that." "Offthe record, eh?" "." "Well, Mr. Durk, when you were maybe in the third or fourth grade, and there was a pretty redheaded girl in the front row, and you couldn't get her attention, um" "Well, go on." "Just a little trick I learned." "[ Coughs ]" "Excuse me." "Throat." "Amazing likeness." "[Durk] ByJove." "Sir?" "."