Just One More Thing: Dagger of the Mind

Notes and screenshots for Dagger of the Mind: Originally broadcast on November 26, 1972, starring Richard Basehart and Honor Blackman as scheming thespians, Bernard Fox as what it would look like if you averaged every British person into a single form, Wilfrid Hyde-Wright as the human incarnation of tax evasion, and, of course, Peter Falk as Columbo.

"In London, a respected Shakespearean acting duo cover up the unintended killing of their producer."

-IMDB Summary

"Gordon Bennett, it’s “Dagger of the Mind!” Fading theatrical couple Richard Basehart and Honor Blackman accidentally kill the producer they’ve been tricking into funding their production of that play you’re not supposed to say the name of. Can they get away with it? Well, you see, this detective by the name of Columbo just happens to be visiting London to review techniques at Scotland Yard and… the short answer is no. Manning Krull (manningkrull.com) joins us to discuss blackmail, tax evasion, French Columbos and so much more."

-RJ's episode summary

Listen to the original podcast episode here:

Episode 12: Taken by a Ham and a Tart with our guest Manning Krull. 

Dagger of the Mind

Season 2, Episode 4

Director: Richard Quine

Writers: Jackson Gillis, Richard Levinson, William Link

The only other time I’m aware of Columbo brushing shoulders with crime in the United Kingdom was in the satirical John Clesse production, The Strange Case of the End of Civilization As We Know It, wherein the role of the Lieutenant was played by nightclub comedian Luie Caballero. This time around, his time in England is limited to a few establishing shots of Big Ben and Buckingham Palace, and the mighty British edifice of Bernard Fox.

Ostensibly the whole adventure takes place in a very tweedy, polished mahogany London, mostly shot on soundstages in California despite a largely British cast. Might be taking place in Boston for all you could tell.

Columbo is much more popular in the UK than it is in the states. I wonder how this episode plays over there. I’m sure it’s much like those British shows which take place in America but have Kansas City within walking distance of Manhattan or they call the President “Minister-Elect President” or something. 

Next episode: Requiem for a Fallen Star