10 Famous Directors Who Made Columbo Episodes
1. Steven Spielberg
Stephen Spielberg is, without a doubt, the biggest name on this list, and a director who's destined to remain a household name for decades to come having helmed some of the biggest films of the '70s, '80s, '90s and beyond.
Every great director has to start somewhere and Spielberg began honing his craft in television, making a name for himself by stamping his own unique stylistic vision on the shows he directed - an attribute that made him unpopular with some producers.
However, on Columbo, these embellishments were actively encouraged and in 1971, at the age of 24, Spielberg directed "Murder by the Book", the opening episode of Columbo's first season.
It's a classic episode, still regarded as one of the very best, with a fantastic performance from Jack Cassidy (as the devious murderer) and packed with theatrical shots that would lead Peter Falk to remark "This guy is too good for Columbo".
That same year Spielberg would film the tense and gripping made for TV thriller Duel and the rest, as they say, is history.