Quotes by Peter Falk

“For my money, Patrick McGoohan is the quintessential Columbo adversary.”

“The Gus Morgan Story.”

“He sent the script over and I read it that first night, and about page 45 or 50, I called him up and said Id do it. I didnt even finish it. You look for a part that you can score in. If I like this character and I can play it, the people are going to laugh or be interested, thats what you look for. They send me things that I wonder why they would send to anybody.”

“It was automatic. We were always on the same wavelength even before we started shooting.”

“It wasnt that we improvised it. We were going to shoot it, but I had the props in my hand, and I wanted to understand the props before we shot, so I asked Paul Is this the hook? and Where do you put the worm? thats when the director just said Shoot these guys! I didnt even know the camera was on, but it felt good!”

“ I never heard that before in my life. I loved it so much even though I was supposed to be mad at him. You see the look in my face, which is so delighted.”

“Sometimes I see my father in me,”

“Turn the camera on!”

“They know theres a gap, and if theyre interested in finding out more about why they arent more connected with their parents, they should see the movie,”

“Paul never told me anything about why he wrote it -- he never mentioned his father and he never mentioned my father, ... He never put me in a position in which I would feel a lot of external pressure other than wanting my reaction to the script. Thats the way I would do it. Thats the way I know a real professional would do it. Thats the proper to do it.”

My wife loves to get all dressed up and go out, and Im this gloomy Virgo. It works because of the mutual recognition that we are two democratic narcissists. She does what she has to do, and I do what I have to do. We respect that.

When I was a kid, the idea of gettin paid to paint your face... listen, I grew up in Ossining, New York, a nice little town by the Hudson, and nothin ever interested me except being your usual high school big shot, which I was an loved it, played all the sports and goofed around, always out on the street with the guys, everything was funny tme.

Whats the name of that famous museum in Paris? The Louvre? I went through that place in 20 minutes.

Ive been there a thousand years, and I never felt comfortable. Beverly Hills - when I first saw it, I thought they put it up this morning. You got to pack water to get to the drugstore.

My fathers whole life was work. He had a retail store in Ossining, New York, and I mean, he was down there at 6:15 every morning. The store didnt open until 9, but he hadda be down there. Thats all he knew.

I dont like getting up in the morning, getting in a car, driving on a freeway, and stopping at a gate where two guards are standing there, then walk into a studio that looks like a bunch of airplane hangars.

I love Chicago. Its one of the great cities. Im crazy about the town. It reminds me of New York when it was at its best, the New York that used to be and is no more. I love the architecture, the old stuff and the new stuff.

My idea of Heaven is to wake up, have a good breakfast, and spend the rest of the day drawing.

I like stories that grow, that have unpredictable layers. As opposed to Hollywood movies that start out with a lot of shock and noise and peter out into an unconvincing cliche.

God didnt design anyone to be recognized by 2 billion people.