<P> In 1968 , the same play was made into a two - hour television movie that aired on NBC . The writers suggested Lee J. Cobb and Bing Crosby for the role of Columbo , but Cobb was unavailable and Crosby turned it down because he felt it would take too much time away from the golf links . Director Richard Irving convinced Levinson and Link that Falk , who wanted the role , could pull it off even though he was much younger than the writers had in mind . </P>
<P> In 1968 , the same play was made into a two - hour television movie that aired on NBC . The writers suggested Lee J. Cobb and Bing Crosby for the role of Columbo , but Cobb was unavailable and Crosby turned it down because he felt it would take too much time away from the golf links . Director Richard Irving convinced Levinson and Link that Falk , who wanted the role , could pull it off even though he was much younger than the writers had in mind . </P>
who was first offered the part of columbo
who was first offered the part of columbo
Lee J. Cobb Bing Crosby
Lee J. Cobb Bing Crosby