Peter Falk: R.I.P.

Actor Peter Falk,  best known for his role in the TV series "Columbo," died yesterday at the age of 83.

Falk suffered from Alzheimer's disease and advanced dementia that intensified after a series of dental operations in 2007. In 2009, his wife, Shera, and daughter, Catherine, engaged in a legal tug-of-war over who should be in charge of his personal affairs; a judge ruled that Shera would retain control.

Falk was best known for his role as iconic cop Lieutenant Columbo in the long-running TV series. He won four Emmy awards for his work on the show.

Falk also found success on the big screen. He was nominated for Oscars for his roles in "Murder, Inc."(1960) and "Pocketful of Miracles" (1961).

He began his career in theater and returned to the stage late in his career. In 1972, Falk won a Tony for Neil Simon's "The Prisoner of Second Avenue."

Read Lee Goldberg's article in the Wall Street Journal "How Peter Falk made Lt. Columbo Iconic"