Popular television show 'Columbo' star Peter Falk dies [Photos]

Peter Falk, veteran actor who is best remembered for winning four Emmy Awards, passed away at his Beverly Hills home on Thursday.

Falk was well known for detective series Lt Columbo, a character played by him on television for more than 30 years. He was 83, and the cause of the death is not established yet but he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, according to a statement released by family friend Larry Larson.

Falk, in his more than 50-years of acting career appeared in more than 50 feature movies that includes A Woman Under the Influence, Husbands, Luv, Mikey and Nicky, The In-Laws, Wings of Desire, The Great Race, The Cheap Detective, Cookie and The Princess Bride.

Falk’s two best-known dramatic movies were Husbands (1970) and A Woman Under the Influence (1974), which were written and directed by Falk's close friend John Cassavetes.

With two Academy Award nominations for best supporting actor, Falk became popular for playing the title role in Columbo, the crime drama for which he won four of his Emmys.

Columbo began its history in 1971 as part of the NBC Sunday Mystery Movie series. It took hardly any time for the series to become the most popular of the three mysteries, the others being McCloud and McMillan and Wife. Falk was reportedly paid $250,000 a movie.

Columbo presented a contrast to other TV detectives. He looks like a flood victim, Falk once said. You feel sorry for him. He appears to be seeing nothing, but he's seeing everything. Underneath his dishevelment, a good mind is at work.

In 1989, ABC offered Columbo in a two-hour format for appearing once or twice a season after NBC canceled the three series in 1977.

Columbo, was ranked No. 7 in TV Guide's 1999 list of TV's Fifty Greatest Characters Ever and became one of the most memorable TV characters in television history.

Falk had the best take on Columbo. I love him, he told TV Guide in 2000. He's eccentric, oblivious to the impression he makes on people. His obsessiveness is hidden by his graciousness. He has a sly sense of humor, is by nature polite and totally devoid of pretension. But God help anyone who commits murder in Los Angeles, stltoday website reported.

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