Columbo (TV Series)

Lady in Waiting (1971)

Susan Clark: Beth Chadwick

Photos 

Quotes 

• Beth Chadwick : Well, if I've changed, it's because I thought you'd like a more exciting woman.

  Peter Hamilton : A change, yes, but a complete metamorphosis? I'm not sure, Beth, you're the same person.

  Beth Chadwick : Maybe I'm not.

• Beth Chadwick : Bye, Felicia.

• Columbo : I saw your new car, by the way. Oh, that's some automobile.

  Beth Chadwick : Thank you.

  Columbo : Really beautiful. Beautiful. I suppose you have to order those things weeks in advance, don't you?

  Beth Chadwick : Yes, that's right.

  Columbo : Yeah, that's right. Boy. Real change of pace for you, isn't it?

  Beth Chadwick : Well, I felt like something racy, as they say in advertising. A new image.

  Columbo : Yeah. Well y'now, I can understand that... I'm sorry... because it's a natural thing I think, after a death in the family... to want to break loose.

  Beth Chadwick : That's one way of putting it.

  Columbo : Gee, that's funny though.

  Beth Chadwick : What?

  Columbo : If you had to order the car some time ago...... that would mean you knew in advance you were going to change your style.

• Columbo : You see, according to your story, you were asleep at night... the alarm woke you up, you reached for a gun... and you shot what you thought was a burglar.

  Beth Chadwick : Which is exactly what happened.

  Columbo : Couldn't be. Because Mr. Hamilton, who was driving up outside... at the time, he heard both the shots and alarm.

  Beth Chadwick : Of course he did. What difference does that make?

  Columbo : Oh, big difference. He heard the shots first, then the alarm. That's the cart before the horse. I mean, how could the alarm wake you if the shots came first?

• Beth Chadwick : You don't know how to stay out of my life.

• Bryce Chadwick : This is hardly the time.

  Beth Chadwick : No, it never is.

• Beth Chadwick : You always surprise me.

  Peter Hamilton : Well, that's better than being predictable, right?

• Beth Chadwick : You do love me, don't you?

  Peter Hamilton : No, I hate you with a passion.

• Mrs. Chadwick : You aren't even capable of running your own life.

  Beth Chadwick : I've never been allowed to run my own life.

• Beth Chadwick : I think you've finally overstayed your welcome.

• Beth Chadwick : You're getting old, Mother, or hadn't you noticed?

• Beth Chadwick : I'm warning you. No more questions.

  Columbo : I wasn't going to ask a question, ma'am. I just wanted to return your bulb.

• Columbo : I couldn't sleep last night. There were a couple of points that... were bothering me so I thought I'd come over here and clear 'em up.

  Beth Chadwick : What kind of points?

  Columbo : That newspaper.

  Beth Chadwick : Newspaper?

  Columbo : Uh, yes. The one that I noticed on the table in the foyer. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't I hear you say that you... were home all day yesterday?

  Beth Chadwick : That's right.

  Columbo : See that's what puzzles me. How did that newspaper get there?

  Beth Chadwick : Haven't you ever heard of home delivery?

  Columbo : Oh, yeah. Yeah, I have a newspaper delivered to my house every morning.

  Beth Chadwick : There's your answer.

  Columbo : No. No, that won't answer it. No. No, the newspaper on the foyer table, that was a late edition. I mean, I even saw racetrack results in it.

  Beth Chadwick : I'm afraid I don't quite follow you.

  Columbo : Well, if you were home all day who brought home the newspaper?

  Beth Chadwick : Well, Bryce must have brought it home.

  Columbo : Yes, but Bryce came in through your room, he didn't come in through... the front door. I mean, he was shot on that side of the house. How did that newspaper get to the other end of the house?

• Columbo : Now, you figured that your brother had to walk around... the side of the house like this. Is that right?

  Beth Chadwick : I figure it. And so did the coroner's jury.

  Columbo : Right. Now you see you had to walk on grass.

  Beth Chadwick : Is there some point to this?

  Columbo : Yes, ma'am, there is. You see, now this grass is kind of dry because the sun's been out. Uh, well, today's Thursday. And the gardener cuts the grass on Thursday. Excuse me a minute. You see? Grass.

  Beth Chadwick : Yes. Well, that's only natural.

  Columbo : It certainly is. But you know there was no grass on your brother's shoe?

  Beth Chadwick : I'm afraid I don't quite understand.

  Columbo : Your brother was shot a week ago. On Thursday. And I looked at the... photographs of the body, I even had them blown up... and for the life of me, I just couldn't see any grass... on the soles of his shoe. And I couldn't figure that out. Why? It was freshly cut... and it was sticky because it was at night and there was dew.

• Columbo : When I was over at your house there the other day... and I was climbing up and down that ladder... I tell you, I had a thought, something else occurred to me... that's been keeping me awake at night.

  Beth Chadwick : Oh. What might that be?

  Columbo : Well, I was wondering about that burned out bulb... in front of your house. And I went over there this morning to take a look at it. And...

  Beth Chadwick : You brought it with you!

  Columbo : Oh yeah. I didn't think you'd mind.

  Beth Chadwick : No.

  Columbo : This is a hundred watt bulb. Hundred watt? Got a life 750-800 hours. Now, if your house is anything like... my house then you'll burn the outside light 8-10 hours a day. So that means it would last two, two and a half months. Is that right?

  Beth Chadwick : I'll concede to your knowledge. I don't know.

  Columbo : Thank you very much. Uh, now this is what I got to thinking. I hate to change bulbs outside my house... because no matter how tight I get that up in the lamp... you see, they attract a lot of dirt and goop and they're full of... dead bugs and I just don't even like to go up there and touch them.

  Beth Chadwick : Would you get to the point?

  Columbo : Uh, why is that bulb dirt and dust free? That bulb is clean as a whistle. Now I think that's kind of strange, don't you? Hanging there long enough to burn out, but not hanging there long enough to get dirty.

  Beth Chadwick : We're a fastidious family. If the bulb is clean it's because servants cleaned it.

  Columbo : They cleaned a burned out bulb?

  Beth Chadwick : They work in the daytime. So how would they know?

• Peter Hamilton : Calm down. Calm down. Take it easy.

  Beth Chadwick : Is that your professional advice?

• Beth Chadwick : Things are different now. There's a change in the status quo.