Columbo (TV Series)

The Most Crucial Game (1972)

Robert Culp: Paul Hanlon

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Quotes 

• Lt. Columbo : You know, when I'm listening to a game and my wife interrupts - I can't help myself - I want to hear that game, and I don't care how important the interruption.

  Paul Hanlon : [trying to hear a game himself]  Your wife has my sympathy.

• Paul Hanlon : Columbo, are you in charge of this mess or not?

  Lt. Columbo : Sir...

  Paul Hanlon : This is...!

  Lt. Columbo : Sir, I'm only trying to solve a murder...

• Lt. Columbo : Well, I do kind of wonder about the pool service. By any chance you don't happen to know... whether they come to the Wagner house on Sundays?

  Paul Hanlon : I don't know of any pool service who works on Sunday at all. Why?

  Lt. Columbo : Oh there was just this water around the pool decking.

  Paul Hanlon : Well, that's normal for there to be water around the pool, ain't there?

  Lt. Columbo : Yes, sir. But not fresh water. No chlorine in it.

• Lt. Columbo : And I thought maybe you'd want to be brought up to date. Like that autopsy report. I just got it on the phone. Incidentally you never asked me about that. I thought you would. I guess it slipped your mind.

  Paul Hanlon : No, it didn't slip my mind. It was nothing to ask about, Because there was nothing new, was there?

  Lt. Columbo : No, sir. There wasn't.

• Paul Hanlon : Everybody is a suspect. Isn't that true?

• Paul Hanlon : Columbo I told you I called Eric from the box just before the game, I called him again from the box, about the end of the 1st quarter.

  Lt. Columbo : Unfortunately the telephone company's records can't prove that.

  Paul Hanlon : But that's not my problem, is it?

  Lt. Columbo : No, sir. That's my problem.

• Paul Hanlon : Listen, is your head clear yet?

  Eric Wagner : Oh, clear as mud.

• Paul Hanlon : Columbo, I'm trying to watch this game! What is it?

  Lt. Columbo : You know you did the same thing the first time I came in here? Last Sunday. I guess that's what started me wondering.

  Paul Hanlon : I did what?

  Lt. Columbo : You turned the radio down, but not quite off. When I told you that Eric Wagner was dead. It's all right. I do the same thing. You know, when I'm listening to the game, My wife interrupts, I can't help myself. I wanna hear that game, And I don't care how important the interruption.

  Paul Hanlon : Your wife has my sympathy.

  Lt. Columbo : However, when I told you about the fresh water on the decking, when I told you that Eric Wagner might have been murdered, You know what you did? Turned the radio completely off. Well, I thought I'd struck a chord or something.

  Paul Hanlon : No, Columbo, you struck out. Now will you please go find somebody else to pester?

• Lt. Columbo : This is a murder case. There is no question about it.

  Paul Hanlon : Oh, look, you did it again. I guess you just can't help yourself.

• Lt. Columbo : I mean I came down here to get you because... I made a real wrong guess last night.

  Paul Hanlon : I think you made a few.