Columbo: Butterfly in Shades of Grey (1993) (TV)

Director:

Dennis Dugan

Writers:

Richard Levinson (creator) &
William Link (creator) ...
(more)

Release Date:

10 January 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Crime

Plot:

L.A. radio moderator Chase kills Jerry Winters, a member of his staff who tried to help Chase's daughter...

Plot Keywords:

Radio | Answering Machine | Murderer | Radio Station | Radio Show Host

Cast

Peter Falk	...	Columbo
William Shatner	...	Fielding Chase
Molly Hagan	...	Victoria Chase
Jack Laufer	...	Gerald 'Gerry' Winters
Richard Kline	...	Louis 'Lou' Cates
Yorgo Constantine	...	Station Manager
Mark Lonow	...	Theodore 'Ted' Malloy
Beverly Leech	...	Deirdre 'DeeDee' Ross
Brian Markinson	...	Deirdre's Agent
Robin Clarke	...	Senator Gordon Madison
Christopher Templeton	...	Marian Burke
John C. Anders	...	Officer Davis
Denice Kumagai	...	Martha (as Denice Kumagi)
Deryl Caitlin	...	Second Biker (as Deryl Caitlyn)
Glenn Taranto	...	Engineer
Wayne C. Dvorak	...	Fritz (Maitre D') (as Wayne Dvorak)
Douglas Stark	...	Chairman
Francesca Cappucci	...	Allison Montgomery - TV News
Anika Marinelli	...	P.A. (as Ann Noël)
Carolyn Carradine	...	First Biker
Eric Poppick	...	Soap Opera Director

Directed by
Dennis Dugan

Writing credits
Richard Levinson		(creator) &
William Link		(creator)
Peter S. Fischer		(written by)

Produced by
Peter Falk	....	executive producer
Jack Horger	....	associate producer
Christopher N. Seiter	....	producer (as Christopher Seiter)
Lisa Tygett	....	co-associate producer

Original Music by
Dick DeBenedictis		(as Dick De Benedictis)

Cinematography by
George Koblasa		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Bill Parker

Casting by
Ron Stephenson

Production Design by
Bill Ross

Set Decoration by
Mary Ann Good

Costume Design by
Jacqueline Saint Anne

Makeup Department
Lori Benson	....	makeup artist
Paula Griffin	....	hair stylist
Rita Sabatini	....	makeup artist

Production Management
James Simons	....	unit production manager (as Jimmy Simons)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph A. Ingraffia	....	first assistant director (as Joseph Ingraffia)
Brad Michaelson	....	second assistant director (as Brad I. Michaelson)

Art Department
Michael Walsh	....	sets leadman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Thomas E. Allen	....	sound mixer (as Thomas E. Allen Sr.)
Paul B. Clay	....	supervising sound editor (as Paul Clay)
Susan Kurtz	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Carl A. Vidnic	....	lamp operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Glen Bradley	....	costume supervisor (as Glenn Bradley)
Jill Sheridan	....	costume supervisor

Music Department
Laurie Higgins Tobias	....	supervising music editor

Other crew
James McCabe	....	location manager (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal TV (as Universal Television)

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1994) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1993) (Finland) (TV)
• Viasat3 (2007) (Hungary) (TV) (re-release)

Other Companies

• F-Stop Film & Video  titles & optical effects (as F-Stop, Inc.)
• Panavision  Panaflex cameras and lenses
• Universal City Studios  author: Berne Convention (as Universal City Studios, Inc.)

Runtime:

USA:120 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:PG

Company:

Universal TV

Trivia:

Second appearance by William Shatner as the villain in an episode of Columbo.

Goofs:

Continuity: Radio commentator Fielding Chase wears a pencil-thin mustache, so wispy and light that it's barely visible even in most close-ups, except while he is talking to Columbo at the murder scene, when the mustache is suddenly, dramatically darker brown. Part of his disguise at the murder scene? Not likely, since the mustache was lighter during the murder itself, and is already back to its light and thin appearance when Fielding brings Columbo into his home afterward.

Quotes:

Soap Opera Director: Okay... homeless people, go home!

Movie Connections:

Followed by Columbo: A Trace of Murder (1997) (TV)

An ego-maniacal talk show host meets his match in Columbo

It's amazing how viewers can see something different. Though I agree with the other commentator about Shatner's 'stache taking on a life of its own, I disagree with the comments about the actor's acting. While the two-hour movie format is not as "tight" as the ninety-minute episodes, "Butterfly in Shades of Gray" is entertaining until the end.

Some of the highlights include the murder, the exchange between Falk's Columbo and Shatner's "Fielding Chase" in the restaurant, the argument between Shatner and his daughter, as well as the on-air revelation about a wayward senator.

Dick DeBenedictus's score enlivens the story with the appropriate blend of mystery and suspense.