The gravelly-voiced veteran actor, Peter Falk who won four Emmy awards as the raincoat-wearing and cigar-smoking detective in TV's Columbo (1971-2003), died Thursday at his home in Beverly Hills, California at the age of 83 . He had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease, although the exact cause of his death was not released by his family.
Peter Falk also received two Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor in two consecutive years (1960 and 1961) for MURDER, INC. and POCKETFUL OF MIRACLES. Apart from his successful stint in Hollywood movies, he was also an acclaimed stage actor who won a Tony Award for 1972's THE PRISONER OF SECOND AVENUE.
But to general public, Falk remains best known for his iconic Lieutenant Columbo role, which happened to be one of the most beloved detective series ever made in television history.
Falk is survived by his two daughters, Catherine and Jackie Falk, and his actress wife, Shera Danese.