Columbo Episode 5
Original Air Date: October 27, 1971
Written by: John T. Dugan
Directed by: Jack Smight
Produced by: Everett Chambers
Created by: Robert Levinson and William Link

Starring:

Peter Falk as Columbo

Eddie Albert as Martin Hollister (Murder)

Suzanne Pleshette as Helen Stewart (Witness)

John Kerr as Colonel Rodger Dutton (Victim)

Kate Reid as Mrs. Walters

Murder Weapon: Pistol
Location of Murder: Major General Martin Hollister’s Living Room
Time of Murder: Afternoon

Synopsis of Columbo: Dead Weight

A Major General (Played by Eddie Albert) who has been conspiring with a military purchasing contract officer (Played by John Kerr) with win procurement contracts, kills the contractor officer when his visits him to tell him he’s leaving the country because he’s being investigated. Things quickly go afoul for the General because there was a witness to the murder, Helen Stewart (Played by Suzanne Pleshette), who along with her mother were out sailing, and Helen sees the gunshot and the body fall. Columbo is about ready to dismiss the report of a murder, when General Hollister starts dating Helen Stewart and convinces her she was seeing things. Columbo gets his man when he finds the murder weapon in the General’s museum exhibit.

Detail Storyline for Columbo: Dead Weight This episode starts out at Major General Martin Hollister’s (Eddie Albert) house. Colonel Rodger Dutton (John Kerr) shows up unexpectedly and informs the General that their scheme to rig military bids for arms contracts is being investigated by the Inspector General. Colonel Dutton is concerned that the cost overruns he approved will be discovered and he's leaving to Geneva for a 30 day vacation and will disappear. General Hollister is afraid that that's a sign of guilt and the Colonel Dutton will be caught and spill the beans. There happen to be a few guns laying around to be sent to a museum and the General shoots Colonel Dutton.

Helen Stewart (Suzanne Pleshette) and her mother Mrs Walters (Kate Reid) are sailing on a rented sailboat and Helen Stewart sees the gun shot, immediately returns to dock to call the police. She's pondering whether to call when her doubting mother tells her she 'knew you'd come to your senses.' which pods Mrs Stewert to call the police. A black and white patrol car arrives with a patrolmen. Mrs Stewart explains that she saw a man in a bathrobe shoot a man in a uniform. She points out the house, and the patrolman recognizes the house as where General Hollister lives. The patrolman radios into police dispatch, who send Lt. Columbo because of the Generals high regard.

When Lt. Columbo arrives, the patrolman tries to chase him away because of the old wreck of a Fiat he's driving. Columbo tells the patrolman to search the General's yacht without a warrant and the procedes to knock on the General's door. General Hollister opens the door, and Columbo says someone reported a murder at his home. The General is calm and pleasant, and sounds doubtful. The two walk into the living room where two cadets are just closing up a crate that is coffin shaped. Colombo asks to look inside, and the General Hollister asks 'Wouldn't that be a little obvious." Nevertheless, they open the crate to find it contains just a few relics to be sent off for permanent enshrinement at the Marine Military Institute (MMI) to a museum in honor of the Generals 20th anniversary of retirement.

Columbo notices the fireplace is missing the andirons. Columbo askes where they are and the General says he never uses the fireplace "It's easier to just turn up the thermostat." Columbo notes that there are logs in the log rack and the General says they're for "show." The General then walks away from the fireplace drawing Columbo away. Columbo asks for a match for his cigar, and the hands him a souvenir lighter from the Korean war. The General lets the cadets leave with the crate and then shows Columbo around the rest of the home. Columbo askes the General if he has a handgun. The General says yes, and show Columbo a 22 caliber target pistol. The General then goes on to say he had the pistol out earlier, and that he was in front of the window and stumbled over the crate. The General lets Columbo examine the weapon and offers him to take it along.

Columbo says he thinks he's on a wild goose chase and will be leaving. Then the General asks who reported this incident to the police. Columbo dodges these questions and won't commit to anything. Just before leaving he tells the General that he had the yacht checked out, to which the General doesn't object.

When Columbo walks out of the General's house, the patrol car is waiting. He asks about the yacht, and the patrolman says it was clean and the engines were cold. Columbo then asks if Mrs. Stewert could have been drinking and the patrolman is non-committal.

The General visits the sail boat rental company and asks the owner Harry Barnes (Val Avery) if he knew anyone that rented a boat. Mr Barnes gives him Mrs Stewert's name and address.

Columbo visits Mrs. Stewart's house. Columbo asks Mrs Stewart if she was sure what she saw and she says yes. He explains the General's explanation about the target pistol and tripping and asks Mrs Stewart if that sounds like a reasonable explanation, to which she replies "Reasonable Yes. But that's not what I saw." Columbo asks if she'd been drinking that afternoon, to which she gets angry and says no.

Shortly after Columbo leaves Mrs Stewart's house, Major General Martin Hollister arrives. Her mother answers the door, and the Major asks if she is Mrs. Stewart. She says no, and gets her daughter. General Hollister asks her if she recognizes him, and she says no. The General then says he needs a character witness and that she should watch the 11 O'clock news to see who is is because of the dedication to him at MMI.

At a small restaurant while waiting for his chili to be served, Columbo is watching the news which is featuring a histor of the General and his heroism. He takes note about the General skill with a pistol and how it saved his life.

Back at Mrs Stewart's house, Mrs Walters is trying to convince her daughter she is seeing things.

The General arrives home late after the dinner and reception at MMI. His friends want to come in for a drink and he tells them to go home to their wifes. He then goes in changes into yachting clothes, has a stiff drink, then pushes a button on the bar which causes a wall bookcase to spin around to reveal an empty gun case and Colonel Dutton's body wrapped in plastic and hanging from the rack. The General takes the body on his yacht and goes out to dump it at sea weighted down. On the General's return to dock, Lt. Colombo is at the dock fishing and waiting for him. Colombo finds it odd that at that early hour all of the fishing boats are going out and he is coming in. To which the General says he doesn't follow the normal rules. Columbo then asks about the pearl handled Colt 45 revolver he says on the news last night. The General says he lost it Korea. The General says that the museum has a duplicate of it. Then the General tells Columbo "To find a different spot or use a different bait, or you aren't going to catch anything Lieutenent."

The General shows up at Mrs Walter's work place which is a childrens center with animals. The General had gone to her home and her mother told him where to find her. He asks her to dinner. During the meal the General suggests that her eyes were tricking her into thinking she saw something when she didn't see anything. She reluctantly agrees it's possible. General Hollister makes a pass at her and she's surprised that after her accusations he'd be so interested in her.

Back at Mrs. Stewart's house Columbo is talking with Mrs Walters. Mrs. Stewert returns home, and tells them she had dinner with the General. Columbo thinks it's odd that the General found her since he didn't tell him who the accuser was. Columbo explains that the found Colonel Dutton's car, it had been hot-wired and dumped. And the Colonel had booked a trip, didn't show up and is now missing. Columbo shows Mrs Stewart a photo and Mrs Stewart is now doubtful about what she saw. Columbo notes that after one dinner with the General that "your now the one doubtful and not trusting your senses" and leaves the house.

Out on the General's yacht, Mrs Walters is sunning herself on the deck of the boat. The General shows her the light reflecting off of the windows and she has a confused look on her face.

At dinner at the General's home, Mrs Walters is telling a childhood story to the General about dancing and the General politely helps her up from the chair and they being to dance which terminates in a hugging kiss.

Colonel Dutton's body is found my some fisherman and the General hears of this as breaking news on his radio on his boat and is concerned. Lt Columbo happens by to talk to the General. The General says he is busy and doesn't have time to talk unless the Lieutenant wants to take a short cruise with him while he tests the engines before an overnight trip. The two talk about the body that was found at Morocco Cove, and Columbo says that the man had been shot and weighted down. Columbo says he's there to protect him and that the folks downtown think they have a good case against him. Columbo says there's the motive of the Generals Construction company getting contracts and the Colonel being investigated. Then there's the boat trip the morning after the incident at the General's house. And Columbo remembers seeing a car similar to the Colonel's across the street from the General's house the night he first visited. General Hollister then has a little enjoyment getting Columbo sea sick by racing the engines and cutting them back a few times. back at harbor, Columbo is green gilled and Columbo points out the link with Mrs. Stewert as a witness and the General's attention. Mrs Stewart is waiting at the dock when they arrive. Columbo explains about the body of Colonel Dutton being found, and now Mrs Stewert is saying she didn't see anything. A puzzled Lt Columbo steps off of the boat and sighes.

Back at Columbo's favorite chili joint, Columbo sits down and Burt prepares the chili for Columbo. Columbo asks for a match and Burt hands him is Army helmet filled with matches. Columbo asks what it is, and Burt explains it's his helmet and his wife wanted hom to throw it away. Burt also shows Columbo some other sovieners from the war. Columbo's eyes light up and he makes a phone call.

Columbo is at the exhibit at MMI and Mrs Stewert arrives. Columbo says he's glad she came and starts to show her around. While standing over a display case Columbo shows Mrs Stewart a Marine Military Manuel that saved the General's life by stopping a bullet. While standing on front of another display case that has the "replica" pearl handled Colt 45 the General arrives and asks what theyre doing. Columbo says it seems to him that a person that kept every kind of scrap of history like the General does it seemed odd that that General Hollister would loose that famous gun. Mrs Stewart agrees. Columbo then explains that the gun in the display case is the original and not a duplicate. The General is had and states that "I assume ballistics has checked out the gun." Immediately thereafter two plainclothes detectives arrive and escort the General out of the museum. Mrs Walters is dumbfounded.

Cast of Dead Weight

Peter Falk as Columbo
Eddie Albert as Martin Hollister [Murder]
Suzanne Pleshette as Helen Stewart [Witness]
John Kerr as Colonel Rodger Dutton [Victim]
Kate Reid as Mrs. Walters

Val Avery as Harry Barnes

Timothy Carey as Bert
Clete Roberts as TV Newsman
Ron Castro as Officer Sanchez
Glen Vernon as 1st Officer
Jimmy Pelham as 2nd Officer
Jim Halferty as 1st Marine Cadet

Associate Producer: Robert F. O’Neill
Story Editor: Steven Bocho
Columbo Theme Music By Henry Mancini
Filmed at Universal Studios, Universal City, California USA