[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 10322]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                         REMEMBERING PETER FALK

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in 
honoring the memory of Peter Falk, the iconic actor who entertained 
generations of Americans throughout an illustrious 50-year acting 
career. Mr. Falk passed away on June 23, 2011, at his home in Beverly 
Hills, CA. He was 83 years old.
  Peter Falk was born in New York City on September 16, 1927. Despite 
the loss of his right eye from a surgery to remove a malignant tumor at 
the age of 3, he became a standout 3-letter athlete, a debate team 
member and senior class president in high school. It was in high school 
that he developed a love for acting when he first appeared on stage in 
a musical.
  After graduating from high school, Mr. Falk fulfilled a 1-year 
commitment as a cook in the Merchant Marines. In 1953, he earned a 
master's in public administration from Syracuse University and landed a 
job with the Connecticut State Budget Bureau in Hartford.
  While in Hartford, he pursued his love for acting by joining the Mark 
Twain Maskers, a community theatre group, and learned under the 
tutelage of actress Eva Le Gallienne at White Barn Theatre. At the age 
of 28, he quit his job and moved to New York City to become a 
professional actor.
  Mr. Falk first gained acclaim for his portrayal of a bartender in the 
1956 Off-Broadway production of ``The Iceman Cometh.'' Over the next 
half century, he embarked on a career that included Broadway, 
television, and movies. He received two Academy Award nominations for 
best supporting actor for roles in ``Murder, Inc.'' and ``Pocketful of 
Miracles.'' In 1962, he won the first of five Emmys for a role in ``The 
Dick Powell Show.''
  Mr. Falk became a household name in 1971 for his title role in the 
detective series, ``Columbo.'' His portrayal of the iconoclastic Los 
Angeles Police Department homicide detective made the character one of 
the most memorable and beloved in television history. Columbo placed 
7th in TV Guide's 1999 ranking of ``TV's Fifty Greatest Characters 
Ever.''
  Mr. Falk's legendary career and his many successes on stage, the 
small screen and the silver screen highlighted his talents as an actor. 
A consummate professional, his love for performance and acting brought 
joy to generations of fans across the world. He will be missed.
  I send my deepest sympathies to his family, especially to his wife 
Shera, and daughters Catherine and Jackie.

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