Now You See Him

Peter Falk's Columbo matches wits with Jack Cassidy for the third and final time in this entertaining episode from the show's fifth season. Cassidy is perfect as the Great Santini, a magician who learns a few tricks from the master detective, and Bob Dishy adds to the fun as Columbo's partner, a role he first played in 1972's "Greenhouse Jungle."

Jack Cassidy dazzles as The Great Santini, a magician with a hatful of tricks but not enough to pull the wool over Columbo's eyes.

The Great Santini has had enough with sharing half his earnings with club owner Jesse Jerome (Nehemiah Persoff.) Jerome found out that Santini was a Nazi and a member of the SS and has been blackmailing him.

Santini conjures up an elaborate plan to have Jerome killed while he is supposedly performing a death defying escape act.

Columbo hooks up again with Sergeant Wilson who is always finding the new raincoat that Columbo wants to lose. Thayer David who was memorable in Rocky turns up as a magic shop clerk who gives Columbo an important clue.

This is Cassidy's episode, he died a few months after this was broadcast. He leaves a performance that shows just what a talent he was. There is some really nifty tricks on show here and Cassidy pulls it off with great aplomb.

Jack Cassidy pops up again as another scheming and conniving scoundrel, and general all round nere-dowell.

Here he is reincarnated as The Great Santini the grand master of illusions, himself replete with concealed skeleton.

This is a 2nd Columbo Episode featuring magicians though they both involve Murders, this is no way near as gruesome.

Columbo is looking rather neater than usual this time replete with, new haircut and coat supplied by his misses as a present.

But, can Columbo ever really be happy in anything in the way of new clothes?

Inspector Columbo is teamed up again with Sargeant John Wilson, and we are reminded of his characters personality.

Sgt. Wilson is an officer who loves to stick by the book of police procedures, and particularly keen to be efficient and punctilious.

What a complete difference in personalities and approach, between Columbo vs Sgt. John Wilson.

Neither of them can seemingly quite appreciate or want to contend with the other, that's certainly what comes across to me.

Columbo is really a solo performer which may appear as a daft observation, as he is invariably seen in situations surrounded by other officers.

But if you watch him at work he is thoroughly emersed, in what he is about. And Columbo really doesn't want to have to be bothered with having to put up with Sgt. John Wilson.

Columbo has always been one of my favourites, and Now You See Him... while not quite among my absolute favourites is still a very good episode. It has lovely locations and the editing and photography are as slick as ever. The music also adds much to the atmosphere. The story is diverting in concept right from the well-constructed murder and never lets go. The ending is clever and satisfying if not going off like fireworks like Suitable For Framing or A Stitch in Crime did. The script is tense and clever with bits of humour that doesn't feel jarring. Now You See Him... is beautifully directed too. Of the support cast, it was interesting to see Nehemiah Persoff and Robert Loggia, but neither don't have that much to do really. I have to say though Bob Dishy has a role that is much better written than his role in The Greenhouse Jungle(which I liked but remember it for Ray Milland than anything else) and it shows, he really makes the most of it. I was most impressed by Cynthia Sikes, very beautiful and she can act. But it is the two leads that dominate. Peter Falk is brilliant as Columbo, while Jack Cassidy(one of the series' most justifiably most frequent and memorable guest stars) is wonderfully and smug. While Publish and Perish is my personal favourite of his three episodes(Murder By the Book is great too), my personal favourite performance of his in the Columbo series is here. In conclusion, a very good, no scratch that, great Columbo. 9/10 Bethany Cox

The story in "Now You See Him" is one of the best of all the "Columbo" episodes. It is quite enjoyable to watch...and extremely well thought out and intelligently written.

When the story begins, you learn that the great illusionist, The Great Santini* (Jack Cassidy), has something to hide...and he's being blackmailed because of it. His boss (Nehemiah Persoff) knows that Santini was actually an SS soldier who worked in a death camp during WWII. To rid himself of this threat, Santini uses his knowledge of magic and deception to make it appear as if he could never have done the murder as he was in a different part of the nightclub at the time of the killing. It's up to Columbo to match wits with Santini and best him at his own game.

The writing was just exquisite in this one and the story very exciting. It's a shame that Cassidy died later the same year he made this guest appearance, as he was always wonderful on the show. Also interesting is seeing Sgt. Wilson on the show, as he played Wilson in an earlier episode ("Greenhouse Jungle")...though his first name, oddly, changed.

*Not to be confused with the character played by Robert Duvall so expertly in 1979.