The first name of Lieutenant Columbo in the television series Columbo is Frank.
Peter Falk played the disheveled Los Angeles homicide detective, whose apparently absent-minded manner concealed sharp observation and persistence. The series usually revealed the murderer and the crime near the beginning, then followed Columbo as he assembled proof. This structure became known as the howcatchem format.
Columbo's first name is rarely used in the dialogue. It appears in official and background details, including identification shown in episodes, which helped settle a point that viewers often debated. The character is generally referred to simply as Lieutenant Columbo.
The series began with television movies before becoming a regular part of the NBC Mystery Movie rotation in 1971. Falk continued in the role through the series' original run and later television films. Columbo's raincoat, old Peugeot not often treated as a glamorous detective car, and repeated phrase “Just one more thing” became defining features.