Universal Crime

Columbo excavates the area surrounding the newly poured foundation of a building to search for a corpse.

A botanical collector involves his nephew in a kidnapping to break a trust fund, then murders him to finance his hobby.

The mistress of a conductor becomes a target for murder after threatening to tell all to her lover's wife.

A football-team manager (Robert Culp) establishes an electronic alibi for the murder of the team owner (Dean Stockwell) during a game; guests Valerie Harper, Susan Howard, James Gregory, Dean Jagger.

Columbo journeys to London to observe Scotland Yard, but winds up investigating murders committed by two Shakespearean actors.

The ongoing feud between an out-of-favor Hollywood actress and a gossip columnist results in murder. Guest star: Anne Baxter.

A surgeon kills a nurse who suspects him of intentionally botching the heart surgery of his colleague, a cardiac expert.

An American chess champion plays a private match with his challenger and kills him because the man is a better player.

Twins (Martin Landau in a dual role) kill their wealthy uncle just before his marriage to a younger woman.

A cosmetics manufacturer is suspected of murdering an employee (Martin Sheen) who stole a wrinkle-removing formula.

A wine connoisseur kills his playboy brother to prevent his selling the family winery to expiate his latest scandal.

A senatorial candidate exploits death threats, fabricated for publicity, to kill his manager.