EQMM, November 1954

In addition to stories by the likes of Erle Stanley Gardner, John D. MacDonald, Agatha Christie, and others, the November 1954 issue of Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine featured a tale titled “Whistle While You Work,” the very first short fiction sold by future Columbo creators Richard Levinson and William Link.

William Link on Columbo

William Link, the co-creator (with Richard Levinson) of the popular TV crime drama Columbo, was interviewed some years ago for the Archive of American Television; you can find the various segments of that exchange here. During the interview, Link recalled the uncertain process of getting Columbo on the air and how Peter Falk was ultimately selected to play Lieutenant Columbo. Both of those videos are embedded below.

The Execution of Private Slovik (1974)

This is a clip from the 1974 NBC-TV movie The Execution of Private Slovik, based on a true story from World War II and written by Richard Levinson and William Link.

That Certain Summer (1972)

Below is TV Guide’s 1972 “Close-Up” piece about That Certain Summer, a film scripted by Richard Levinson and William Link. (Click on the image for an enlargement.) The complete 73-minute film can now be bought in DVD format from Modcinema.