Mrs. Columbo

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Mrs. Columbo is the wife of fictional the television detective Columbo in the television series of the same name. She is an unseen character who is frequently mentioned in the series. Although audiences never saw her nor heard her voice, the viewer is often exposed to her thoughts and ideas by statements made by Lt. Columbo during his investigations.

In 1979, over the strong objections of the producers of Columbo, NBC executive Fred Silverman produced a US television series starring Kate Mulgrew which was initially named Mrs. Columbo. It was briefly refered to in an episode of the original show, where Columbo was a bit distressed because "a young woman was going around claiming to be his wife". Over the course of the second series, the linkage between this Kate Columbo and the Mrs. Columbo of the original television series was reduced. The name of the character was changed to Kate Callahan after an off-screen divorce, and the series was renamed Kate Loves a Mystery. In its latter incarnation it was determined that this Kate Columbo and the Mrs. Columbo of Columbo were entirely different people.

An episode of Mrs. Columbo was included as a bonus feature in the Region 1 DVD release of the fourth season of Columbo released in August 2005.

Peter Falk, in character as Columbo reveals his wife's name "Rose" while roasting Frank Sinatra.