Columbo Convention Planned For Ossining in 2018

From Prestige Cinema Books: THE PETER FALK/COLUMBO CONVENTION that will celebrate both the life of actor Peter Falk and the great detective he created, Lt. Columbo. The convention will also pay homage to the mystery genre with experts of that field holding panels for discussion. The event, which is being planned for July of 2018 to be held in Ossining, New York will invite Mystery Writers and Fans alike to discuss the newest mystery books with some of the finest writers of the genre. There will be panels that will discuss new books, delve into past Columbo mysteries, discuss the life of Peter Falk, view memorabilia from the show and meet the writers, actors, directors and creators who were part of the Columbo series that ran from 1968 to 2003. Columbo's directors included Steven Spielberg- who directed the first episode in the NBC series- "Murder by the Book" in 1971 along with the writer Steven Bochco (Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, NYPD Blue many others). The writers of the newly released book, Beyond Columbo: The Life and Times of Peter Falk, Mr. Richard A. Lertzman and Dr. William J. Birnes are behind the creation of the "Columbo Festival."

Dr. Birnes and Mr. Lertzman other recent books (for Simon & Schuster) have included The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney and "Dr. Feelgood." Dr. Birnes, is the NY Times best selling author of "The Day After Roswell," "The Green River Killer" (that was made into a television mini-series), The Black Dahlia Mystery among countless other books. "We believe that the many readers of great mystery books deserve a yearly forum to meet and discuss the subject with the great authors, creators and minds of the genre. The roots of Columbo are firmly set in the manner of Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes. Columbo was the modern incarnation of Sherlock Holmes and continues the tradition of the cerebral mystery," said Dr. Birnes. "We look to create a yearly festival, complete with a panel of experts that include many noted figures from mystery writers, actors, screenwriters, literary experts in the genre and fans of the form.

Our goal is to create a yearly event where the potential new minds of mystery mingle with the legends of the craft, "said Richard A. Lertzman. While the festival is still in the planning stages, steps are being made to firm up a mid July 2018 launch date of a four-day "Columbo-Mystery Con" weekend. For More information: Jeff Harris, Prestige Cinema Books. PrestigeCinemaBooks@Gmail.com. 216-926-2661

Image Courtesy of Prestige Cinema Books