The much-loved detective, who became a household name around the globe, earned actor Peter Falk four Emmy awards for his work on the show.
According to the authors, the book gives an in-depth look at the actor’s life, his place in history, and his artist’s life.
“He drank and smoked incessantly, loved boozing with his friends, and was an inveterate womanizer. He was a negligent husband and an absentee father”
Marriage
When he was just three years old, Falk had to have his right eye surgically removed due to retinoblastoma, and he wore a prosthetic eye for most of his life. The artificial eye also contributed to his signature squint.
Despite this, he was active in team sports as a boy, especially baseball and basketball.
In a 1997 interview with Cigar Aficionado, Falk recalled a memorable high school moment: “I remember once in high school the umpire called me out at third base when I was sure I was safe. I got so mad I took out my glass eye, handed it to him and said, ‘Try this.’ I got such a laugh you wouldn’t believe.”
Falk went on to secure his big break in 1960 in Murder, Inc, an American gangster movie in which Falk’s performance as vicious killer Abe Reles earned him an Academy Award nomination.
The following year he starred alongside Bette Davis in the movie Pocketful of Miracles where he was nominated for another Academy Award.
But his family life wasn’t as successful.
In 1960, the actor first married his college sweetheart, Alyce Mayo. The couple first at Syracuse University, where both Peter and Alyce studied. But it took a while before they finally tied the knot. In fact, Peter and Alyce dated for 12 years before they wed on April 17, 1960.
