Columbo uses news and concert footage to prove Benedict was not wearing the flower during the performance, but had it immediately afterward at the crime scene. Benedict's wife, Janice (Blythe Danner), ultimately refuses to lie for him, sealing his fate. Key Episode Trivia
It was directed by Nicholas Colasanto , better known to later audiences as "Coach" from Cheers .
In addition to Cassavetes and Danner, the episode features Hollywood legend Myrna Loy as Benedict's mother-in-law.
This episode marks the first appearance of Columbo’s lethargic Basset Hound , whom he eventually names "Dog".
Blythe Danner was visibly pregnant during filming; her daughter, Gwyneth Paltrow, was born just 10 days after the episode aired.
Benedict stages Jenifer’s death as a suicide by gas asphyxiation. To create an alibi, he "naps" in his dressing room at the Hollywood Bowl before a concert, but actually slips out to commit the crime.