‘Columbo’ Star Peter Falk’s Daughter Was Banned From His Funeral By Her Stepmother After Being Kept Away From Him For Years

Sep 29, 2021 by apost team

Peter Falk was an American actor best known for playing the role of Lieutenant Columbo on the popular television series “Columbo” from 1968 to 2003. He won four Primetime Emmy Awards and one Golden Globe for his performance throughout the long-running show. 

Prior to his time as a television star, Falk was recognized for his tremendous talent as a film actor and was the recipient of Academy Awards for his performances in “Murder, Inc.” and “Pocketful of Miracles.” He went on to star in both comedic and dramatic roles, showing off his incredible range as an actor. Some of his other films include “It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World,” “The Great Race,” “The In-Laws” and “The Princess Bride.”

Born in the Bronx and raised in Ossining, New York, Falk had his right eye removed due to retinoblastoma when he was 3-years-old. He wore an artificial eye for the majority of his life but this never slowed him down. Falk still participated in sports as a boy, and when he grew up and became an actor he was known for his signature squint.

Outside of his career, Falk was married twice in his life. His first wife was Alice Mayo and the couple adopted two daughters, Catherine and Jackie. They were divorced in 1976 and Falk remarried in 1977. His second wife was Shera Danese and she was a frequent guest star on “Columbo.” Late in his life, Falk developed dementia and then passed away in 2011. Keep reading to learn the story of how Danese kept Falk’s daughters from seeing their father prior to his death and then banned them from his funeral. 

Falk shared the story of how came to acting with Bill Steigerwald in 1986. He said, “I grew up in Ossining, N.Y.. and I put in my time on the street corner. I put in my time in the pool room, and I liked sports. I would have been embarrassed to tell any of my friends that I had any idea of being an actor.” He explained further: “My conception of being an actor was very naive and very romantic. I thought actors were some rare species.”

In spite of this, Falk kept returning to acting throughout his time at Syracuse University, and eventually, his career took off. However, the star was never looking for fame. “I’m trying to find some way to say this … Fame is a terrific thing. It has its advantages. But I don’t think most people realize how quick it grows old. What you have to say about fame if you’re talking about its relationship to happiness, is that it’s overrated,” Falk said.

The actor added, “You ask what do you miss about ‘Columbo.’ What you got a kick out of? It’s great to be on the cover of Time magazine. But what you get a kick out of was when you looked at the dailies and saw that character do something that tickled you, and you enjoyed it so. The way you played the scene and the whole damn thing worked.

Falk was always private about his personal life, so it was very surprising when the story of disputes between his family hit newsstands late in his life. Catherine, Falk’s daughter, claimed that her stepmother, Danese, was intentionally keeping her and her sister Jackie away from her father who was in poor health due to Alzheimer’s disease. 

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It is unclear why Danese decided not to allow Falk’s daughters to visit him, but in 2009 Catherine filed for a conservatorship over her father because she was worried for his well-being. According to the Los Angeles Times, the court found that Danese was taking good care of Falk, and he would remain in her care, but Catherine was to be allowed to visit him on a limited basis. Jackie, who was not involved in the legal proceedings, was not permitted to see her father and did not do so for the remaining three years of his life. 

When Falk passed away in 2011, Danese did not notify Catherine or Jackie of his passing and they had to learn the news from a media announcement. When Catherine’s lawyer reached out to Danese’s attorney to inquire about the funeral he was told that Catherine and her family were banned from the event. 

"How would you feel if you had to hear from the media, or hear from an attorney that your dad passed away?" a grieving Catherine said to Inside Edition.

After this experience with her father and stepmother, Catherine worked to get the government to pass Peter Falk’s Law which is: “to ensure that children from a previous marriage as well as other family members are not denied the right to visit their incapacitated parent and/or loved one by a current spouse who is a guardian/conservator with whom they may have a poor relationship.” The law was passed in New York as well as in Arizona, Hawaii, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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