Summary of Lady in Waiting (1971) Columbo- Review, Rating, Summary, Facts, Observations | Episode 5

00:00:00 - 00:50:00

In "Lady in Waiting," Lt. Columbo investigates the death of a woman who was married to a man with a compulsive nature. Beth's strange clothing choices and sudden change in behavior are explored, as well as Columbo's new job and engagement. The uncredited actors Cosmo Sardo and Jeffrey Sayer are mentioned.

• 00:00:00 In "Lady in Waiting," we meet Charles, the brother of Beth, who is dating a man who is not only an employee of the company, but is also a gold digger. Bryce, Beth's butler, writes a letter to her boyfriend, warning him that he will be fired if he continues to date Beth. This heart-wrenching scene cuts deep for a woman to be told something like this, and we sympathize with Beth as she starts to cling to the key she stole the night before. Leslie Nielsen, who plays Beth's boyfriend, is in many movies and TV shows, including "Ransom for a Dead Man," "Police Squad," and "City on Fire."
• 00:05:00 In "Lady in Waiting," Beth is preparing for her brother's arrival and is doing things like replacing a burned-out light bulb, turning on her alarm system, and taking pills and a gun to her nightstand. Later, Bryce arrives home and is taken aback by the state of his house. Beth explains that she thought a burglar had entered the house and she shot him in self-defense.
• 00:10:00 In "Lady in Waiting," Mason the Six Million Dollar Man and Bionic Woman as well as the narrator for Kung Fu the Legend, Beth is horrified that there is a spare key and why didn't Peter answer when she was ringing. Peter hears these gunshots and this is the first time we see the victim die. Bryce looks up at Beth in disbelief after being shot three times in the torso and Peter climbs the gate. Beth sets off the alarm system manually and Bryce falls to the ground dead. She likes the editing here. Bryce and Peter hit the ground at the same time, and Beth has to act fast because the police will be arriving. She drags Bryce's bullet riddled and blood-gushing body to the French doors to properly set up her original plan. Peter runs to the house and Beth finds Bryce's briefcase in the foyer. She rushes back to her room and closes the curtain. We find Peter trying to get into the door and rings the bell. Columbo enters the room and walks into the room where beth and peter are asleep. Beth takes a sleeping pill and Peter explains that they are in a relationship. The detectives want to know why Peter came over tonight. Beth sits alone on the couch and Peter tries to kick out
• 00:15:00 In this episode of "Columbo," Lt. Columbo investigates the murder of a woman in a luxurious home. He is met with resistance from the woman's son, who accuses mother and Lt. Columbo of being responsible. Columbo eventually solves the case and arrests the woman and her son.
• 00:20:00 In "Lady in Waiting", a coroner's inquest is convened to determine the cause of death of Bryce Chadwick, who was shot three times by his sister Beth. The jury finds that the death was an accident, and that Bryce came to his death on July 21st due to three gunshot wounds to the upper chest. Uncredited actor Buzz Barbie will appear in four more upcoming Columbo episodes.
• 00:25:00 Columbo studies the shoe that beth said she found at the scene of the shooting, concluding that it couldn't have been his. He then meets with her brother's widow, who tells him that he is free to marry beth. He takes her to lunch, but she has to cancel because she has other engagements. Later, he observes a woman driving a Ferrari that he recognizes from a case he worked on a few years ago. He follows her to a beauty parlor, where he finds a boom mic. He walks the path that beth said her husband would have walked if her story were true. Columbo then takes off his shoe and examines it closely, catching the attention of the maid and her employer.
• 00:30:00 In this episode of "Columbo", Columbo visits a hair salon to meet Beth, who has just had her hair done. He is surprised to see that the salon is decorated in a very gaudy manner, with pink walls and a red carpet. He also notices that there is no carpet in the waiting area. Columbo asks the hair stylist why there is no carpet, and she tells him that it is because there is no way that it would be necessary in a hair salon for hygiene reasons. Columbo is made to look out of place by the props in the room, and Beth begins giggling at his expense. Later, Columbo removes a potted plant from a pedestal and finds what appears to be the imprint of a key. He tells Beth that he believes that her brother was killed one week ago, and that he wants to meet her at her house to ask her questions. At her house, Columbo tells her that he is just trying to tie up some loose ends. Beth is offended by Columbo's comments, but she agrees to help him. Columbo explains that he is a compulsive neat freak, and that he was worried that the intruder might find the key to the alarm system. After Columbo leaves, Beth
• 00:35:00 This video reviews the 1971 television film "Lady in Waiting," starring Peter Falk as Columbo. Columbo and his wife (Beth) investigate the death of a woman who was married to a man with a compulsive nature. Beth's strange clothing choices and sudden change in behavior are explored, as well as Columbo's new job and engagement. The uncredited actors Cosmo Sardo and Jeffrey Sayer are mentioned.
• 00:40:00 The video discusses the 1971 film "Lady in Waiting," in which Columbo (Peter Falk) investigates the murder of a theater patron, Leota Richards, by her daughter and her mad hatter daughter. Beth, the mother of one of the suspects, tells Columbo that she had not noticed that she was getting old until he mentioned it and that she is getting tired of him. Columbo has a thought about the burnt-out light bulb in the family's entryway and goes to Beth's house to take a look. He reveals that he has the bulb and offers it to the suspects. Beth is angry with Columbo and kicks him out of her house. Later, at the bar, Columbo sees John Francis, the bartender who played the part of the other bartender in the film, and they discuss his acting career.
• 00:45:00 In this video, Lady in Waiting (1971), Columbo discusses his theory that Beth killed her brother in cold blood. He tells Peter that he has a reason for coming to her house, but does not reveal what that reason is until Peta arrives and tells him that she knows he is not the killer. The video then shifts to Beth in her bedroom, setting the alarm just like the night of the murder. She has a flash of memory of Bryce coming in, and recalls that Columbo said the same thing happened to her brother - the alarm woke him up and he shot the intruder.
• 00:50:00 In this episode, Columbo is investigating the death of Bryce, which was labeled an accident. Columbo's investigation leads him to Beth, who points a gun at him. Columbo successfully disarms her, and she is subsequently arrested. Columbo has some mixed feelings about the episode, but overall he finds it entertaining.