TVSquad

Ah, the police detective genre. It's one of the staples of a network's TV lineup. We all have our favorites, whether the characters are in blue uniforms or suits. Here are my Top 5 (and just so we're clear, I'm talking about police detectives, not private eyes or amateur investigators. I'll have that list tomorrow!)

1. Lt. Columbo (Peter Falk): No contest, really. Sure, there are some other great cops and detectives, but not many with the sheer Sherlock Holmes-like smarts as Lt. Columbo. He walked around sorta lost and bumbling, with a constantly lit cigar, a rumpled raincoat, and hair that made it look like he just woke up. But he was no fool, which all the murderers found out a little bit too late.

After all these years, I still don't know how to pronounced his name. Is it "Tigh?" "Tig?" "Teeg?"

Andrews is probably best known for his work on The Mod Squad. He played Captain Adam Greer, the police captain in charge of Peggy Lipton, Clarence Williams III and Michael Cole (the original show, not the movie with Claire Danes). Andrews also had recurring roles on Gomer Pyle and CHiPs, and guest starred on several other shows: Murder, She Wrote, Vegas, Quincy, M.E., Hawaiian Heat, Police Story, Marcus Welby, M.D., Police Woman, Playhouse 90, Inner Sanctum, The Dick Powell Show, The Phil Silvers Show, The Big Valley, The F.B.I., The Fugitive, and many others.

Andrews died of a heart attack in California on January 27.