Editing Columbo (section)

===International reception===

[[File:GézaDezsőFekete-Columbo.JPG|thumbnail|right|159px|Peter Falk statue as Columbo with his dog in [[Budapest]], [[Hungary]]]]

''Columbo'' was an international success during its initial run and was syndicated in 44 countries.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Curran |first1=Shaun |title=Why the world still loves 1970s detective show Columbo |url=https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20210909-why-the-world-still-loves-1970s-detective-show-columbo |website=BBC Culture}}</ref>

According to a 1989 article in the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'', when production of ''Columbo'' stopped and no new episodes could be broadcast in [[Socialist Republic of Romania|Romania]], the government feared that riots could break out, and Falk was asked by the [[U.S. State Department]] to record a special announcement to be broadcast on Romanian television.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sanello |first1=Frank |title=Columbo's World |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1989-04-02-8903310956-story.html |access-date=11 May 2023 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=Apr 2, 1989}}</ref> The story was repeated by Falk in an appearance on ''[[Late Show with David Letterman]]'' in 1995, and in Falk's memoir ''Just One More Thing''. While the cable containing Falk's speech was released as part of the [[United States diplomatic cables leak]], it is disputed whether riots or any kind of mass protest were imminent due to the cancellation of ''Columbo''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ihnat |first1=Gwen |title=Romania contacted Peter Falk after it ran out of Columbo episodes |url=https://www.avclub.com/romania-asked-peter-falk-to-help-prevent-an-uprising-af-1847093587 |website=The A.V. Club |date=June 14, 2021 |access-date=11 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=A fost Columbo la un pas sa declanseze o revolutie in Romania? |url=https://inpolitics.ro/a-fost-columbo-la-un-pas-sa-declanseze-o-revolutie-in-romania_18439381.html |access-date=11 May 2023 |work=Inpolitics.ro |date=May 9, 2018}}</ref>

A statue of Lieutenant Columbo and his dog was unveiled in 2014 on Miksa Falk Street in [[Budapest]], [[Hungary]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.euronews.com/2014/03/14/budapest-statue-to-columbo-honours-actor-peter-falk/|access-date=March 20, 2014|title=Budapest statue to Columbo honours actor Peter Falk|author=euronews|archive-date=March 18, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140318155808/http://www.euronews.com/2014/03/14/budapest-statue-to-columbo-honours-actor-peter-falk|url-status=live}}</ref> According to Antal Rogán, then-district mayor of the city, Peter Falk may have been related to Hungarian writer and politician [[Miksa Falk]], although there is no evidence yet to prove it.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Eric|first1=Grundhauser|title=One More Thing ... About Hungary's Columbo Statue|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obscura/2015/05/13/hungary_s_columbo_statue_is_an_odd_tribute_to_the_tv_detective.html|magazine=Slate|date=May 13, 2015|access-date=June 16, 2015|archive-date=October 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171022035058/http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obscura/2015/05/13/hungary_s_columbo_statue_is_an_odd_tribute_to_the_tv_detective.html|url-status=live}}</ref>