Columbo guest stars

1,078 actors have guest-starred in Columbo across 69 episodes and 20 seasons. The most-credited is John Finnegan, Barney, 1st Workman, Assistant Director in 12 episodes. 490 of them have also guest-starred in five or more of the other shows in this catalogue.

Who came back most

Columbo guest actors by episode count
Actor	Character	Eps
John Finnegan	Barney, 1st Workman, Assistant Director	12
Bruce Kirby	Sgt. George Kramer, Lab Attendant, Sgt. Phil Brindle	9
Shera Danese	Cathleen Calvert, Eve Plummer, Geraldine Ferguson	6
Vito Scotti	Chadwick, Maitre d', Mr. Grindell	6
Ed McCready	Detective #2, Ed, Man in Bar	5
Fred Draper	David Morris, Joseph, Murcheson	4
Gerry Okuneff	Dealer, Patrolman, Plainclothes Detective	4
Jerome Guardino	Sgt. Burke, Harris	4
Patrick McGoohan	Col. Lyle C. Rumford, Eric Prince, Nelson Brenner	4
Robert Culp	Brimmer, Dr. Bart Kepple, Jordan Rowe	4
Steven Gilborn	George	4
Val Avery	Artie Jessup, Harry Barnes, Louie	4
Alan Fudge	David Chase, Mr. Harrow, Mr. Redman	3
Arlene Martel	Gloria West, Salesgirl, Tanya	3
Bill Zuckert	Capt. August, Capt. Sampson, Father	3
Carolyn Carradine	First Biker, Major's Wife, Receptionist	3
Charles Macaulay	Durkee, Farnsworth, Richard	3
Cliff Carnell	Officer Wilson, Photo Shop Man, Plainclothesman	3
Dennis Robertson	1st Reporter, Detective Marley, Jerry	3
Harvey Gold	Coroner, Harry Lewis	3
Jack Cassidy	Ken Franklin, Riley Greenleaf, The Great Santini	3
Jimmy Joyce	Camera Operator, Handwriting Expert, Workman	3
John Petlock	Male Guest, Medical Examiner, Plainclothesman #3	3
Manuel DePina	1st Detective, 2nd Reporter, Photographer	3
Milt Kogan	Medical Examiner, Dubbing Chief	3

Columbo guest stars by season

Guest actors per season of Columbo
Season	Guests	Who
Season 1,968	10	Andrea King, Anthony James, Ena Hartman, Gene Barry, Katherine Justice, Nina Foch, Sherry Boucher, Susanne Benton, Virginia Gregg, William Windom
Season 1,971	71	Marcia Wallace, Timothy Carey, Barbara Baldavin, Barbara Colby, Barbara Rhoades, Barney Phillips, Bernie Kuby, Bill Walker, Brett Halsey, Celeste Yarnall, Charles Macaulay, Claude Johnson and 59 more
Season 1,972	80	Cliff Carnell, Don Knight, James Gregory, Anjanette Comer, Anne Francis, Annette Molen, Arlene Martel, Arthur Malet, Bernard Fox, Bettye Ackerman, Blythe Danner, Bob Dishy and 68 more
Season 1,973	114	John Finnegan, Manuel DePina, Martin Landau, Regis Cordic, Richard Stahl, Vito Scotti, Abigail Shelton, Alma Beltran, Aneta Corsaut, Angelo Grisanti, Ann Driscoll, Anne Baxter and 102 more
Season 1,974	121	Darrell Zwerling, Dennis Robertson, Jefferson Kibbee, Vito Scotti, Adrian Ricard, Alan Fudge, Albert Popwell, Alice Backes, Alma Beltran, Antoinette Bower, Arlene Martel, Arthur Batanides and 109 more
Season 1,975	74	Bruce Kirby, Danny Wells, Harvey Gold, Alicia Chambers, Andre Lawrence, Angela May, Barbara Rhoades, Barry Robins, Bart Braverman, Bart Burns, Bernard Fox, Betty McGuire and 62 more
Season 1,976	61	Fred Draper, Hanna Landy, Jimmy Joyce, John Finnegan, Victor Izay, A Martinez, Alan Manson, Anthony Holland, Bert Remsen, Bob Dishy, Bruce Kirby, Celeste Holm and 49 more
Season 1,977	23	Basil Hoffman, Carlene Watkins, Carol Jones, Charles Frank, Dorrie Thomson, Edwin Rochelle, Fay DeWitt, G.D. Spradlin, George Sperdakos, Howard McGillin, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jerome Guardino and 11 more
Season 1,978	58	Albert Paulsen, Alberto Morin, Antony Alda, Bernard Behrens, Bruce Kirby, Buck Young, Carole Hemmingway, Carolyn Martin, Clive Revill, Deborah White, Dee Timberlake, Don Eitner and 46 more
Season 1,989	88	Lenny Hicks, Milt Kogan, Stewart J. Zully, Al Pugliese, Alan Fudge, Andrew Philpot, Andy Romano, Anthony Andrews, Anthony Zerbe, Avner Garbi, Ben Yudell, Bennett Liss and 76 more
Season 1,990	175	Morgan Jones, Bill Edward Rogers, Bruce Kirby, Robin Bach, Steven Gilborn, Aaron Seville, Alan Fudge, Alan Scarfe, Alfred Powers, Alicia Gilbert, Andrew Stevens, Anne Haney and 163 more
Season 1,991	102	Steven Gilborn, Allen Rice, Anita Dangler, Ann Weldon, Antony Ponzini, Aristides Priakos, B.J. Turner, Barbara D'Altair, Barry O'Neill, Betsy Palmer, Brenda Isaacs-Booth, Brit Lind and 90 more
Season 1,992	56	Bebe Louie, Beth Chamberlin, Buck Young, Buddy Joe Hooker, Carol Swarbrick, Cliff Emmich, Cody Glenn, Dan Butler, Daniel Davis, Daniel McDonald, Darnell Harrison, David Alan Graf and 44 more
Season 1,993	37	Al Benner, Ann Whitney, Armando Pucci, Art Kassul, Bill Macy, Bruce Ed Morrow, Catherine Battistone, Claudia Christian, Daniel Trent, Dawn Wells, Doug Sheehan, Douglas Fisher and 25 more
Season 1,994	41	Albie Selznick, Alexander Folk, Ann Noël, Beverly Leech, Brian Markinson, Burt Young, Carolyn Carradine, Christopher Templeton, Denice Kumagai, Deryl Caitlyn, Douglas Stark, Ed Begley Jr. and 29 more
Season 1,995	25	Alex Henteloff, Bruce Kirby, David Sobel, Don Calfa, Ed McCready, Frantz Turner, George Wendt, Gerry Gibson, Gerry Okuneff, Jay Acovone, Jeff Yagher, Jim Bockelman and 13 more
Season 1,997	20	Alice Backes, Barry Corbin, Cady Huffman, David Rasche, Dion Anderson, Donna Bullock, Dyana Ortelli, Franklin Cover, Jeffrey King, Jim Almanzar, John F. O'Donohue, John Finnegan and 8 more
Season 1,998	22	Arthur Duncan, Aubrey Morris, Catherine McGoohan, Charlie Dell, Conrad Bachmann, David Doty, Edie McClurg, Karissa Corday, Ken Weiler, Marco Khanlian, Patrick McGoohan, Richard Libertini and 10 more
Season 2,001	21	Anne McGoohan, Billy Connolly, Chad Willett, Charles Cioffi, Douglas Callan, Harry Danner, Herschel Sparber, Hillary Danner, Jennifer Fabos, Joanne Lara, Larry Gilman, Luis Avalos and 9 more
Season 2,003	18	Ariel Llinas, Audrey Wasilewski, Brian Patrick Farrell, Carmine Giovinazzo, Douglas Roberts, Eve Kagan, Iris Bahr, Jamison Yang, Jennifer Sky, John Finnegan, Jorge Garcia, Julius Carry and 6 more

Guest stars you know from somewhere else

The hardest-working character actors in this show's guest cast, ranked by how many other shows in this catalogue they have also guest-starred in. Not the most famous names, the most prolific ones.

Columbo guest stars who appear in other shows
Actor	In Columbo	Other shows
George Wyner	Film Editor	41
Spencer Garrett	Roger Gambles	40
Van Epperson	Photographer	34
Ken Lerner	Dr. Walter Neff	33
Alan Fudge	David Chase, Mr. Harrow, Mr. Redman	32
Ed Begley Jr.	Irving Krutch, Officer Stein	30
Audrey Wasilewski	Attendant	30
Molly Hagan	Ruth Jernigan, Victoria Chase	28
Carmen Argenziano	Coroner Anderson	27
Robert Costanzo	Sgt. Russo	27
George Coe	Dr. Sydney Hammer	26
William Windom	Burt Gordon, Everett Logan	25
Maury Sterling	Store Clerk	25
Randy Oglesby	Joshua Vinten	25
Tony Amendola	Clergyman	25

Played more than one character

Columbo actors credited under several characters
Actor	Characters	Eps
John Finnegan	Barney, 1st Workman, Assistant Director	12
Shera Danese	Cathleen Calvert, Eve Plummer, Geraldine Ferguson	6
Vito Scotti	Chadwick, Maitre d', Mr. Grindell	6
Ed McCready	Detective #2, Ed, Man in Bar	5
Bruce Kirby	Sgt. George Kramer, Lab Attendant, Sgt. Phil Brindle	9
Fred Draper	David Morris, Joseph, Murcheson	4
Gerry Okuneff	Dealer, Patrolman, Plainclothes Detective	4
Patrick McGoohan	Col. Lyle C. Rumford, Eric Prince, Nelson Brenner	4
Robert Culp	Brimmer, Dr. Bart Kepple, Jordan Rowe	4
Val Avery	Artie Jessup, Harry Barnes, Louie	4

Shares a cast with

Columbo and Murder, She Wrote — 258 shared actors
Columbo and L.A. Law — 142 shared actors
Columbo and Hunter — 125 shared actors
Columbo and Mission: Impossible — 122 shared actors
Columbo and Matlock — 121 shared actors
Columbo and The Love Boat — 116 shared actors
Columbo and Charlie's Angels — 112 shared actors
Columbo and Fantasy Island — 111 shared actors

Cast data from TVmaze, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.