Best known as the enigmatic Lieutenant Columbo, Peter Falk stepped away from that role briefly during the height of it’s popularity in 1978 to star in the sharp-witted spoof The Cheap Detective. Thirty-three years later Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment is preparing to release the title later this fall.

Lou Peckinpaugh (Falk), the Cheap Detective has entered a world that is half Casablanca and half Maltese Falcon. A parody of Bogart’s films in which Lou goes through a series of scenes from the two movies trying to keep ahead of the police who think he killed his partner as he tries to find the black bird.

“The Cheap Detective” will come with a new anamorphically enhanced widescreen transfer as well as a fullscreen transfer. The sound will be presented in its original mono sound. Unfortunatly, the film will contain no supplemental features.

The title will hit stores on November 13th and will carry a suggested retail price of $19.95.