Jeff Goldblum’s charisma was made for the big screen, but he’s also managed to fit it inside the most iconic TV shows of all time. From “Friends” to “Will & Grace” to “Portlandia,” Goldblum has loaned his talents to a plethora of small-screen sitcoms and dramas. However, his first television role was in Season 5, Episode 2, of “Columbo” (which is arguably one of the best detective shows of all time).
Titled “A Case of Immunity,” the 1975 episode centers around the titular homicide detective (Peter Falk) attempting to bring down a foreign murderer who is shielded by his diplomatic immunity. Goldblum plays a spirited protestor who gets shoved around by the surrounding chaos. But don’t worry if you don’t actually remember him in the episode. Not only was he not officially credited for “A Case of Immunity,” he also didn’t have any lines. Still, the star’s signature height and dark, inky hair help him stand out amid the crowd. You can see the clip on Reddit.
Despite “Columbo” spanning 10 seasons, Goldblum only ever appeared once. However, he eventually took a crack at his own detective show (more than once).
Jeff Goldblum has played multiple detectives
“Columbo” was Jeff Goldblum’s first television role, but it certainly wasn’t his last. Nor was it his last foray into the world of detective shows. In fact, Goldblum starred in an ’80s series no one talks about today called “Tenspeed and Brown Shoe.” The buddy comedy, which premiered in 1980, follows an aspiring private investigator (Goldblum) and a former criminal (Ben Vereen) who team up to solve crimes. Despite the chemistry between the co-stars, the show never made it past one season, thus relegating it to a tiny blip in Goldblum’s career journey.
Nearly three decades later, Goldblum gave the crime genre another go when he starred in “Raines,” which was created by legendary screenwriter/director Graham Yost. The show follows Goldblum’s Detective Michael Raines, who uses his unusual gift of being able to speak to the dead to help solve their murders. “Now more than ever, I’m doing it because I really want to work with the best people and the best material, at least the most interesting to me,” Goldblum told Today about his decision to sign up for the show. He continued, “It was a rich part, an interesting part, funny sometimes, and I would be up to do more, for who knows how long.” However, like “Tenspeed and Brown Shoe,” “Raines” didn’t last very long, airing only seven episodes.
Then in 2009, Goldblum joined the “Law & Order” franchise as Detective Zack Nichols on “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” where he enjoyed a 24-episode run.