Brink’s robbery movie

Press, 14 November 1984, Page 14

Brink’s robbery movie

Peter "Columbo” Falk is the star of “The Brink’s Job,” the film on One at 8.30 tonight.

Directed by William Friedkin, the 1978 film is a re-enactment of the infamous Brink’s robbery in Boston on January 17, 1950, and the eventual capture of the robbers less than a week before the crime’s statute of limitations was to run out. Peter Falk was born on September 16, 1927, in New York City. He began his adult life as a cook with the merchant marine and, after acquiring a B.A. from the New School for Social Research and an M.B.A. from Syracuse University in public administration, be-

came an efficiency expert for the Budget Bureau of the state of Connecticut.

Bored with adding figures, he became interested in amateur dramatics and in 1955 turned professional with the encouragement of Eva Le Gallienne. He first gained attention in the off-Broad-way production of “The Iceman Cometh,” which led to a busy career on Broadway and television and in films.

Adept at portraying hoodlums and big-city blue-col-lar characters, he won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of a truck driver in the television play, “Price of Tomatoes,” and another for his title role as the

eccentric detective in the popular “Columbo” series. He received Oscar nom-

inations as best supporting actor for his work in the films “Murder Inc.” (1960) and “Pocketful of Miracles” (1961). In 1972 he won a Tony for his performance in Broadway’s “The Prisoner of Second Avenue.” His characters derive added authenticity from his, squinty gaze, the result of the loss of an eye at the age of three.

Based on the book, “Big Stick-Up at Brink’s,” by Noel Behn, “The Brink’s Job” also stars Peter Boyle, Allen Goorwitz, Warren 'Oates, Gena Rowlands, Paul Sorvino and Sheldon Leonard.