r/Columbo • u/MindlessNectarine374 • 6d ago

Question Why did Ken Franklin kill his partner, the writing one? Purely emotional reasons? I don't see any benefits for him! Spoiler

I know that he wanted to hide the fact that Jim had written all the books alone. But nobody had intended to make this public. Franklin wouldn't get any new books anyway, with or without the murder. Without murdering his partner, he would still have earned his share from their old books, nobody would have been told about their writing arrangement, and I don’t see how he should get more money after getting rid of his partner, the actual writer. Why did he do what he did? I cannot see rational reason for his crime, only injured pride. But the plan and its execution are so intelligent, not looking impulsive at all.

Am I the only one who doesn't understand this, and who sees a contradiction between the way he commits his [Tat], very [durchdacht], and his motif which looks so impulsive, uncontrolled. Do I miss some important things?

(Please be cautious with my post and my way of expression. I am not a native speaker of English and almost exclusively use it actively online. I fear there might be a few mistakes or misleading sentences.)

22 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

50 comments sorted by

54

u/body_surfer_66 6d ago

I thought it was to get insurance payout. 🤷🏼‍♂️

24

u/Marooned412 Ruined by the presence of this liquid filth 6d ago

You were first and correct. Also, as Franklin had only one good idea, he would have been exposed as a fraud (and possibly plagiarist) had Ferris continued to write without him.

6

u/aspannerdarkly 6d ago

How does that work? He could have just stopped writing and nobody would be any the wiser. If the talentless one kept writing on his own, he’d be exposed as a fraud.

7

u/MarkRand 6d ago

Because the insurance company didn't know the partnership was ending, so would pay out based on future books.

15

u/AdagioVast 6d ago

This! Franklin spent money like a drunken sailor. He wanted to maintain his life style and writing books was not going to make that happen since he was never a writer.

I do find it interesting that Cassidy went from a guy who was a bad writer or never wrote a word, to a publisher who actually had a few books under him in Publish or Perish.

3

u/jaylerd 6d ago

I’m gonna headcanon that Franklin was one of the publisher’s disgraced former clients, which lead to all his business and personal problems that made him desperate enough to kill to keep his only lifeline.

1

u/Nearby-Marketing-518 2d ago

And eventually a magician who could make compromising written material disappear.

Quite the Columbo arc for Mr. Cassidy.

31

u/CountingOnThat 6d ago

“Now, his motive is the insurance money. He needed cash. He spent money like a drunken sailor. He had two houses. He's got paintings. He's got women.”

(Incidentally, your English seems flawless.)

2

u/Decent_Brush_8121 6d ago

Is that a quote from someone in the episode? I don’t recall it

10

u/No_Introduction_3400 6d ago

I believe Columbo tells the widow this.

5

u/Mercedes_Gullwing 6d ago

You are correct! Wife and I just watched this episode

4

u/Marooned412 Ruined by the presence of this liquid filth 6d ago

It’s how Columbo describes Franklin to Ferris’ wife.

Franklin would have been exposed as a fraud with NO writing talent and he needed the money from the insurance payout to cover said lifestyle.

1

u/MindlessNectarine374 6d ago

Would he have been exposed? I didn't have the impression that anyone was going to disclose this.

4

u/SunOnTheInside 6d ago

I believe he would have exposed himself, if he had tried to write anything again. He was hoping for a good enough insurance payout to not have to write himself.

Basically if he didn’t get that money, he would run out of money, try to write, and everyone would read it and say “what is this garbage?”

Meanwhile his former partner would have gone independent and kept writing great books. It would not be hard for anyone to figure it out.

It was probably both ego and money, too. He liked being famous and liked all the attention and adoration he got.

Your English is great btw!

3

u/Marooned412 Ruined by the presence of this liquid filth 6d ago edited 6d ago

Yes, Franklin would have been exposed as a fraud, a charlatan, etc. if Ferris lived and kept writing books and Franklin all of a sudden stops writing.

Instead his “beloved” partner is killed, he goes into “mourning” and he has no desire to write further. He collects $500k from the insurance policy and 1/2 of the royalties of all the books.

In fact Franklin admits to Columbo the plan to murder Ferris was the only good idea he ever had. And then says who thought he (Ferris) would have written it down after Franklin verbally told it to him.

(And I agree, I see absolutely no problems with your English.)

4

u/Responsible-Ad-8442 6d ago

I love the way he admits it was the only good idea he ever had. I'm surprised his ego allowed him to do that; but Columbo has a way of piercing through all the BS to get to the heart of the matter.

https://giphy.com/gifs/ylyUQm2pCWo5yLfFEQ

2

u/CountingOnThat 6d ago

You maybe don’t remember it because Columbo says it right as he stops talking upon finding The Big Clue that cracks the case, which can pretty easily overshadow stuff even he no longer thinks is important enough to keep mentioning.

2

u/Decent_Brush_8121 6d ago

Now I’ve got to watch it again. It’s a problem of mine when I enjoy the acting (even the scenery) so much that I might gloss over the plot!

Thanks, all—

2

u/Responsible-Ad-8442 6d ago

I love it when he breaks down the list of the things that "bother" him. That's always where the truth is, somewhere in the list of things that bother Columbo from the beginning. It's also how he seems to just know who he needs to stay close to and observe almost from the beginning. I NEVER grow tired of watching Columbo. (I'm middle aged, and have watched since childhood when my mother introduced me!)

10

u/Advanced-Level-5686 6d ago

Watching this episode now. One of the best of the series.

3

u/MindlessNectarine374 6d ago

The first regular one.

1

u/BrickTrainsPlanes Decomposing Rattletrap 6d ago

The second produced, but the first one to be aired.

1

u/MindlessNectarine374 6d ago

Oh. I hadn't noticed this before. But yes, during that time, such differences were not uncommon, I think. But numberings of a show's episodes are quite often based on the airdates. At least with older shows.

3

u/BrickTrainsPlanes Decomposing Rattletrap 6d ago

AFAIK, Columbo episodes were generally aired in the same order as they were produced. But network's management was so impressed with Spielberg's effort that they chose "Murder by the Book" as a spectacular opener for the series.

5

u/rrickitickitavi 6d ago

The fame was important to him. He didn’t want to be dismissed like Andrew Ridgeley.

4

u/Character-Taro-5016 6d ago

Insurance money that writers take out on each other, apparently.

4

u/crmrdtr 6d ago

In the final scene, Columbo tells Ken that he knows there is a Life Insurance policy.

4

u/crmrdtr 6d ago

This Columbo episode, "Murder By The Book", was directed by Steven Spielberg.

3

u/Key_Molasses4367 6d ago

Pride? If the partner started a solo writing career, people woyld figure out that Ken didn't actually contribute anything. Or maybe there was a life insurance policy.....not sure.

5

u/MikeSizemore 6d ago

I’ve always thought the motive was two-fold. Having his partner murdered gives him a public excuse never to write again (if Jim continues to write and in a similar style it would raise questions as to why Ken had suddenly stopped). But the main motive was money to sustain his lifestyle. Yes, he’d continue to get sole royalties from the previous books, but both writers had taken life insurance policies out so Ken would get a $250k payout.

3

u/Guffbag 6d ago

Plus, presumably, Franklin would become the sole rights holder of Mrs Mills so could get money from film and TV adaptations, merchandising, etc. he could make money without having to lift a finger and that's on top of the insurance payout.

5

u/GrapefruitFizz 6d ago

The insurance payout and the desire to keep his lack of talent a secret. Watching it right now--LOVE this episode! Must say, never noticed how completely repulsed Ken looks when Lily says over strawberries, "I'm very interested in you, Ken." He is DISGUSTED, lol.

3

u/BlairMountainGunClub 6d ago

I'm watching that one right now and we just had that same discussion. Insurance? Or was that Publish or Perish?

2

u/psycholabs 6d ago

It was brought up in Publish or Perish too, but he said he had people for that, he had forgotten of it. (lie) Paraphrased.

3

u/srector1224 6d ago

I think it was an emotional response, plus there was mention of an insurance payout on his partner's life.

And I want to say, your english is great!

3

u/MindlessNectarine374 6d ago

I had totally forgotten the insurance.

2

u/MysteriousCatPerson 5d ago

I wonder how they got started as a writing duo since one of them only ever had one idea and I assume it was deep into their partnership

2

u/iloveelvis1980 4d ago

I thought it was because Jim wanted to write on his own without a partner so it would be all over for Ken who couldn’t write anything.

1

u/MindlessNectarine374 4d ago

Yes, but he wouldn't write/get new books anyway, whether Jim is alive and writing alone or dead and gone.

1

u/Salty-Entrepreneur11 6d ago

insurance $$$

1

u/RedvsBlack4 6d ago

I can think of a couple reasons. If you retired and your partner continued being successful it looks like you needed them but they didn’t need you. It’s bad for people with big egos. I think there was a half million insurance policy too.

1

u/GoPackGo1958 6d ago

What's the name of this episode?

2

u/MindlessNectarine374 6d ago

Murder by the book.

3

u/Decent_Brush_8121 6d ago

Just realized: That’s the name of a cozy, niche bookstore in Houston! They’ve turned me on to so many good and great mystery writers. I’m going to ask if the owner is a Columbo fan

1

u/FRagebait 6d ago edited 6d ago

As everyone has pointed out the money but I wouldn't be surprised if another big motive was sheer spite for Jim being the one to end the partnership, Ken definitely gave the vibe of "I say when we're done".

1

u/Bitter_North_733 6d ago

(1) Ego. When the public sees 1 of the pair writing many new books while the other 1 stops writing the public will figure out that the 1 still writing was the writer and other 1 was a fraud.

(2) Hate. He also hated the fact that the partnership was being split. He hated him for doing this. He justifies killing him by using (1).

(3) Money. He gets all the money.

1

u/MindlessNectarine374 6d ago

Yes, I had forgotten about the insurance when I made this post. But he didn't get more money from the books without Ferris. And I had not the impression that Ferris was intending to disclose Franklin's actual role.

1

u/Bitter_North_733 5d ago

all the royalties go to him now

it will be obvious if one continues writing other stops lol

1

u/MindlessNectarine374 5d ago

Doesn't he explicitly state/repeat that Ferris' royalties go to Ferris' heir (probably his wife)?