- 2007: Featured in the thriller "Next" with Nicolas Cage
- 2005: Played Paul Reiser's father in "The Thing About My Folks"; also written and produced by Reiser
- 2004: Provided the voice of Don Brizzi in the animated film "Sharktale"
- 2003: Appeared in the final Columbo TV-movie, "Columbo Likes The Nightlife" on ABC
- 2001: Co-starred in the two-part miniseries adaptation of the classic "The Lost World" with Bob Hoskins (aired on the BBC and A&E Networks)
- 2000: Featured in the mobster drama "Made," which stars Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn
- 1999: Appeared in Joe Mantegna's directorial debut, "Lakeboat," which also starred Joe Mantegna, Andy Garcia and John Turturo
- 1998: Returned to the stage to star in Arthur Miller's "Mr. Peter's Connections" at the Signature Theatre in New York
- 1997: Appeared with Woody Allen in the television adaptation of Neil Simon's play "The Sunshine Boys" (CBS)
- 1989: Reprised the role of Lt. Columbo for a long-running series of 2-hour ABC TV-movies; also co-executive produced and sometimes wrote
- 1987: Played the beloved grandfather in Rob Reiner's fantasy film "The Princess Bride"
- 1987: Played an ex-angel in Win Wenders' "Wings of Desire"
- 1986: Featured in the national touring company of David Mamet's "Glengarry Glen Ross" playing shady real-estate salesman, Shelley Levine
- 1979: Co-starred with Alan Arkin in the comedy "The In-Laws"
- 1974: Re-teamed with director John Cassavetes for "A Woman Under the Influence"
- 1972: Co-starred with Stockard Channing in Neil Simon's play "The Cheap Detective"
- 1971: Returned to Broadway for Neil Simon’s play, "The Prisoner of Second Avenue"; directed by Mike Nichols
- 1971: Played the absent-minded police detective, Lt. Columbo in the long-running TV series "Columbo" (NBC)
- 1970: First of four appearances in films directed by John Cassavetes, "Husbands"
- 1968: First appearance as Lt. Columbo in the TV-movie "Prescription: Murder"
- 1965: Co-starred in the Blake Edwards farce "The Great Race" with Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis
- 1965: Played the title role in his debut TV series, "The Trials of O'Brien"
- 1964: Appeared opposite members of the Rat Pack in the crime spoof, "Robin and the 7 Hoods"
- 1964: Portrayed Stalin in the Broadway production of "The Passion of Josef D."
- 1963: Played a cab driver in the all-star comedy film "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World"
- 1961: Co-starred with Glenn Ford in "Pocketful of Miracles"; earned second Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination
- 1961: Earned an Emmy nomination for appearing in the "Cold Turkey" episode of James Whitmore's "The Law and Mr. Jones" (ABC)
- 1960: Received a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination for his role in "Murder, Inc."
- 1958: Film acting debut in Nicholas Ray's "Wind Across the Everglades"
- 1957: Cast in the Circle in the Square’s highly successful revival of "The Iceman Cometh" with Jason Robards
- 1956: Made Broadway debut playing an English soldier in George Bernard Shaw's "Saint Joan"
- 1956: Professional Off-Broadway debut in Molière's "Don Juan" at the Fourth Street Theatre
- 1952: Worked as an efficiency expert for Budget Bureau of the State of Connecticut
- 1945: Joined the Merchant Marines as a cook
- Moved to New York City
- While employed by the State of Connecticut joined Mark Twain's Maskers of Hartford




