Columbo Easter Egg - Book Named After First Pilot Episode

Eight minutes and 55 seconds into the show, writer Ken Franklin (Jack Cassidy) gives store clerk, Lilly La Sanka (Barbara Colby) an autographed copy of his book "Prescription: Murder". "Prescription: Murder" was also the name of the very first Columbo pilot episode, which aired on 2/20/68. Richard Levinson and William Link wrote the pilot, based on their play, and produced "Murder by the Book", the first show of the series, which aired on 9/15/71.