Who directed the first episode of "Columbo"?

"Murder by the Book" was the first regular episode of "Columbo" and it was directed by none other than Steven Spielberg. He may have only been 24 years old, but Peter Falk was so impressed with the young director's unusual approach that he told producers "This guy is too good for Columbo." Spielberg was shooting with long lenses from across the street, something completely unheard of in television at the time. "Columbo" creators Richard Levinson and William Link wanted their show to look "like a feature film" and encouraged his cinematic shots. For Spielberg, every television episode was a stepping stone to his first feature film. His work on "Columbo" helped establish the visual style that would define the series for 13 seasons and proved he was ready for bigger things like "Jaws" just a few years later.