On Wednesday, tragic news came from the family of late actor Peter Falk of the NBC/ABC series Columbo. TMZ reported that the actor’s eldest daughter, Jacqueline Falk, has died by suicide on Monday. The report notes that Jacqueline hanged herself at her Los Angeles home. She was 60.
This has sparked a massive interest in the family of Peter Falk. He and his wife, Alyce Mayo, adopted two daughters shortly after marriage: Jacqueline and Catherine. In this article, we will look at all that is known about the family of Peter Falk.
Peter Falk Family: All About His Daughters
Peter Falk and Alyce Mayo got married in 1960 while he was still at Syracuse University. The couple adopted Catherine around 1965 and Jacqueline around 1970. However, Mayo and Falk divorced in 1976 and remarried Shera Danese.
Catherine worked as a private investigator before becoming a “suburban soccer mom,” as noted in 2008 reports. She later founded the Catherine Falk Organization to advocate for visitation rights in conservatorships, inspired by her legal battles over her father’s dementia care.
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Jackie Falk has credits as an actress and in casting, appearing in projects like Condition of ‘Return’ (2023), ‘Immortal Echoes’ (2025), and ‘The Deal’ (2023).
Despite divorce, Falk kept a close bond with his daughters for decades amid interference from Shera Danese. In his final years with dementia, Shera allegedly blocked visits, prompting Catherine’s legal fight for conservatorship.
Who Were His Ex-Wives?
Alyce Mayo, Falk’s college sweetheart, married him on April 17, 1960, according to available reports. Falk married actress Shera Danese on December 7, 1977, shortly after his divorce. Danese was 22 years his junior and appeared in six Columbo episodes.
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Peter Falk died in 2011 from Alzheimer’s complications.
More On Jacqueline Falk’s Death
According to TMZ, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has confirmed that Jacqueline Falk died by suicide. She hanged herself, the official cause of death noted. The report did not say if the 60-year-old producer left a note.
Jacqueline Falk stayed out of the public eye and it is not known if she was married or had children.
