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.