War Over Peter Falk

Peter Falk's wife and daughter now have squared off over who should be taking care of Columbo.

Falk's adopted daughter, Catherine Falk, filed legal papers last month claiming Falk has dementia and Alzheimer's and can't care for himself. She wants a court to appoint her conservator.

Now, in legal papers filed yesterday in L.A. County Superior Court, Falk's wife, Shera, expressed shock at Catherine's audacity. She claims Catherine has had a bad relationship with Peter and even sued him in 1992. She says Peter has never even met Catherine's children nor did he attend her wedding.

Shera, who's been married to Peter for 31 years, claims she provides constant care for Peter and that he's "happy and healthy under the current conditions at home..." Shera does not want a conservatorship because she claims it creates a "stigma".

And Shera included a sworn declaration from the late Johnny Carson's wife. Joanna Carson says Shera always has been there for Peter, adding, "Shera always made it a point to cook for Peter. Italian was his favorite so she always made sure to have a meal ready for him when he got home." She adds Peter liked her Italian cooking so much he wanted her to make the meal for their wedding at the Bev Hills Hotel. She did not.