Matt Helm (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Matt Helm is a short-lived American
mystery television series which aired on the ABC Network
during the 1975-1976 season. The title character was played by Anthony Franciosa
.
, who had been created and introduced by Donald Hamilton
in his 1960 novel, Death of a Citizen
; he had also been played by Dean Martin
in a series of spy comedy films in the late 1960s. This series resembled neither the books—in which Helm was a terse assassin
for a secret government agency—nor the films—in which Helm was a womanizing secret agent.
The concept of the series sees Matt Helm, a retired spy, opening a private detective business. Thus, most of the plot lines were standard detective stories of the day, such as one episode in which Helm investigates the disappearance of a race horse. Laraine Stephens co-starred as Claire Kronski, Helm's assistant.
A pilot TV movie
aired on May 7, 1975 and was popular enough for ABC to commission a series, which debuted on September 20 of the same year. Ratings were not strong enough for the series to continue past its initial 13 episodes, and the final episode aired on January 3, 1976.
Many notable guest stars appeared on the series during its short run, including Lynda Carter
, who appeared in the penultimate episode, "Panic", playing a singer. Her appearance coincided with her rise to fame as Wonder Woman
.
To date, the Matt Helm TV series marks the most recent attempt to adapt Donald Hamilton's creation, although there were reports in 2006 that a film studio had optioned the rights to the character.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mystery television series which aired on the ABC Network
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
during the 1975-1976 season. The title character was played by Anthony Franciosa
Anthony Franciosa
Anthony Franciosa was an American actor, usually billed as Tony Franciosa during the height of his career.-Early life:...
.
Overview
The series was loosely based upon the literary character Matt HelmMatt Helm
Matt Helm is a fictional character created by author Donald Hamilton. He is a U.S. government counter-agent—a man whose primary job is to kill or nullify enemy agents—not a spy or secret agent in the ordinary sense of the term as used in spy thrillers.-The character and the series:The...
, who had been created and introduced by Donald Hamilton
Donald Hamilton
Donald Bengtsson Hamilton was a U.S. writer of novels, short stories, and non-fiction about the outdoors. His novels consist mostly of paperback originals, principally spy fiction but also crime fiction and Westerns such as The Big Country...
in his 1960 novel, Death of a Citizen
Death of a Citizen
Death of a Citizen is a 1960 spy novel by Donald Hamilton, and was the first in a long-running series of books featuring the adventures of assassin Matt Helm...
; he had also been played by Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
in a series of spy comedy films in the late 1960s. This series resembled neither the books—in which Helm was a terse assassin
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
for a secret government agency—nor the films—in which Helm was a womanizing secret agent.
The concept of the series sees Matt Helm, a retired spy, opening a private detective business. Thus, most of the plot lines were standard detective stories of the day, such as one episode in which Helm investigates the disappearance of a race horse. Laraine Stephens co-starred as Claire Kronski, Helm's assistant.
A pilot TV movie
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
aired on May 7, 1975 and was popular enough for ABC to commission a series, which debuted on September 20 of the same year. Ratings were not strong enough for the series to continue past its initial 13 episodes, and the final episode aired on January 3, 1976.
Many notable guest stars appeared on the series during its short run, including Lynda Carter
Lynda Carter
Lynda Jean Carter is an American actress and singer, best known for being Miss World USA and as the star of the 1970s television series The New Original Wonder Woman and The New Adventures of Wonder Woman ....
, who appeared in the penultimate episode, "Panic", playing a singer. Her appearance coincided with her rise to fame as Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman (TV series)
Wonder Woman is an American television series based on the DC Comics comic book superhero of the same name. Starring Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince and Lyle Waggoner as Steve Trevor, the show originally aired from 1975 to 1979....
.
To date, the Matt Helm TV series marks the most recent attempt to adapt Donald Hamilton's creation, although there were reports in 2006 that a film studio had optioned the rights to the character.
Episodes
| Episode # | Episode Title | Original Airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Dead Men Talk" | September 20, 1975 |
| 2 | "Now I Lay Me Down to Die" | September 27, 1975 |
| 3 | "Scavenger's Paradise" | October 11, 1975 |
| 4 | "The Game of the Century" | October 18, 1975 |
| 5 | "Murder on Ice" | October 25, 1975 |
| 6 | "Squeeze Play" | November 1, 1975 |
| 7 | "Deadly Breed" | November 8, 1975 |
| 8 | "Death Rods" | November 15, 1975 |
| 9 | "Double Jeopardy" | November 22, 1975 |
| 10 | "Think Murder" | December 6, 1975 |
| 11 | "Murder on the Run" | December 13, 1975 |
| 12 | "Panic" | December 27, 1975 |
| 13 | "Die Once, Die Twice" | January 3, 1976 |