Matt Helm, a fictional character created by author Donald Hamilton, is a U.S. government counteragent—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. He appeared in 27 books over a 33-year period beginning in 1960 and established himself as the most tough-minded and most competent of all fictional agents, whatever their roles. The series was noted for its between-books continuity, which was somewhat rare for the genre. In the latter books, however, Helm's origins as a man of action in World War II disappeared and he became an apparently ageless character, a common fate of long-running fictional heros.

A movie series starring Dean Martin was made in the mid-to-late 1960s using the name Matt Helm and some of the book titles, but it bore no resemblance at all to the character, atmosphere, or themes of the original books. (One reason for this was the attitude among filmmakers that the only way to compete with the James Bond movie series was to parody them. See also Casino Royale). Likewise, a 1970s TV series, which cast Helm as an ex-spy turned detective, also departed from the books and was unsuccessful. In 2002, it was reported that DreamWorks had optioned the entire Helm book series, with plans to begin a new series of films. As of 2004 no production or casting information has been released.

The Dean Martin version of Matt Helm served as a significant inspiration for Mike Myers' Austin Powers and many references can be seen. Most significantly, both characters are fashion photographers as their cover jobs.

Books

(all by Donald Hamilton)

1. Death of a Citizen (1960)
2. The Wrecking Crew (1960)
3. The Removers (1961)
4. The Silencers (1962)
5. Murderers' Row (1962)
6. The Ambushers (1963)
7. The Shadowers (1964)
8. The Ravagers (1964)
9. The Devastators (1965)
10. The Betrayers (1966)
11. The Menacers (1968)
12. The Interlopers (1969)
13. The Poisoners (1971)
14. The Intriguers (1972)
15. The Intimidators (1974)
16. The Terminators (1975)
17. The Retaliators (1976)
18. The Terrorizers (1977)
19. The Revengers (1982)
20. The Annihilators (1983)
21. The Infiltrators (1984)
22. The Detonators (1985)
23. The Vanishers (1986)
24. The Demolishers (1987)
25. The Frighteners (1989)
26. The Threateners (1992)
27. The Damagers (1993)
28. The Dominators – unpublished. Hamilton reportedly finished this novel in the late 1990s, but as of 2004 it has yet to be published.

Films

(all starring Dean Martin as Helm)

1. The Silencers (1966)
2. Murderers' Row (1966)
3. The Ambushers (1967)
4. The Wrecking Crew (1969)

A fifth film was planned, based upon the novel The Ravagers, but Martin declined the opportunity to play the role once more.[1]

The TV Series

Matt Helm starring Anthony Franciosa. American Broadcasting Company. Premiered 20 September 1975 as a weekly series. Thirteen episodes. Pilot TV movie aired 7 May 1975.