Matt Helm

Matt Helm is a fictional character created by American author Donald Hamilton (1916–2006). Helm 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 most spy thrillers. Helm appeared in 27 adventure/suspense novels by Hamilton, first published in 1960, and the character was later adapted into film, television and other media. The 1960s film series, starring Dean Martin, featured a campy, humorous tone quite different from the gritty novels. The 1970s television series featured a more serious dramatic tone but was a relatively standard private investigator series with little connection to Hamilton's books.