Matt Helm in Film and Television
A movie series was made beginning in 1966 starring Dean Martin, who co-produced with his Meadway-Claude Production company and received a partnership in the films. The series was produced by Irving Allen, who had once been the partner of James Bond film producer Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli—the same man who had told Ian Fleming that his 007 novels were not "good enough for television," a point of contention between the two producers from 1958-1960 when they dissolved Warwick Films and went their separate ways.
The films used the name Matt Helm, his cover identity, plus book titles and some very loose plot elements, but otherwise the series bore no resemblance at all to the character, atmosphere, or themes of Hamilton's original books, nor to the hard-edged action of Bond. One reason was the attitude of the filmmakers that the only way to compete with the Bond films was to parody them. (See also Casino Royale.) Likewise, a 1970s TV series Matt Helm, which cast Tony Franciosa as Helm as an ex-spy turned private detective, also departed from the books and was unsuccessful.
Martin played the part with his own persona of a fun-loving, easygoing, wisecracking playboy with plenty of references to singing and alcohol consumption. Although unnamed in the novels, Helm's department was called Intelligence and Counter-Espionage (ICE) in the films. Like the Bond films, the Helm movies feature a number of sexy women in each, sometimes referred to as "The Slaygirls."
For instance, in 1966's The Silencers, Stella Stevens played a redheaded bombshell who proves helpless while trying to help Helm, and a similar part was played by actress Sharon Tate in The Wrecking Crew. Martin co-starred in the films with popular '60s actresses such as Ann-Margret, Elke Sommer, Janice Rule, and Tina Louise.
Supposedly, the idea of a tongue-in-cheek Helm came from the first director, Phil Karlson. Karlson had the idea of filming The Secret Ways with that approach, but the star, producer, and husband of the screenwriter, Richard Widmark, fired him from the film and took over the direction himself without credit. Bond films of the 1970s, by contrast, adopted the style and setpieces of Helm films while also mostly ignoring the plot elements of Fleming's original books.
In 2002, it was reported that DreamWorks had optioned the entire Helm book series. On August 9, 2005, Variety reported that DreamWorks had signed Michael Brandt and Derek Haas to write a screenplay for a high-six-figure deal. According to the article, the film will be a contemporary adaptation of the character, but no casting or release information has been announced.
The Martin version of Helm served as a significant inspiration for Mike Myers's comic character Austin Powers and many references can be seen. Most significantly, both are fashion photographers as their cover jobs.
Paramount retained 100% of the Matt Helm series after its split from DreamWorks SKG. Currently, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci are producing a more serious version of the Helm franchise. The tone of Paul Attanasio's script is closer to that of The Bourne Identity, reports Variety. Despite having no contractual connections any longer, there are rumors that Steven Spielberg is considering directing or producing the Matt Helm update.
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