The Thin Man (TV series) The Thin Man (TV series) The Thin Man is a half-hour weekly television series based on the mystery novel "The Thin Man" (1933) by Dashiell Hammett. The 72 episodes were produced by MGM Television and broadcast by NBC for two seasons from 1957–1959 on Friday evening. It was the first TV series produced by MGM. The series starred Peter Lawford and Phyllis Kirk as Nick and Nora Charles. The dog, Asta, was played by three identical wire-hair terriers. Jack Albertson, Patricia Donahue, and Nita Talbot had recurring roles during the show's second season. Albertson played Lieutenant Harry Evans of the
The Thin Man While some story elements were used in one of the sequel movies, this early draft is very different from the final published novel. Although Hammett lived until 1961, "The Thin Man" was his last published novel. Lillian Hellman, in an introduction to a compilation of Hammett's five novels, contemplated several explanations for Hammett's retirement as a novelist, I have been asked many times over the years why he did not write another novel after "The Thin Man". I do not know. I think, but I only think, I know a few of the reasons: he wanted to do a new