Monty Nash

Harry Guardino, a popular, hard-working character actor, starred in this half-hour action series as Montgomery Nash, an undercover government investigator who was called in whenever the nation's security was in question or the economy was being compromised from the likes of counterfeiters, forgers, smugglers, illegal alien criminals and the like. This series was one of the first series produced for first-run syndication in 1971 when the FCC mandated a half hour of prime time be returned to local channels for original and educational programming. That "original" and "educational" programming turned out to be series such as this one, a very cheaply made, pedestrian action series that retread every crime show cliche. Other quickly and cheaply produced series of the same vintage were series such as "Primus", "Dr. Simon Locke", "Police Surgeon" and others. Although Harry Guardino was always game and gave it his best effort, the paltry production values and mundane stories quickly sank the series. A low point for a very well-liked actor.

Quite allot of people with grindhouse/exploitation film connections keep popping up in this (Margaret Markov, Anitra Ford, Lana Wood). Having Harry Guardino as the lead and Ted Post as a regular director does also give it a Dirty Harry vibe too. Other directors on the show were John Peyser, a longtime TV helmsman who had at least one terrific exploitation film in him (1974's The Centerfold Girls) and actor/director Nicholas Colasanto (propably best remembered as 'Coach' in Cheers). At 22 minutes an episode its a punchy, no frills kind of a show thats true to its pulpy roots (the series is based on a series of novels from the late 1950s/early 60s) while being on the money in terms of the era it was made in. Tackling themes of hippie era anarchists ("Death Squad"), race relations ("The Friendliest Town in the South") the after-effects of the Vietnam war ("The Dead We Left Behind") and homosexual blackmail ("The Visitor"). Even the padding- the show is very fond of characters driving from A to B- has now taken on a degree of period charm in terms of the vehicles and 1970s exteriors.

Currently being shown in the wee hours (5am) on Talking Pictures TV in the UK, minus the racial themed "The Friendliest Town in the South" and "Tension in a Troubled Town" which have presumably been deemed too controversial to air in these sensitive times.