The concept of the series sees Matt Helm, a retired spy, opening a private detective business.

Playing the part of Tom has also given Mr. Macfadyen the chance to meet real-life retired spies, from the C.I.A. as well as M.I.5.

A claustrophobic, mercilessly domestic novel, in which an Israeli widower, a retired spy, contrives strategies for getting through the day.

To oversee the agency's clandestine operations, Mr. Tenet brought back a retired spy with expertise in China, Jack G. Downing.

Her first major role was as Colette Dubois, a retired spy seeking revenge for the murder of her husband in the action/thriller, To the Limit (1995).

The retired spies - three spooks on an island, in the words of a friend - "used all their skills to manage this place," said Mrs. Whitehead, 86, who still lives in the area.

Titled simply Matt Helm, the series starred Anthony Franciosa as a retired spy who becomes a private detective.

Lasek's songs usually revolve around a retired spy who worked during the war and is now a lousy musician, while Goreas' songs are more inspired by her personal experiences.

The decision to release the retired spy enraged several F.B.I. officials and revived old tensions between the bureau's spycatchers and the C.I.A.

Harry contacts his mentor, Bernard Qualtrough, a retired spy to consult him about who could have been a mole within this highly classified operation.