It was sad to hear yesterday of the passing of Patrick McGoohan at the age of eighty. For almost everyone of my geenration, he will be remembered as Number 6, The Prisoner, although who and what was holding him as a prosioner was half the fun of the series. Before I begin, here's the opening credits.
McGoohan was known as a pef4ectionist, who only took parts he felt he could do something with. Take, for example, the earliest film I remember seeing him in - Hell Drivers. Here's a clip - and look out for for some guy called Connery in there too....
elevision, the precursor to The Prisoner was Danger Man/Secret Agent Man, depending on where in the world you are, and although he emphatically denied John Drake was Number 6 the question was always out there.
It was about this time he did a film for Disney that has been a cult favourite - Doctor Syn: The Scarecrow. About to eb released on DVD, here's a clip.
Even after The Prisoner, he picked his television roles with care - winning two Emmys for two of his four duels with Columbo, for example. In this clip, we see some of those series, includign a quirky series called Rafferty - a precursor of House.
Finally in this inadequate tribute, we have his last major film role - Edward Longshanks in Braveheart.
McGoohan was fiercly proud of his work, and protective in particular of The Prisoner, only allowing one sequel (a graphic novel issued by DC comics) and recently an update by ABC Television with Sir Ian McKellen as Number Two. Sadly, we'll never see his views on this series.
Requiscat in Pace, Patrick - Be Seeing You.
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