The Prisoner Nummer 6

The sediments at the bottom of television: series and serials, omnipresent and almost as infinite as the medium itself. Few only were successfull in touching the underside of our attentiveness.
UNWAHRSCHEINLICHE GESCHICHTEN ("Improbable Stories") was one that did, the classic TWILIGHT ZONE.
Anything associated with the expression TV-magic applies to this.

Phantastic television of the sixties, among other things, is one conjuring formula:
"Be seeing you!" or
L'année dernière
au Village:

Contributing authors:
(German knowledge required)

FRANK T. BITTERHOF BLU-RAY: DIE OFFENBARUNG ROBERT FAIRCLOUGH POP UND POLITIK HOWARD FOY ES WAR EINMAL - EIN TRIP GUILLAUME GRANIER SCHÖNER TAG! - SPÄTER... LARRY HALL DER PROZESS WHAT IT MEANS... HARALD KELLER WIR SEHEN UNS - WIEDER NUMMER SECHS NOWHERE MAN ROGER LANGLEY PRISONER'S PORTMEIRION SET PIECE - BÜHNENSTÜCK 6 PRIVATE KEVIN P. MAHONEY DER ANARCHISCHE PRISONER RICK McGRATH 35TH ANNIVERSARY DVD WARNER TROYER McGOOHAN-INTERVIEW CHRISTOPH WINDER ICH BIN KEINE NUMMER

Originally titled NUMMER 6 (contrary to my recollection written with the number "6" in the German opening scenes) is the brainchild of its principal actor, executive producer and part time director: Patrick McGoohan (1928 - 2009). The series was produced by Every Man Films, McGoohan's own production company, and Lew Grade's ITC which, among many others, was also resonsible for the career boost of Roger Moore in THE SAINT.

McGoohan, born 1928 to Irish parents in New York and raised very strictly to the catholic faith (more...), went through several jobs before going to the theater after moving to Ireland. In 1954 he had his first bit part in front of the camera and was later seen in quite many flicks, soon he appeared on television, too, which was very young then (more...). By the mid 50s Orson Welles took him on the stage to play in "Moby Dick" because of his acting talent. He also was actor as well as director of a couple of his friend's Peter Falk COLUMBO episodes.

< Free Sea

During the credit sequence of the show GEHEIMAUFTRAG FÜR JOHN DRAKE ("Secret Assignment for John Drake"/DANGER MAN aka SECRET AGENT), originally running 30 minutes, viewers learned that this special agent was called into action when delicate tasks had to be done - for NATO, said to be his employer. By 1967, after 50 episodes, McGoohan's successful TV series came to an end. It had been a big success in Germany, too. "Koroshi" und "Shinda Shima", the two ultimate episodes, were running one hour each, shot in colour and were also re-edited into a movie.
Her Majesty he had smartly served using his wits instead of his muscles, always gentleman-like and with the help of sophisticated gadgetry. A consequential anti-Bond was the character: no guns, no women, no affairs. Lasting elements of THE PRISONER, too. "My name is Drake - John Drake" was the last spoken line of the credit sequence (more...). Being one of Britains most popular TV stars McGoohan was in the position to turn down the offer to play James Bond in ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE for moral reasons and thus waving good-bye to a promising Hollywood career. Enter Sean Connery.

One of the most frequently asked questions whether Drake was Number Six McGoohan always denied. There are certain strains and parallels, though, considering the character; it is known that he had become tired playing the same role again and again. Also, working on THE PRISONER had begun when DANGER MAN was still being shown and many collaborators would keep on working with THE PRISONER. What’s more, even the SECRET AGENT title song by Johnny Rivers seemed to be telling about future things:
"they've given you a number, And taken away your name..." This, in fact, was a coincidence.

In David Cronenberg's 1981 movie SCANNERS he took on one of those most likely rare memorable roles as Dr. Ruth, inventor of some telepathy causing drug, a dubious scientist character but still a goodie. And a fitting role.
What stayed in mind of him as an actor was one facial expression that makes him unmistakeable. Which is, basically, the only one he's got, always a controlled face. Provided directing him makes good use of this particular trait: Striding down the long dark corridor to his superior's office he is shot a couple of times from an obligue overhead p.o.v. From deep inside his look emerges with the corners of his mouth slightly twisted. He delivers a kind of certain and knowing (German wordplay: "eine gewisse und wissende") grim decisiveness. The icon, here it is: "Number Six" is Patrick McGoohan. He was in control of the production. It was his baby. It was the show that all of those who participated went through physical and psychic torment. He convinced everyone and all. But at last it was him who became overpowered by the show.

With the series ending McGoohan resigned from England. TV audiences had felt dissatisfied watching the series' unusual coda and literally infringed his privacy. Since then he has been living in California. What a lovely place, just like The Village.

Since decades, whenever possible, he has avoided interviews on his biggest success. And if he does give them his statements still are no less enigmatic than the series itself. Maybe the most extensive interview in this respect was the so called Troyer interview of 1977. Presented here is the (presumably) first German version ever.

"The thing one must never do which is in some ways... - I shouldn't be doing this, talking to you and to people who are going to view it and hear it, to explain THE PRISONER. I mean, I don't think they'll understand it, perhaps they won't understand it any better after this attempt at explaining it..." (Patrick McGoohan, 1984, "Six Into One - The Prisoner File")

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