PATRICK McGOOHAN
19.03.1928 - 13.01.2009

Erfinder, hauptdarsteller und produzent der serie, geboren am 19.03.1928, gestorben am 13.01.2009. Trotz einer reichhaltigen filmografie wird er auf immer und ewig mit NUMMER 6 in verbindung gebracht werden, und zwar zu recht.

Nachruf von Roger Langley (englisch)
Erklärung von Joan Drummond, Patricks witwe (englisch)
Würdigung in versen von Michael Brüne: deutsch - englisch
Über McGoohans filmografie...
Auflistung aller bekannten McGoohan-interviews
McGoohan kondolenzbuch (PDF)

NACHRUF (AUSSCHNITT) DER PACIFIC PALISADES POST VOM 22.01.2009 -
DER ZEITUNG VON McGOOHANS KALIFORNISCHEM WOHNORT

Irgendwie ist es bezeichnend, dass nahezu alle anglo-amerikanischen und, soweit gesehen, auch französischen quellen McGoohans leistung bei THE PRISONER verorten, während deutsche standardnachrufe viel mehr auf (einige seiner) kinofilme abheben, die, von zwei, drei abgesehen, hierzulande kaum einer kennt. "Film-Bösewicht" sei er gewesen - was für ein quatsch. Bösewicht, wenn denn einer, das gilt für COLUMBO, und das ist fernsehen.

Eine auswahl weiterer nachrufe bzw. würdigender kommentar von durchaus unterschiedlicher güte:

- patrickmcgoohan.org.uk/
- sixofone.co.uk/
- theprisoner.net
sowie
- pwbeat.com
- theregister.com
- avclub.com
- independent.co.uk
- glaserei.de
- www.networkdvd.net/
- blog.wired.com
- heute.de
- serienjunkies.de
- news.orf.at
- monstersandcritics.de
- gamona.de
- ksta.de
- fernsehlexikon.de
- bazonline.ch
- www.moviegod.de
- welt.de
- de.tv.yahoo.com
- ln-online.de
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_McGoohan
- liferadio.at
- fr-online.de
- salzburg.com
- satundkabel.magnus.de
- tagesanzeiger.ch
- fm4.orf.at
- pannor.de

Contact Imminent, die SIX OF ONE-mitgliederzeitschrift, veröffentlichte eine die Tribute Edition; darin enthalten kommentare von beteiligten schauspielern wie Peter Wyngarde (Nummer Zwei in "Schachmatt"), Jane Merrow (Alison in "The Schizoid Man"), Ian L. Rakoff, (autor der episode "Living In Hamony"), Tony Sloman (besorgte und verwaltete die in der serie verwendete musik), John S. Smith (tonmeister) sowie Dave Barrie, gründer der Prisoner Appreciation Society SIX OF ONE u.v.a. einträge von fans auf der SIX-OF-ONE-homepage.

PATRICK McGOOHAN
EINE WÜRDIGUNG IN VERSEN

Von Michael Brüne (hier die englische version)

1. Danke, Herr Jedermann,
für Ihre ANKUNFT in unserer schönen neuen Welt.
Ihre Herausforderung für denkende Menschen ist der Ruf zur Freiheit,
dargestellt im eindrucksvollen ABC des GEFANGENEN NUMMER 6.

2. Ihre Village-Welt hat uns den Entwurf der Zukunft gezeigt:
eine Gesellschaft, in der das Individuum SCHACHMATT gesetzt wird.
Wie ein HAMMERSCHLAG AUF DEN AMBOSS werden Menschen manipuliert
und durch Anwendung von Technik und Psychologie ständig kontrolliert.

3. Ich hoffe, Sie haben in Ihrem Leben gefunden, was bisher noch fehlte,
und es richtig eingesetzt, um wieder zu LEBEN IN HARMONIE.
Ich bin sicher, Sie brauchen keinerlei VERÄNDERUNG IM DENKEN,
um das Recht des Individuums zu beanspruchen, FÜR ALLE FREI, der wahre Freie zu sein.

4. Weder DER GENERAL, noch die FRAU IN WEISS, DIE SICH TOD NENNT,
und auch nicht DER SCHIZOIDE sind in der Lage Ihr Werk zu zerstören.
Da ist der TOTENTANZ und jetzt sogar – voll Trauer – IST IHR BEGRÄBNIS.
Aber Ihr Geist ist weiterhin lebendig – bei uns und noch mehr bei der wahren Nummer Eins, dem Herrn!

5. Sir, Sie hatten völlig recht, immer wieder vehement zu protestieren:
„ICH BIN KEINE NUMMER! ICH BIN EIN FREIER MENSCH!“
Und ich denke, einige frühere Freude werden Ihnen heute zustimmen,
wie der ewige Geheimagent, Dr. Syn und Rafferty und all die anderen.

6. Mögen DIE GLOCKEN VON BIG BEN zu Ihrer ewigen Heimkehr läuten
und die Sonne nun Ihr Herz und Ihre Seele für immer erleuchten!
VERLASS MICH NICHT, MEIN LIEBLING! wird Ihre Familie Ihnen jetzt nachrufen.
Und wir werden in jedem März an Sie denken und danken: HERZLICHEN GLÜCKWUNSCH!

7. ES WAR EINMAL und wird auch wieder sein, dass wir alle im Frieden sind.
Denn nach dem großen ABGANG ist nun auch der Himmel offen.
Alles was, wir im Leben brauchen, ist Liebe – immer und überall!
Und so hoffe ich, WIR SEHEN UNS dereinst im Himmel wieder!

Ein Nachruf von Roger Langley

Langley ist mitglied des koordinationsteams von SIX OF ONE The Prisoner Appreciation Society und McGoohans biograf: "Patrick McGoohan: Danger Man or Prisoner?" Das buch basiert auf Langleys langjährigen kontakten und gesprächen mit dem schauspieler. Der nachruf steht nur auf englisch zur verfügung.

Obituary of the screen star and theatrical actor

The passing of actor Patrick Joseph McGoohan, on 13th January, 2009, not far short of his eighty-first birthday, will be seen as both a great loss within theatrical and entertainment circles, as well as amongst worldwide admirers of him as a screen icon and cult figure. McGoohan was the star of and driving force behind two memorable British television classics of the sixties, DANGER MAN (called SECRET AGENT in the US) and THE PRISONER. Although often remembered primarily for those productions, the actor also had many stage and cinema screen roles, as well as assorted directorial and scriptwriting undertakings.

McGoohan was born in the New York neighbourhood of Queens, in the district of Astoria, on 19th March, 1928. His Irish parents, Catholics Thomas and Rose, had emigrated there in 1925, but returned to their native country when their son was six months old. Back in the homeland, a decade followed in which three daughters, Catherine, Anne and Frances, were born. Continuing attempts to make a decent living from farming proved unsustainable, leading to a decision to move to Britain, in the year before the outbreak of war.
The north of England was chosen and the family settled in the city of Sheffield, which remained their home for many years. The young Patrick was evacuated during the war to Ratcliffe College, in Leicestershire and by the time he returned home in 1944, war was over and he was of an age to take a few lowly employments. He tried a spell in a factory, a bank and finally a chicken farm, although an allergy to feathers caused a severe resurgence of achildhood bronchial asthma condition.

The youth turned to acting in his leisure time, finding the experience liberating. After a number of notable youth club and amateur drama roles, one day McGoohan walked into the Sheffield Playhouse theatre, to obtain work within its repertory company. He was taken on and quickly moved up from stagehand to assistant stage manager, gradually taking small parts and latterly becoming a respected regular performer. He became the company’s leading man and at the close of the 1940s, McGoohan met a young actress, Joan Drummond, who had joined the repertory group. After a respectable period of courtship, reflecting Joan’s young age, the couple married in 1951 and in the ensuing years had three daughters. The McGoohans enjoyed nearly 60 years of marriage, always keeping their personal lives away from the glare of the showbusiness publicity machine.

Needing more money to maintain his wife and daughters, McGoohan joined other repertory companies around Britain and went on to appear in several productions in London’s West End. He was highly rated in the Orson Welles production of “Moby Dick” (1955) and received excellent reviews for his performance in “Serious Charge” (1955), playing a vicar accused of impropriety. His crowning glory was the portrayal of a tortured priest in Ibsen’s “Brand” (1959), with a performance being screened by the BBC. The run of several weeks gained McGoohan high critical praise and a Best Actor award.

Throughout the 1950s, the actor undertook many roles, often in costume dramas, on both the BBC and emerging ITV channels. He also appeared in some filmed actionadventure series at the time. However, a movie career began slowly, with bit parts such as RAF guard in "The Dam Busters" (1954), seaman in "Passage Home" (1955) and therapist in "I Am a Camera" (1955). These small roles were followed by McGoohan testing for Rank and his entry into their ‘Charm School’ for grooming likely male pin-up material. At the end of the decade he had made a quartet of films with the renowned studio, including “High Tide at Noon” (1957), "The Gypsy and the Gentleman" (1957) and "Nor the Moon by Night" (1958). However, he secured an early release from his contract, disliking all the publicity.

McGoohan received a second Best Actor award for the TV play "The Greatest Man in the World" (1958). He also impressed TV mogul Lew Grade, with his appearance in the ITV play "The Big Knife" (1958). Grade saw the potential of the tall actor’s handsome looks, combined with a strong screen presence and so swiftly signed him up for ATV’s new spy show DANGER MAN. The production ran, with breaks, from 1960 to 1966, its star being the highest paid on television. However, after completion of 86 episodes, McGoohan grew tired of the repetitive format. He moved on to create his own enigmatic work, THE PRISONER (1967), a series still screened regularly around the world and discussed at length. Originally, the show did not enjoy wide critical acclaim, or popular approval, leading to its star leaving Britain. After a spell in Switzerland, the actor relocated to the country of his birth, the United States, where he resided for the rest of his life.

McGoohan landed some good roles in US 1970s movies, including "The Moonshine War" (1970) and "Silver Streak" (1976), as well as a directorial debut with "Catch my Soul" (1974), being a rock adaptation of the successful Jack Good stage musical. However, a big screen break came with the blockbuster "Ice Station Zebra" (1968), in which McGoohan appeared alongside star actors Rock Hudson and Ernest Borgnine. The Cinerama production - about a nuclear submarine conspiracy - became Howard Hughes' favourite
movie, watched obsessively by him, almost a hundred times. During filming, McGoohan had to be rescued from a flooded chamber by a diver who freed his trapped foot, saving his life.

McGoohan’s foray into US television started with the first of several highly popular guest appearances in close friend Peter Falk’s COLUMBO detective mysteries (1974 - 2001).

He was the only guest ever to receive two Emmy awards for different COLUMBO roles. Daughters Catherine and Anne McGoohan appeared in separate COLUMBO stories. The series’ lead star, Peter Falk, said of his friend, "Incidentally, in all my years I have never played a scene with another actor who commanded my attention the way Pat did."
Next, McGoohan took the lead role in a US thirteen part medical drama series, "Rafferty" (1977) and had several other television appearances during the latter part of the last century. In the cinema world the actor did not shy from varied and experimental roles.

He teamed up once more with former fellow Prisoner actor Alexis Kanner, who produced and directed the movie KINGS AND DESPERATE MEN (1981), the men sharing dual lead roles. Other mainstream cinema parts continued to provide work for the actor during the eighties.
In the next decade, McGoohan would find no less than four of his movies being released within a few years: "The Phantom" (1996), "Hysteria" (1998), John Grisham’s thriller "A Time to Kill" (1996) and Mel Gibson’s "Braveheart" (1995), in which McGoohan’s portrayal of Edward I was acclaimed. Participation as a voice actor in cartoon productions such as "The Simpsons" (1999), or the Walt Disney animated movie "Treasure Planet" (2002) also gave McGoohan added strings to his acting bow. However, there were to be no further screen appearances for him in the twenty-first century and although he was rumoured to be offered a cameo part in the coming remake of THE PRISONER, this did not materialise.

Throughout his long career, McGoohan’s roles embraced differing screen genres:
cult shockers like SCANNERS (1981), offbeat dramas such as "All Night Long" (1961) and a pair of early Disney audience-pleasers, "The Three Lives of Thomasina" (1963) and "Dr. Syn - Alias the Scarecrow" (1963). His last filmed interview was for the 2008 DVD release of "Dr. Syn". One other Disney film was the ‘mini monster movie’ "Baby…Secret of the Lost Legend" (1985). In tough guy mode, McGoohan appeared in movies like "Hell Drivers" (1957) and the TV film "The Hard Way" (1979), yet was easily able to embrace sensitive or difficult parts, such as "The Quare Fellow" (1962), or "Life For Ruth" (1962). The former involved playing a prison guard at an execution, the latter portraying a doctor trying to save a dying child.
There were also various costume screen drama roles, including "Mary, Queen of Scots" (1971), "The Man in the Iron Mask" (1976, for TV) and "Jamaica Inn" (1982, a TV mini-series). In these, the actor sometimes did his own stunts, including a risky clifftop sword fight. Away from the cameras, McGoohan took part in radio interviews and a chat session with Canadian students, as part of a sociological educational course based around THE PRISONER. He appeared on ITV in 1982 in the nostalgia show "Greatest Hits", talking on a mocked-up PRISONER set and also collaborated on Channel 4’s 1983 documentary, "Six into One: The Prisoner File". At that time the actor even made his own quirky ‘documentary’ about the cult series, although the material was never screened.

Despite McGoohan’s love of the acting profession, some people in the world of television and film-making found him to be difficult and even outspoken. Others would declare him a joy to work with, a dedicated soul and a man of high principles. In his private life, the actor fiercely protected his family from the media. His religious beliefs, rejection of the material world and condemnation of sexual liberalism, sometimes led to him being cast as a stern or serious character. He turned in a chilling performance as the warden in ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ (1979) and a cold portrayal of a strict father in "Trespasses" (1987), shot in New Zealand.

McGoohan made films, or TV programmes, in several countries, including Canada, Africa, Ireland and even a 1970s ‘spaghetti western’, in Italy. Many in the business felt that he could have become the Gielgud or Olivier of his generation. Dismay was expressed when the actor seemed to leave behind the British stage and look towards Hollywood, or the US TV industry. Even his own comments about both establishments were ambivalent,sometimes praising the US system of fast turn-around production, whilst at other times objecting to the ‘conveyer belt’ method of working. His last theatrical role came in 1985, during a Broadway run of "Pack of Lies", a spy drama.

McGoohan accepted the position of honorary president of the official appreciation society for THE PRISONER at the start of 1977. For more than three decades, he received all the mailings and bulletins from the society, as well as regular invitations to attend conventions. Sadly, the actor never returned to the filming location of the cult series, Portmeirion in North Wales, although members of the society Six of One continue to hold annual conventions there and celebrate the actor’s life and screen career. During McGoohan’s later years, living in the plush Pacific Palisades suburb of California, wife Joan enjoyed a career as a successful high-end market realtor. In 2008, at the age of eighty McGoohan became a great-grandfather.
At this time, plans were announced for a remake of THE PRISONER, due to air at the end of 2009, something with which McGoohan would neither be involved, nor see the finished results.

Roger Langley: "I remember the star - a term McGoohan hated - as a man of integrity, a person who retained that 'Irish twinkle in his eye', being even a reluctant mentor for thousands of admirers around the world, as a result of the principled characters portrayed by him and his own moral standpoint. Patrick McGoohan was fond of saying, "The sky’s the limit" and his memorable catchphrase, from THE PRISONER, was "Be seeing you”.

Mehr als gedacht: Obwohl McGoohan mit dem ende von NUMMER 6 für immer in die USA ging und seither dort in relativer zurückgezogenheit lebte, gibt es von ihm doch weitaus mehr statements und regelrechte interviews, als man zunächst annehmen möchte. Nachstehend eine auflistung (weiter unten auf dieser seite) aller bekannten interviews in chronologischer reihenfolge.

Eine hübsche geschichte in diesem zusammenhang wurde von einem "Six-of-One"-mitglied über autor Robert Fairclough, dem verfasser von "The Prisoner Companion" (nicht zu verwechseln mit dem Buch von M. White und J. Ali) und "Prisoner Original Transscripts", berichtet.
Fairclough hatte schon über längere zeit den kontakt mit McGoohan für sein buch gesucht und war auf der autobahn in England unterwegs, als sein telefon klingelte. Am anderen ende meldete sich zu seiner überraschung Patrick McGoohan persönlich, der ihm sagte, er gebe zu NUMMER 6 keine interviews mehr.
Fairclough erwähnte später während eines treffens, es komme ja nicht alle tage vor, dass man einen anruf von Gott erhalte...

DANGER MAN McGOOHAN & THE PRISONER

Creator, main actor and producer of the series, born March 19th, 1928, died January 13th, 2009. Following his death lots of obituaries were published in newspapers and online magazines. The above linklist shows German contributions and only few in English. The appreciative poem is by Michael Brüne (see below).

His ample filmography cannot conceal that he will always be remembered in connection with THE PRISONER. And that's quite alright.

About his filmography...
List of known McGoohan interviews
McGoohan tributes (PDF)

JOAN DRUMMOND, PATRICK'S WIFE
ISSUED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT:

Patrick wanted to be known and appreciated for his work, not as a star. In his work he tried to relate to life, and in life we don't have all of the answers. The greatest honor that you can pay Patrick is simply, "That you get it!" Life is a mystery!

DEDICATED TO PATRICK McGOOHAN

By Michael Brüne

1. Thank You, Mr. Everyman,
for your ARRIVAL in our brave new world.
Your gift to thinking people was the challenge of freedom
with your imagination and impressive A.B.C. of THE PRISONER.

2. Your Village showed us the pattern of the future:
A society in which the individual is given CHECKMATE.
Like a HAMMER INTO ANVIL the people are manipulated
in constant surveillance by many Rovers today.

3. I hope you've found the missing link in your life
and put it together for LIVING IN HARMONY again.
I'm sure, you need no CHANGE OF MIND,
to keep the right of an individual to be FREE FOR ALL.

4. Neither THE GENERAL, nor THE GIRL WHO WAS DEATH,
not even THE SCHIZOID MAN will be able to destroy your work.
There is a DANCE OF THE DEAD and now sadly IT'S YOUR FUNERAL.
But your spirit is still alive - with us and the true Number One, the Lord!

5. Sir, You are right to proclaim:
„I’M NOT A NUMBER! - I'M A FREE MAN! - I'M A PERSON!"
And I think, some former friends of you will agree:
like Danger Man, Dr. Syn and Rafferty.

6. May the CHIMES OF BIG BEN ring to your eternal homecoming
and the sun shine in your heart and your soul forever!
DO NOT FORSAKE ME OH MY DARLING! your family calls.
And we will remember you always in March with MANY HAPPY RETURNS!

7. ONCE UPON A TIME all of us were gathering in peace
and after FALL OUT the sky was no longer the limit.
All we need is love always and everywhere.
And so I hope to BE SEEING YOU once more in heaven!

More than you thought: After the end of THE PRISONER McGoohan went to the USA where he had since been living in relative privacy. But the number of statements or even interviews is indeed bigger than one would assume at first. What follows is a listing of all known interviews in chronological order given by Patrick McGoohan (see below).

There is an nice story told by one member of "Six Of One" about author Robert Fairclough who wrote "The Prisoner Companion" (not to be confused with the book by M. White und J. Ali) and "Prisoner Original Transscripts."
Fairclough who, for the purpose of his book, had been trying for a while to get in contact with Patrick McGoohan and was driving on a motorway in England when McGoohan himself called him on his mobile phone, very much to his surprise. He told Fairclough that he was unwilling to give any further interviews on THE PRISONER.
During a meeting Fairclough mentioned later 'It's not everyday you receive a telephone call from God!'

Hinweis: Ein blick auf YouTube.com lohnt sich! Denn dort findet man videos mit ausgedehnten passagen oder sogar kompletten McGoohan-interviews.

1967 The Press Conference - "Patrick McGoohan talks"
pressekonferenz am 22.09.1967 im MGM-Studio als promotion für die serie NUMMER 6; keine film- oder tondokumente verfügbar (bericht von Anthony Davis in In The Village 16, herbst 1997)
1969 The PACE Interview "Essence Of Truth"
frühes PMcG interview aus dem jahr 1969, von Henry Pelham Burn; erschienen im Pace Magazine, Dezember 1969 und "Alert" (ehem.Six-Of-One-publikation) frühjahr 1979 (quelle: Number Six 34, winter 1993)
1977 The Troyer Interview
von Warner Troyer, im Kanadischen Fernsehen OECA, frühjahr 1977; verschiedentlich veröffentlicht in papierform bzw. im internet, u.a. auf der website von Larry Hall, auf deutsch nunmehr hier! (reprint teil 1: Free For All 15, sommer 2005, teil 2: Free For All 16, herbst 2005)
1979 The Six Of One Interview
von Roger Goodman (ex-SIX-OF-ONE-mitglied), 29.04.1979; auszugsweise veröffentlicht als Six-Of-One-mitteilung; von McGoohan nicht zur veröffentlichung bestimmt
1983 The PRISONER File Interview
von Laurens C. Postma und Chris Rodley, teil des fernsehprogrammes "Six into One - The Prisoner File", Channel 4, 1984, nur eine einzige ausstrahlung der dokumentation gab es; mehr...
1983 The L.A. Tape Interview
McGoohans eigene produktion als antwort auf "Six into One - The Prisoner File", womit er völlig unzufrieden war; die fragen stellte wahrscheinlich eine seiner töchter; reprint teil 1: Number Six 3, frühjahr 1985, teil 2: Number Six 4, sommer 1986
1985 The SOTER Interview
von Tom Soter, in: "Top Secret", Dez. 1985, Vol. 1/Nr. 2 (quelle: Number Six 7, frühjahr 1986)
1985 The CALIA Interview
von Barrington Calia, in: New Video Magazine, sommer/herbst 1985; reprint in "The Official Prisoner Companion, von M. White & J. Ali, 1988
1989 The CARRAZE Interview
von Alain Carrazé, Los Angeles 18.09.1989, in "The Prisoner" von Alain Carrazé und Hélène Oswald, Virgin Books, 1989
1990 The BOX Interview
Presseinterview von Howard Foy, einige tage vor PMcG's BBC-Radio-1-interview, Oktober 1990 (quelle: The Box, Pilotheft, Januar 1991)
1990 The BBC RADIO ONE Interview
von Simon Bates, 17.10.1990; für Six-Of-One-publikation/januar-mailing 1991 übertragen und hergestellt von Karen Langley
1995 The French PREMIERE Magazine Interview
von Jean-Yves Katelan, oktober-ausgabe des French Premiere Magazine, übersetzung: Jane Rawson; Jane Oddy, in: The Mail on Sunday ("Son Of The Prisoner") und Cable Guide ("The Prisoner Captured") reprint: teil 1: In The Village 9, teil 2: In The Village 10, teil 3: In The Village 12
1995 The SIX MINUTES Interview
von Barbara Myers für BBC World Service, jetzt: OUTLOOK, 10.07.1996; mit informationen von Karen Langley, text verarbeitung: Roger Langley

zusammenstellung dieser angaben: Michael Brüne

ERSCHIENEN IN SIX-OF-ONE TRIBUTE EDITION MÄRZ 2009