'Prisoner' star Patrick McGoohan dies aged 80

BBC News ^ | 14th January 2009 | BBC News

[the scotsman]

'Emmy-winning actor Patrick McGoohan, best known for starring in cult 1960s TV show The Prisoner, has died at the age of 80.

He died in Los Angeles after a short illness, his film producer son-in-law Cleve Landsberg said.

McGoohan played the character Six in the surreal 1960s show, filmed in the north Wales village of Portmeirion.'

[Ingtar]

I am not a number. I am a free man!

[pissant]

That was one strange show

[theDentist]

Sorry to hear that. Prayers for family/friends.

and I hope for his sake there are no big bouncing balls waiting for him in the afterlife.

[Oratam]

He was terrific as ‘Longshanks’ in Braveheart. R.I.P.

[KarlInOhio]

Sorry to see him go. I'll have to pull the Prisoner off my shelf and watch a few episodes.

[null and void]

Oh darn

Who is number 1?

[Tolkien]

Once of my favorite actors. RIP

[the scotsman]

A British show 30 yrs ahead of its time...

[KarlInOhio]

and I hope for his sake there are no big bouncing balls waiting for him in the afterlife.

Only if he tries to escape or disobey the rules.

[NYer]

Rest in Peace

[ClearCase_guy]

Very sad to hear. He gave many great performances. RIP.

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

Did some great roles on Columbo too! RIP.

[dilvish]

Well there goes our shat at getting the show explained. Oh well, it’s probably better as a mystery. Gonna miss him.

[Ingtar]

It was not nearly as strange if you could pick out the symbols and metaphors they used. Heck, what am I saying? It was still strange; it simply made some sense that way.

Example: 6 is the number of Man. Number 6 was an archetype for Mankind. The system wanted to take away his indiduality and make him a happy cog in the great machine. They never did.

[Oratam]

Date of Birth: 19 March 1928, Astoria, New York, USA

Born in Queens? Queens! I don't believe it. Now THAT'S acting.

[LS]

Yeah, never did figure out all the metaphysical crap his “prisonerhood” was supposed to represent, except being “trapped” by modernity.

[K-oneTexas]

Agree. Prayers for family/friends.

He was great. Secret Agent Man/Danger Man, The Prisoner, several Columbo episodes, movies (Disney and other).

He was good. He will be missed.

[massgopguy]

..you are...Number 6

It wasn’t a statement, it was the answer

[Ingtar]

Who is number 1?

Obama... actually, there was no number 1... though they did show him a man with a monkey mask on.

[DFG]

Patrick McGoohan was a great in Prisoner and Braveheart.

Prisoner is one of my favorite shows. AMC is currently filming a 6 part “The Prisoner” miniseries in Namibia. Jim Caviezel is number 6 and Ian McKellen is number 2.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

SECRET AGENT man,
SECRET AGENT man,
They’ve given you a number,
And taken away your name...

remember SECRET AGENT?

[taildragger]

Prayers to the family....

The show was way different for my young mind, but for many it planted the seed to become fans of the Lotus 7 he drove.

They should do a remake based around Political Correctness, Food Zealots and everything else we can think off.

Iinstead of driving a Prius to escape ( what everyone else is driving ) he finds an old Shelby Cobra SC, with the License plate "AYNRAND"....

[theDentist]

I never could understand why he didn’t just take a needle or pair of scissors and pop the **** thing. “Ooo, the soft bouncing ball has hit me. May as well give up.”

[Dionysius]

He had some excellent performances in some little remembered films. “The Moonshine Wars” comes to mind where he played a revenuer.

[Ingtar]

McGoohan: "It was a place that is trying to destroy the individual by every means possible; trying to break his spirit, so that he accepts that he is №6 and will live there happily as №6 for ever after. And this is the one rebel that they can't break."

[ZirconEncrustedTweezers]

I’m not a number, I’m a free man
Live my life like I want to
You better scratch me from your black book
‘Cause I’ll run rings around you...

RIP, Patrick.

[xJones]

Ah, that reminds me of my earliest childhood years when Patick McGoohan scared me to pieces with his Scarecrow of Romney Marsh on Disney.

[NTHockey]

>>I am not a number. I am a free man!<<

That should be the motto for ALL who would rather die free than to live as a slave.

He will be missed.

[happinesswithoutpeace]

Godspeed.

Be seeing you.

[ZirconEncrustedTweezers]

“The show was way different for my young mind, but for many it planted the seed to become fans of the Lotus 7 he drove.”

I don’t know if they still do, but Caterham used to sell a “Prisoner” Seven. Of course, it isn’t a perfect replica of Number 6’s car; his was a Series 2 and the Caterham is based on a Series 3.

BTW, I know a couple who own a ‘61 7A, which they’ve had since it was new. Not sure how much of the original car is left anymore, though. :)

[Le Chien Rouge]

He was in one of my favorite movies of all time...Silver Streak...Best Wilder and Pryor movie...

[RandyGH]

He was called “the thinking man’s James Bond” at the time. First-class all the way! RIP.

[woollyone]

The Prisoner
All I can say is;
Yummmm eeee

My newest favorite!

You have to try it!
http://www.vinography.com/archives/2008/01/2006_orin_swift_cellars_the_pr.html

[Ten Beers Gone]

He was also the warden in the movie "Escape from Alcatraz" - the one with Clint Eastwood.

R.I.P. Patrick

[Mr. Jazzy]

Let us all remember Patrick for one of his better movie roles, opposite the “poofter”, Rock Hudson, in "Ice Station Zebra".

A favorite of mine and the late Howard Hughes!

[fish hawk]

His Longshanks was terrific. Especially when he slapped his queer son and tossed his gay lover out he window.

[agooga]

Loved that show. And if I recall, McGoohan was a creator and executive producer on the show— not just the actor. He came up with many of the ideas and concepts.

Therefore he earns respect as a man who used art and the media to promote the cause of freedom and individuality.

A hero.

[PurpleMan]

Maybe BBC America will replay them?

[Westlander]

Secret Agent Man. Decent show with a great tune.

[lado]

All right, a Maiden reference!!

[sauropod]

He also played Edward Longshanks in Braveheart.

The world has lost a great actor.

[Ingtar]

I remember that show.

[wideminded]

and I hope for his sake there are no big bouncing balls waiting for him in the afterlife.

I remember that as sort of a big ball of bubble gum. One time it came up from underwater when he was trying to escape by boat. There was never any explanation for what it was.

[SJSAMPLE]

He was in one of my favorites.

[Maine Mariner]

Yes, I loved that car too.

[RichInOC]

“Patrick, dear boy! Welcome home.”

[Billthedrill]

RIP for one of my favorites. The Prisoner was, on the surface, a fairly typical individual-versus-society plot arc that ended up posing some very interesting questions that were not altogether congenial for people who thought they had the whole thing figured out. The scene in the final episode where he begins his testimony with "I..." and the jury chants "I I I! I I I!" was the first indication to my young and tender mind that things weren't quite as cut-and-dried as I imagined them to be. Brilliant effort, IMHO.

[ken5050]

I could never get into the show. Have a question, though. Which came first, “the Prisoner” or the “Avengers?” Gawd, I loved Diana Rigg as Mrs. Peel..

[wally_bert]

Amen to that.