Prisoner, The (ITV 1967-1968, Patrick McGoohan, Angelo Muscat)

Legendary cult TV drama series The Prisoner was about a one time secret agent who is kidnapped and kept in confinement in an idyllic village from which there is no escape. Only ever referred to as Number Six, the agent spent much of his time during the course of the 17 episodes trying to discover the identity of Number One.

The Prisoner was filmed in the Welsh folly village Portmerion and was incredibly watchable as well as highly strange. The whole thing was very much Patrick McGoohan’s baby, besides creating the show and producing he also wrote and directed several of the episodes. The show came about mainly because he wanted out of his Danger Man contract with Lew Grade’s ATV, Grade though was desperate to keep him and gave him free reign to do whatever he wanted. Leo McKern as one of many Number 2’s.

The series was remade to great effect in the late 2000′s, this only ran to six episodes and wrapped things up in a much more satisfying way.

production details
UK / ITV / 17×60 minute episodes /Broadcast 29 Sep 1967 – 2 February 1968

Creator and Executive Producer: Patrick McGoohan / Music: Ron Grainer / Script Editor: George Markstein / Producer: David Tomblin

cast
PATRICK McGOOHAN as Number Six
ANGELO MUSCAT as Butler
PETER SWANWICK as Supervisor
FENELLA FIELDING as Voice of Village Announcer