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Archive-name: tv/the-prisoner/part1
Version: 3.12 Last-modified: 1995/11/03 20:40:11 See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge
This is Volume I of the FAQ for _The Prisoner_. I have tried to make
it accurate and spoiler-free, but I can guarantee neither. Still, it
is probably safe to read this document even if you have never seen the
show. All spoilers have been moved to Volume II (coming Real Soon Now
to a newsgroup near you).
Please send me your comments, corrections, and additions.
- Patrick LoPresti
patl@lcs.mit.edu
----------------------------------------------------------------------
_The Prisoner_ FAQ
Volume I - No Spoilers
TABLE OF CONTENTS
-----------------
1: What is _The Prisoner_?
2: Where can I find _The Prisoner_?
3: What are _Danger Man_ and _Secret Agent_?
4: In what order should I watch the episodes?
5: Are there any fan clubs devoted to _The Prisoner_?
6a: Where is the Village?
6b: How do I get there?
7: What kind of car is KAR120C?
8: What _Prisoner_ material can I find on-line?
9: What _Prisoner_ material can I find in the real world?
10: What is that font?
11: What shows/music/movies refer to _The Prisoner_?
12: In what shows and movies has Patrick McGoohan appeared?
13: Do we ever find out...
ASCII Drawings
Credits
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1: What is _The Prisoner_?
_The Prisoner_ is a television series created by Patrick McGoohan,
who also plays the title role. It first aired in the UK on
October 1, 1967, and has retained a strong (some would say "cult")
following ever since. There are reasons for this.
It consists of 17 one-hour episodes. While each makes sense when
viewed alone (_The Prisoner_ is no soap opera), they also come
together as a complete story. The series has a definite beginning
and a definite end; the conflicts are resolved and the questions
are answered (more or less). There are no transparent hooks for a
movie sequel, and there is no room for a "next generation" :-).
[Although ITC is going to make a movie anyway; release is
scheduled for 1997. McGoohan is involved in writing the script,
and has stated publicly that Kevin Costner will *not* be the
actor.]
On the surface, it is a well done action/suspense show, and is
quite enjoyable as such. But closer inspection reveals multiple
levels of meaning and numerous possible interpretations, many of
which are still debated today. It has a lot of intellectual
appeal, with a feel reminiscent of Huxley and Orwell. _The
Prisoner_ is a refreshing change from the mindless sludge so
common on modern television.
2: Where can I find _The Prisoner_?
In the U.S., the show is variously aired on the Sci-Fi channel and
local PBS stations. Check your local listings.
The episodes are available on video tape and laser disk; check
your local video store, or order them yourself (see below).
[Note: This section reflects my U.S. bias. Feel free to help me
correct it. - Pat]
3: What are _Danger Man_ and _Secret Agent_?
_Danger Man_ was the name a series about the secret agent John
Drake (played by Patrick McGoohan), a man who preferred to use his
intellect to resolve situations. He did not carry a gun, nor did
he get involved with every woman he met. McGoohan played a large
role in shaping Drake's character, which was a specific reaction
against the "James Bond" types popular in cinema and television at
the time. Drake had a conscience; the moral conflicts of his job
were a major theme in the series.
The shows were 30 minutes black and white. Later on, the series
was filmed as 60 minute black and white _Secret Agent_ episodes.
There were also two color _Secret Agent_ episodes filmed, but they
were never released as part of the series. They were later edited
together, however, to produce a 100 minute TV movie called
_Koroshi_.
(Note: The mixed up "puzzle" letters that appear in the closing
credits of some episodes of _Secret Agent_ unscramble to spell
"Danger Man".)
Patrick McGoohan conceived the concept for _The Prisoner_ while
filming some episodes of _Danger Man_ in Portmeirion (the
Village). There is also a _Secret Agent_ episode about a
"village" of agents training to become imposters that was used as
part of the idea for _The Prisoner_ (this is the show where he
hides a camera in a typewriter). Many of the actors in _Danger
Man_ and _Secret Agent_ also appear in _The Prisoner_.
There is some debate on whether _The Prisoner_ is a sequel to
_Danger Man_. To call the disagreement violent would be a gross
understatement. For more information, watch _The Prisoner_, then
refer to Volume II of this FAQ [not written yet - Pat].
Opening Lyrics - Secret Agent Man by Johnny Rivers
Written by P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri
There's a man who leads a life of danger
To everyone he meets, he stays a stranger
With every move he makes, another chance he takes
Odds are he won't live to see tomorrow.
Secret Agent Man, Secret Agent Man
They've given you a number and taken away your name.
4: In what order should I watch the episodes?
That is a very good question.
Here are a few possible orderings:
KTEH 6o1 SciFi ITC 1st McG
*1* || 1 Arrival
2 3 2 || 8 8 || 3 Dance of the Dead
3 4 4 || 11 9 || 4 Checkmate
4 5 5 || 2 2 || 5 The Chimes of Big Ben
5 2 3 || 4 4 || 2 Free For All
6 9 9 || 7 7 || - Many Happy Returns
7 8 8 || 5 5 || - The Schizoid Man
8 7 6 || 6 6 || - The General
9 6 7 || 3 3 || - A, B, and C
10 14 14 || 12 14 || - Living in Harmony
11 10 10 || 10 11 || - It's Your Funeral
12 13 13 || 9 13 || - Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling
13 11 11 || 13 12 || - A Change of Mind
14 12 12 || 14 10 || - Hammer Into Anvil
15 || - The Girl Who Was Death
*16* || 6 Once Upon a Time
*17* || 7 Fall Out
KTEH: Arranged by Scott Apel for KTEH channel 54 (PBS
affiliate in San Jose, CA); reportedly approved by
McGoohan himself
6o1: Endorsed by Six of One
SciFi: Used for the Sci-Fi Channel marathon (Note: The Sci-Fi
Channel normally uses the Six of One order)
ITC: "Official" ITC sequence
1st: Original airing sequence
McG: Patrick McGoohan's original seven episodes
which "really count"
(Note: "Living in Harmony" was omitted by CBS from the first
showing of the series in the U.S. CBS claimed this censorship was
because of the drug use portrayed, but this is unlikely in light
of other episodes which were aired freely (e.g., "A, B, and C").
A more common explanation is that it was pulled due to the Vietnam
era and the episode's themes of anti-authoritarianism and
disrespect for the law.)
McGoohan has stated in an interview that he only wanted to do
seven episodes, but his financier (Lew Grade) insisted that he
needed more in order to sell the series. Grade, in fact, wanted
30 episodes; McGoohan managed to compromise on 17. Some of the
extra episodes are basically "filler" and contain no (or re-used)
shots of the Village. The seven core episodes are crucial; the
rest, though individually worth watching, are less essential to
the series as a whole.
The show had many production problems. When _The Prisoner_ was
first shown on British television, several episodes were still
being produced on the date they were supposed to air, so other
episodes that were finished were scheduled in their place (in
particular, changes were made to "The Chimes of Big Ben" shortly
before airtime; hence the existence of the alternate version).
The order in which ITC later released the series is considered
"official".
"Arrival" is indisputably the first episode. "Once Upon a Time"
and "Fall Out" are indisputably the last pair. "Do Not Forsake Me
Oh My Darling" flashbacks to "Arrival" and "Free For All".
Four of the script writers thought they were writing the second
episode; in two of them, "Dance of the Dead" and "Checkmate",
the Prisoner says he is new, although these were eventually shown
about halfway through the series.
The Number Two from "The General" returns in "A, B, and C", and in
the opening he says "I am Number Two" instead of "the new Number
Two". Also, the Tally Ho bears the headline "Is No. 2 Fit For
Further Term?" They seem to belong together in sequence.
Examining dates and time periods, the date at beginning of "The
Schizoid Man" is presumably February 10. In "Many Happy Returns",
we learn the date is March 18. In "Do Not Forsake Me Oh My
Darling", he has been away for a year.
If one arranges the episodes so the interrogation of the Prisoner
gets riskier and more intense as the series progresses, then
episodes where the Prisoner's life is endangered like "A, B, and
C" and "The Schizoid Man" probably belong later in the series.
The episodes can also be ordered to show the progression of the
Prisoner as a character, at first angry and trying every chance to
escape, making various mistakes and being fooled by simple ploys,
later becoming more sophisticated, finding out how the Village
works and avoiding the more obvious pitfalls. Or one can order
them on the themes, like escape and betrayal, within the series.
Thinking about the order of the episodes and coming up with your
own is an interesting way to appreciate _The Prisoner_.
5: Are there any fan clubs devoted to _The Prisoner_?
The largest and best known is called "Six of One, The Prisoner
Appreciation Society". It is officially recognized by Patrick
McGoohan and ITC.
The Six of One newsletter is currently called "In The Village" and
is published quarterly. Former titles include "Number 6", "PM",
"Spokes", and "Alert". Many of these are now serious collectors'
items.
A year's membership in the Society costs UKP20.00 or US$39.00 and
provides four copies of the newsletter and voluminous other
material related to _The Prisoner_. Six of One also hosts a
Prisoner convention in Portmeirion every summer, and is a supplier
of photos, CDs, and merchandise.
Six of One is based in the U.K., and has official points of
contact in the U.S. and France. For more information, send a
self-addressed stamped envelope to:
U.S. Six of One, 871 Clover Dr, North Wales, PA, 19454
France Six of One/France, Jean-Michel Philibert, BP 633,
42042 Saint-Etienne Ce'dex, France
U.K. Six of One, PO Box 66, Ipswich, IP2 9TZ,
(and elsewhere) UK
There were several attempts by individual fans, especially in the
late 70's, to promote personal newsletters as official fan clubs.
These went under such names as "The Green Dome" and "The Prisoner
Newsletter". None of these were recognized by ITC, and in most
cases they just republished information provided by Six of One.
Many were told by ITC or Six of One to cease copyright violations.
However, there is a long running publication which is recognized by
ITC (at least, it has full permission to reproduce photos).
Subscriptions are $8 per year for three issues:
Once Upon a Time
c/o David Lawrence
515 Ravenel Circle
Seneca, SC 29678
"Once Upon a Time" was originally published under the auspices of
Six of One, but due to differences of opinion became an independent
production.
(Naturally, there are those who point out that any "society" based
on _The Prisoner_ is somewhat ironic.)
6a: Where is the Village?
In real life, it is a seashore resort called the "Portmeirion
Village Hotel" (formally "Hotel Portmeirion") in North Wales,
built by the eccentric architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis. It is
located in the town of Penrhyndeudraeth. To find it on a map,
look for Cardigan Bay on the western shore; at the north end is
Tremadoc Bay; look along its north-central shore and find the town
of Porthmadog; go east, and at the north-eastern corner of
Tremadoc Bay, there is an inlet pointing slightly north of east.
Portmeirion is on the north shore of that inlet. It is reachable
by rail or car from London (see below).
The Hotel Portmeirion is a hodge-podge collection of odd buildings
and structures of all different kinds of architecture. Some were
built on-site as examples of styles of architectures, ranging from
Oriental to Italianate, and some structures or parts of structures
(such as porticos, balconies, and ceilings) were moved from other
places, purchased by Sir Williams-Ellis just before they were
supposed to be demolished. The buildings are painted in lively,
uncoordinated colors on purpose and, they say, are repainted on a
carefully scheduled rotation so that some buildings look newly
painted, but others look old and scruffy. On some buildings,
windows are merely painted on and do not really exist. On others,
they get smaller higher up to give the impression of height. The
viewer's perspective changes completely with every few steps.
The land was once the estate of an eccentric old lady who never
let anyone visit and who had a large pack of pet dogs. There is a
dog cemetery in the woods along one of the many walks and trails
through the grounds. When the lady died, Sir Clough
Williams-Ellis bought the land for his architectural project. The
beach is exactly as shown in the series. The tides are extreme,
with high tide bringing the water up to the stone wall (on which
the Stone Boat is built), and low tide exposing a very large sand
beach. In fact, you can simply walk a great distance during low
tide (a fact kept hidden in the TV series).
The main hotel served as the "Old People's Home" in the
series. The scattered cottages and buildings served as the private
homes, shops, halls, etc.
Sir Clough Williams-Ellis's daughter, Susan, went on to found a
line of pottery (dinnerware and china). Her flagship design is
called, of course, "Portmeirion". It is now world famous and is
sold in all the best department stores, including Bloomingdales.
Portmeirion Village Hotel Phone: 0766 770228
Portmeirion Fax: 0766 771331
Gwynedd Telex: 61540 PORTM G
Wales LL48 6ER
UK
6b: How do I get there?
Resign and wait. Alternatively, travel by rail (recommended) or
by car. Either way, the trip is around 260 miles and 6 to 7 hours
from London.
Begin by getting a map. Good quality maps showing both road and
rail routes everywhere are easily and cheaply available in the UK.
Portmeirion is so small that it is unlikely to be shown on any map
at a scale less than three miles to the inch, but Porthmadog
should provide a point to aim at.
To go by rail:
A comprehensive rail timetable for the UK can be bought for GBP6
('the ABC Rail Guide') at newsagents' shops, the 'official' and
much heavier BR timetable for GBP7.00 at stations.
The nearest main railway station to Portmeirion is at Minffordd,
one-and-a-half miles away. It is an easy walk from there.
Alternatively, travel 3 miles further to Porthmadog (a town,
whereas Minffordd is only a village) and take a taxi from the
station; it's about 3 miles from there. All trains shown below to
Minffordd also call at Porthmadog.
[Oops; the next section needs updating. Send me information if
you are motivated... - Pat]
Currently (winter 1993/4), there are six trains a day to and from
Minffordd, except on Sundays, when there is only one. The line
runs from Shrewsbury to Pwllheli, and this is an extract from the
1993/4 timetable (local trains with no connections to further
afield are ignored):
Monday to Saturday | Sunday
(London) 0710 0940 1140 1340 | 0940
(Birmingham) 0655 0925 1152 1404 1558 | 1405
Shrewsbury 0822 1040 1255 1504 1718 | 1612
Minffordd 1202 1427 1559 1810 2028 | 1929
Minffordd 0738 0954 1307 1526 1820 | 1523
Shrewsbury 1046 1259 1723 1937 2127 | 1829
(Birmingham) 1204 1404 1853 2049 2234 | 2007
(London) 1429 1629 2103 2319 0048 | 2310
Trains do not run through from London (hence the parentheses
around the times from there): a change is always needed at
Birmingham or Wolverhampton, then again at Shrewsbury, and usually
again at either Machynlleth or Dovey Junction. The UK railways
being run as a unified system (for the present) means that trains
connect, and you can book through on one ticket.
Sunday travel by train can be difficult, as most engineering work
on the lines is done on this day and the longer the journey the
more likely that the trip will be disrupted by this. The train
times in any case make a Sunday visit difficult, although there
are more trains in the summer.
So from London, a departure at 0710 will get you to Minffordd at
1427, changing at Birmingham and Machynlleth. The 1820 return
train will get you to London at 0048 next day, same changes. So a
day trip from London with around two-and-a-half hours in the
Village is just about possible, though quite hard work. It is more
realistic to see it as part of a two-day trip unless you are in
Wales already.
Current off-peak return fare from London to Minffordd
is UKP 45.00.
A bus runs from Minffordd post office (4 mins. walk from station)
to Portmeirion at 1114 and 1314; return at 1117, 1317, 1500.
(Monday to Saturday only).
To confirm these bus times ring (UK) 0286 679378. To check the
train times ring (UK) 0743 364041.
Portmeirion is just half a mile from Boston Lodge station on the
Ffestiniog railway, a local line with no connections towards
London, which intersects the main line at Minffordd: on arriving
at Minffordd you could check the times of trains on this line
which might save you the walk. (Aside: The Ffestiniog railway
runs old steam trains, which is Porthmadog's biggest claim to fame
among _Prisoner_ non-fans.)
To go by car:
Here is the "Preferred" route from Central London to
Penrhyndeudraeth as generated by the computer program Autoroute
V2.02.
Time 4 hrs 48 min. Distance 241 miles.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Time | |Road |For |Dir|Towards
-----+--------------------------+-------+-----+---+---------------------
00:00|DEPART London (Gt London) |A400 |1/2 m|N |Camden Town
00:02|Turn left onto |A501 |1 m|W |(Marylebone)
00:04|At Marylebone turn off ont|A41 |1/2 m|NW |(St John's Wood)
00:06|At St John's Wood stay on |A41 |1 m|NW |
00:10|At Swiss Cottage stay on t|A41 |4 m|NW |(Cricklewood)
00:20|At Hendon stay on the |A41 |1 m|N |
00:21|Turn off onto |M1 slip|1/4 m|W |(M1 J2)
00:22|At M1 J2 turn off onto |M1 |74 m|N |*Check access*
01:35|At M1 J19 turn off onto |M6 |45 m|W |*Check access*
02:13|At M6 J10A turn off onto |M54 |22 m|W |*Check access*
02:32|Go onto |A5 |12 m|W |
02:55|Turn off onto |A458 |12 m|W |(Middletown)
03:14|At Middletown stay on the |A458 |5 m|W |
03:21|Turn left onto |A483 |1 m|SW |Newtown
03:22|Bear right onto |A458 |1/4 m|W |Welshpool
03:23|At Welshpool stay on the |A458 |16 m|W |(Llanfair Caereinion)
03:45|At Llangadfan stay on the |A458 |11 m|W |(Dinas Mawddwy)
04:00|Turn right onto |A470 |1 m|N |Dolgellau
04:02|At Dinas Mawddwy stay on t|A470 |9 m|NW |Dolgellau
04:16|At Dolgellau stay on the |A470 |2 m|W |Betws Y Coed
04:19|At Llanelltyd stay on the |A470 |14 m|N |Betws Y Coed
04:39|Bear left onto |A487 |2 m|NW |Porthmadog
04:42|At Maentwrog stay on the |A487 |4 m|W |Porthmadog
04:48|ARRIVE Penrhyndeudraeth (G| | | |
------------------------------------------------------------------------
One contributer suggests modifying the above route as follows.
Instead of turning onto the A458, continue on the A5 through Chirk
and Llangollen, then left onto the A494 at Corwen, then onto the
A4212 at Bala which joins the A470 at Trawsfynydd. This alternate
route is more scenic and possibly faster.
7: What kind of car is KAR120C?
The car used in the show was a Lotus Seven series II, which was
available as a kit or assembled (hence why the Prisoner claimed he
built it). In the U.K., a license plate number usually stays with
the car for life. However, this number is owned by Caterham Cars
Ltd. and is regularly transferred to a current demonstrator.
The original KAR120C Lotus (which was the demo model series II)
was used and eventually sold to an Australian. Its current
whereabouts are unknown. When "Fall Out" was filmed, a quick mock
up from a series III was used. Lotus, desiring to termininate
production of the car after their failed attempt at marketing a
series IV, sold all existing kits, molds, manufacturing rights,
and the name "Super Seven" to Caterham Cars, their biggest dealer
at the time. Caterham went back to the series III shape, and have
been developing and manufacturing the Super Seven ever since. The
car is still available and can be purchased as a kit for import
into the U.S.
If you are seriously considering purchasing a Super Seven, it is
important that you find a reputable source. There are at least
two such sources in the U.S. which will provide you with an
assembled vehicle that you can register in most states as a
composite or kit car.
Pontiac Sports Cars
467 Auburn Avenue
Pontiac, MI 48342-3213
(810) 335-1511
Sevens and Elans
Mr. Chris Tchornicki
248 Hampshire Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 497-7777
Caterham itself can provide you with additional information.
The address of their sales office is:
Caterham Cars
Seven House
Town End
Caterham Hill
Surrey
CR3 5UG
UK
Phone: +44 883 346666
Fax: +44 883 349086
The cost is around $20,000. There are three basic models and
numerous options. Delivery is about 6 months. The car looks very
much the same as it does in the show, but the top of the range now
has a 2 litre 185 BHP Vauxhall engine, 5 speed gearbox and De-dion
suspension. The car is extremely fast (0-60 in 4 seconds), and
can be painted any color you like.
An interesting side note is that the car DID have a problem
history of overheating in traffic, just like the Prisoner mentions
in "Many Happy Returns".
The Lotus Seven Club in the UK has 1400 members worldwide and
produces a monthly newsletter. Membership is UKP 30 within the UK
and UKP 42 elsewhere. The club's addess is Lotus Seven Club, PO
Box 7, Cranliegh, Surrey, UK.
Additional information on the Lotus Seven may be found at
<http://web.kaleida.com/u/sands/>.
---
While the Caterham Seven is clearly the most accurate replica of
the original Lotus 7, a number of UK Kit Car manufacturers produce
very close facsmiles. The only thing preventing them being more
accurate is the threat of being sued by Caterham Cars (or each
other?). Some of the replicas are:
Westfield SE/SEi/SEiW
Dax Rush
Robin Hood S6/S7
Tiger 6
Vindicator Sprint
We discuss the Westfield here, as they are the most accurate (and
reportedly highest quality) replica; to the untrained eye it looks
identical to the Caterham/Lotus car.
Westfield were, in fact, sued by Caterham in the mid-80's, but
settled out of court and changed the body design slightly to
satisfy Caterham's requirements. Naturally, they don't offer an
"official" Prisoner model.
Complete kits (including engine and transimission) are available
from UKP 4999.99 (for a basic 1600cc SE) and complete cars,
factory-built, start at around UKP 13000. (Factory built models
are the ZEi and the ZEiW.)
It is also possible to buy the car at various build stages.
It too, suffers from overheating in traffic. Build quality is
usually good, especially on factory built cars.
Information and sales :
Westfield Sports Cars Ltd.
Unit 1
Gibbons Industrial Park
Dudley Road
Kingswinford
West Midlands
DT6 8XF
UK
Phone: (+44) (0)384 400077
Fax: (+44) (0)384 288781
8: What _Prisoner_ material can I find on-line?
The newsgroup <news:alt.tv.prisoner> is devoted to discussion of
the show. It has relatively low volume, so you can subscribe to
it and only marginally increase the amount of your life which you
lose to USENET.
A current copy of this FAQ is available via anonymous FTP:
<ftp://ftp.uu.net/usenet/tv/>
<ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/>
There would be a Prisoner MUD, if someone would contribute a
permanent site as its home. Email Ben Salter
<mailto:ec585@cleveland.freenet.edu> if you think you might like
to contribute a machine.
Anonymous FTP sites with Prisoner material include:
<ftp://ftp.ugcs.caltech.edu/pub/gifs/Prisoner/>
<ftp://plan9.njit.edu/pub/sounds/misc/>
<ftp://ccadfa.cc.adfa.oz.au/archives/aus-sf/ftp_imports/scifi/>
<ftp://ftp.sunet.se/pub/pictures/tv.film/Prisoner/>
<ftp://pictures@nic.funet.fi/pub/pics/tv+film/ThePrisoner/>
<ftp://dworkin.wustl.edu:/dist/prisoner/> (fonts)
[Contributions to this list are, of course, welcome. - Pat]
Liam Relihan has a collection of Prisoner material available
via the World Wide Web. The URL for it is:
<http://itdsrv1.ul.ie/Entertainment/Prisoner/the-prisoner.html>
Bengt Dahlqvist also has a WWW page for _The Prisoner_. Its URL
is <http://www.ling.uu.se/~bengt/tp.html>.
Victor Volkman runs a BBS with a number of Prisoner items in
directory #23. The BBS can be reached at 313-663-4173 and
313-663-3959.
9: What _Prisoner_ material can I find in the real world?
Books
-----
The Prisoner: Alain Carraze and Helene Oswald (Virgin
A Televisionary Books, 1989)
Masterpiece Contains many great color and B&W stills
from the series, including behind-the-scenes
shots. Originally published in French.
The Prisoner and Dave Rogers (Boxtree Books, 1989)
Danger Man Contains episode synopses from both series.
The Official Matthew White and Jaffer Ali (Warner Books,
Prisoner Companion 1988)
ISBN: 0-446-38744-4
The Prisoner Thomas M. Disch (N.Y. Ace Publishing, 1970)
(Dobson Books, 1980)
ISBN: 0-450-04543-9
Who Is Number Two? David McDaniel (N.Y. Ace Books, 1969)
(Dobson Books, 1981)
ISBN: 0-450-05287-7
The Prisoner: Hank Stine (N.Y. Ace Publishing, 1970)
A Day In The Life (Dobson Books, 1979)
ISBN: 0-450-05106-4
The Prisoner Four part comic book sequel to the tv series
(Graphic novels) by Dean Mottter (DC Comics 1988-1989)
Highly recommended reading.
Book A - A(r)rival
Book B - By hook or by crook
Book C - Confrontation
Book D - Departure
These may also be found as a single volume
called "Shattered Visage".
The Prisoner Puzzle A detailed Canadian educational text from
the 70's, which included interviews with
Patrick McGoohan. Considered a valued
resource; probably out of print now.
Videos
------
The 17 episodes are available on video tape and laser disk; check
your local video store. There are also three "special" videos:
"The Prisoner Companion", "The Best of the Prisoner", and "The
Chimes of Big Ben" (alternate version). There was once an
alternate version of "Arrival"; Six of One has an acoustically
taped version of it, but no video copy is known to exist.
For about $20 each, any of the tapes may be ordered from:
Movies Unlimited
6736 Castor Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19149-2184
Order: (800) 523-0823
Service: (215) 722-8398
MPI Home Video
???
Oak Forest, IL ?????-?????
(800) 323-0442
(Catalog numbers MP1984 to MP2000; alternate "Chimes" MP1384)
Steven Ricks (a Six of One member) has produced an 8-volume video
documentary called "The Prisoner in Depth". It has received rave
reviews by the alt.tv.prisoner readership. However, he is only
authorized to sell the videos to Six of One members, and he
probably only has them in PAL format. He can be contacted at:
Steven Ricks
25 Lion Court
Well End
Borehamwood
Herts
WD6 5NJ
UK
The laser discs breifly came back into production in the U.S. The
first (and only) new disc is MPI catalog number CLV1984, ISBN
1-56278-796-9, UPC 0 30306-1984-6 0. It contains the episodes
"Arrival" and "The Chimes of Big Ben". The quality of "Chimes" is
reportedly better than that of earlier laser disc releases; that
of "Arrival" is reportedly worse (due to lost master tapes?).
Unfortunately, due to low sales on Disc 1, no further discs in the
series will be produced. [Anyone have information on the Japanese
imports? - Pat]
Miscellany
----------
The Mini-Moke toy (the "Taxi" seen in the series) was available
during the time of original broadcast, and is now considered a
serious collectors' item. The Six of One organization has
obtained at least one of the two real vehicles that were used in
the series. Also available at that time were _Prisoner_ watches
(with the penny farthing symbol on the face). Both of these are
no longer available.
Caterham Cars sells a metal miniature model of the Super Seven for
about $40 (It's about 3 inches long). A Japanese firm sells a
plastic version for slightly less:
Model Kits:
Lotus Super Seven Series II Tamiya
1500 Cosworth Model Rectifier Corporation
(Scale 1:24) Edison, New Jersey, USA 08817
Kit No. 2446A
Lotus Super Seven Wills Finecast
Sports Racing Car Lower Road, Forest Row
(Scale 1:24) Sussex, RH18 5HE, UK
Kit No. 007
There are presently three CDs of Prisoner music. Six of One is
the "official" source for them, but you can obtain them through
the publisher and elsewhere. They are imports, marketed by:
Silva Screen Records Ltd, Silva House
261 Royal College Street
London NW1 9LU, UK
The catalog numbers (?) are "FILMCD042", "FILMCD084", "FILMCD126".
Photos, badges, maps, postcards, and CD soundtracks are available
through the Six of One shop located at the Hotel Portmeirion.
Most of the items available from the Six of One shop are also
available through mail order through:
The Prisoner Mail Order Service
20 Barrs Street
Langley
Warley
West Midlands
B68 8QU
UK
Once Upon A Time has a number of Prisoner-related literary
materials which it sells to non-members. For more information,
contact them directly through the address above.
Some items the U.S. viewers see as novel collectables (such as the
telephones) are (or were) fairly common items in the U.K. and were
not specific to _The Prisoner_.
There was an adventure game during the late 70's for Atari and
Apple computers, called "The Prisoner". It was made by
"Edu-Ware", and was loosely based on the show.
There is a _Prisoner_ sourcebook for the GURPS role-playing system
by Steve Jackson Games.
10: What is that font?
The font used in _The Prisoner_ is a modified version of
"Albertus" (dots removed from "i" and "j", loop of "e" opened).
Albertus was designed by Bethold Wolpe in 1932, and is available
from Monotype in their "Value Pack no. 2" and "Monotype Classic
Fonts". Call 1-800-MONOTYPE for more information.
It is also one of the standard fonts on the CorelDraw 4 CDs, and
it is a built-in printer font on the HP DeskJet 1200C (and
presumably other DeskJets).
Albertus is also available in from Image Club Graphics, Inc. (see
Personal Publishing magazine). The cost is $75 for 3 styles:
normal, bold, and black. Postscript format. Suite 5, 1902 11th
Street SE, Calgary AB Canada T2G 3G2; 403-262-8008.
There are two freeware Albertus derivatives, both of which have
been modified Prisoner-style. One is by Glenn Fleishman and is
called "Furioso"; the other is by Mark Heiman and is called
"Village". Both are available via anonymous FTP from
dworkin.wustl.edu:/dist/prisoner.
11: What shows/music/movies refer to _The Prisoner_?
The creator and writers of the television series "Babylon 5" are
Prisoner fans, and many episodes contain direct or indirect
references to _The Prisoner_.
The CD single "The Prisoner" by F.A.B. ("featuring M.C. No. 6").
From Telstar records, serial number TCD2430.
The album "Prisoner" by David Shea contains samples from the
series throughout.
Mark Burgess, originally of The Chameleons, then of The Sun and
the Moon, and presently of Mark Burgess and the Sons of God, is a
big fan. Consequently, Prisoner references have crept into
several songs. The (rare) album "Tony Fletcher Walked on Water"
by The Chameleons includes a song called "Free for All". The
first album of The Sun and the Moon (self-titled) and their album
"Alive; Not Dead" include sound bites.
The album "Digital Dump" by The Jack Officers (1990 Rough Trade)
has a song called "#6" with sound samples from the series.
The album "The Prisoner" by Howard Jones (1989); also included a
song called "The Portmeirion Mix". [Can anyone confirm this?]
Music video "See Those Eyes" by Altered Images was filmed in
Portmeirion and features prisoner costumes, Rover, etc.
The song "I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape" by The Times. This
group also has songs called "The Chimes of Big Ben" and "Danger
Man Theme". (Good luck finding these. As a last resort, try
writing to Creation Records, 83 Clerkenwell Rd., London EC1,
UK)
The songs "Back in the Village" (on the album "Powerslave") and "The
Prisoner" (on the album "The Number of the Beast"), both by Iron
Maiden.
The song "Big Science" (on album of same name) by Laurie Anderson
includes lyrics from "Secret Agent".
"Information" by Toenut, on a 7" single put out by Half-baked
Records. Write to 1309 Stillwood Dr., Atlanta, GA 30306, or
contact Toenut directly at toenut@mathcs.emory.edu.
A Siouxsie and the Banshees video clip for their cover of
"Passenger" is entirely based on _The Prisoner_.
The song "Just Give 'Em Whiskey" (on the 1985 album of the same
name) by Colourbox includes clips from the series.
The Clash have released a song called "The Prisoner" on the B side
of "White Man in Hammersmith Palais" (1978).
12: In what shows and movies has Patrick McGoohan appeared?
(Random trivia: McGoohan was offered the original role of James
Bond before Sean Connery was.)
Films: The Dam Busters 1954
The Dark Avenger (aka "The Warrior") 1955
Passage Home 1954 (McGoohan's first film role)
I Am a Camera 1955
Zarak 1956
High Tide at Noon 1956
Hell Drivers 1958
The Gypsy and the Gentleman 1958
Nor the Moon by Night (aka "Elephant Gun") 1958
All Night Long 1961
Two Living, One Dead 1961
Life for Ruth (aka "Walk in the Shadow") 1962
The Three Lives of Thomasina 1963
Dr.Syn, Alias the Scarecrow 1963
The Quare Fellow 1962
Ice Station Zebra 1967
The Moonshine War 1970
Mary Queen of Scots 1971
The Genius (aka "Un Genio, Due Compari e Un Pollo") 1975
Silver Streak 1976
Trespasses (aka "Finding Katie") 1983
Brass Target 1979
Escape from Alcatraz 1979
Scanners 1980
Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend 1985
Kings and Desperate Men 1978
TV movies: Koroshi 1966
The Man in the Iron Mask 1976
The Hard Way 1980
Three Sovereigns for Sarah 1985
Jamaica Inn 1982
Of Pure Blood 1986
TV Series: Secret Agent (aka "Danger Man")
The Prisoner
Rafferty (1977)
Other Series:
Appeared in at least 3 episodes of Columbo:
"By Dawn's Early Light" (1974; won an Emmy)
"Identity Crisis" (1975; McGoohan plays a spy)
"Agenda for Murder" (1989/1990; won an Emmy)
(also directed "Last Salute to the Commodore")
Appeared in an episode of Murder She Wrote
Hosted TV movie Trilogy of Terror
The Vise (1953), episode "Gift from Heaven"
You are There (1954), episode "The Fall of Parnell"
The Makepeace Sage (1956), episode "Ruthless Destiny"
Armchair Theater (1964), play "The Man Out There"
Play of the Week (1964), play "Sargent Musgrave's Dance"
TV Plays: All My Sons 1955
Disturbance 1957
The Little World 1957
The Third Miracle 1957
Rest in Violence 1958
This Day in Fear 1958
The Iron Harp 1959
Terminus Number One 1959
Brand 1959
The Greatest Man in the World 1959
The Big Knife 1959
A Dead Secret 1961
The Prisoner 1962 (NOT related to the later series!)
Shadow of a Pale Horse 1962
Theater:
PM has acted a great deal in theater. Some outstanding
examples of his work are:
Serious Charge (Garrick Theatre, London, 1954)
Moby Dick (Orson Welles's production, 1955)
Brand (Lyric Opera House, Hammersmith, 1959)
13: Do we ever find out...
...the name of the big white ball?
...the Prisoner's real name?
...where the Village is located?
...whether the Prisoner escapes?
...who is Number One?
...which side runs the Village?
Yes, no, in the Village, questions are a burden, you are Number
Six, and that would be telling, respectively.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
_________
| |
_o_ _| ___=___ |_ _o_
/`-'\( ) ( )/`-'\
| |-| ___@___ |-| |
| | | (-+-+-+-) | | |
| |--\_KAR120C_/--| |
`---' `---'
(Thanks to Flemming Larsen for the Lotus picture)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
o ooooooo
oooo$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
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oo$$$$$$$"$"$o$$oo$$$$$$$$$""
oo$$$$$$""o$oo$$$$"o$"$$"$
oo$$$$$$$""o$$$$" " "$oo"
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$ " "$$$$$$" "$$$$$$ "
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(Thanks to Jason Lee Smith for the Penny Farthing picture)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
CREDITS
-------
Keith G. Barrett <ponds!aminet!barrett@concert.net> wrote the
original FAQ, and much of the material here is his work.
The following people have made significant contributions to this
document:
Christopher Cook <chrisc@dircon.co.uk>
Flemming Larsen <flarsen@uclink.berkeley.edu>
Angus Marshall <mcramm@dct.ac.uk>
mathew <mathew@mantis.co.uk>
Other contributors include:
James Amundson <amundson@yukawa.uchicago.edu>
Keith A Baird <adkab@utxdp.dp.utexas.edu>
Cindy Bell <ST911598@pip.cc.brandeis.edu>
Chris Bergstresser <cbergstr@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Jean-Marc F. Blanchard <blanchar@mail.sas.upenn.edu>
Jesse Carliner <jesse@emptor.sbi.com>
Gio Ciampa <gio@wcl.bham.ac.uk>
S.D. Cox <Skip.Cox@bristol.ac.uk>
didier <70202.57@compuserve.com>
Peter Dunn <puapjd@admin.warwick.ac.uk>
Geoff G. <gig@homer.dsto.gov.au>
Glenn Fleishman <fleglei@hebron.connected.com>
Rob Jenson <rob@magic.dml.georgetown.edu>
Michael Johnston <ambrose@mercury.interpath.net>
Mark Heiman <mheiman@carleton.edu>
Alasdair Howat <Alasdair@howat.demon.co.uk>
Yoav Gershon <ygershon@ucdavis.edu>
Gilles Goullet <Gilles.Goullet@iacorp.fr>
Steve Gutteridge <steve@bramber.demon.co.uk>
Mark F. Heiman <mheiman@carleton.edu>
Oliver King <king@math.berkeley.edu>
Mike Khaw <khaw@parcplace.com>
F.W. Laughton <F.W.Laughton@newcastle.ac.uk>
Malcolm Lee <mlee@micrognosis.co.uk>
Peter J.M. Lucas <pjml@swmis.nsw.ac.uk>
David Moisan <moisan@bronze.lcs.mit.edu>
Granville Moore <gvm@nemesys.com>
John 'Cheshire' Parker <parker@cs.curtin.edu.au>
J.J. Pierson <macleod@ritz.mordor.com>
Kjell Post <kjell@cse.ucsc.edu>
Nick Rayne <nickr@hpwin062.uksr.hp.com>
Liam Relihan <relihanl@ul.ie>
Scott Rogers <srogers@sdf.lonestar.org>
Rosemary6 <rosemary6@aol.com>
Stephen Rushe <u9348913@qub.ac.uk>
Mike Shawaluk <Mike.Shawaluk@meipws.mis.mei.com>
Bill Shorter <bill@aloft.att.com>
Ed Wakabayashi <zorg@alois.icon.palo-alto.med.va.gov>
Juergen Weinelt <rzuw039@sun.rz.uni-wuerzburg.de>
PierceT WetterIII <PierceT_WetterIII@qmgate.radius.com>
Curt Wiederhoeft <curtw@euler.jsc.nasa.gov>
Trevor Wright <yc23@gec-mrc.co.uk>
User Contributions:Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic:
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Send corrections/additions to the FAQ Maintainer: patl@lcs.mit.edu (Patrick J. LoPresti)
Last Update March 27 2014 @ 02:12 PM
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