@RUTGERS.ARPA,@CISL-SERVICE-MULTICS.ARPA:DBarker.SiteSA@HIS-PHOENIX-MULTICS.ARPA (03/04/85)
From: Deryk Barker <DBarker%PCO@CISL-SERVICE-MULTICS.ARPA>
When Channel 4 showed the entire series again last year (1984 - cute
eh?) after the last episode 'Fallout' they had a rather tricksy
programme entitled "in search of the prisoner" or some such in which a
presenter surrounded by videos attempted to unravel the "real" meaning
of the series. Various people involved with the production appeared.
Amongst these was George Markstein the script editor (and also one of
the main writers of "Danger Man" as "Secret Agent" was called in the
UK). "Of course the prisoner was John Drake" he blithely stated.
However, others involved in the production described how McGoohan and
Markstein had perpetually been at odds about the format, with Markstein
preferring a conventional spy-thriller (he writes them for a living) and
McGoohan preferring the sort of thing that The Prisoner actually became.
In the first interview McGoohan has ever given about the series one of
the first things he said was "Of course No 6 was not John Drake". I
know who I prefer to listen to.
Incidentally "Six of one" have been going for several years now and run
a souvenir shop in No 6's house in Port Meirion where the series was
filmed. They also hold annual (I think) conventions there and regular
tours of places in the series (e.g. in the program we saw them all
running to catch the same bus caught at the end of "Fallout"). I've got
a No 6 penny-farthing badge...
When the society was first founded they sent details to McGoohan who
replied with a telegram saying "Half a dozen of the other".
deryk.
"Who are you?"
"I am the new number 2"
"Who is number 1?"
"You are number 6"