Patrick McGoohan

I just heard of the death of actor/writer/director Patrick McGoohan at the age of 80, following a short illness.

A terrific and brooding screen presence, an actor of integrity and eccentricity, mad as a box of bats in the best possible way... otherwise how could he ever have become the creator and driving force of that surreal classic of British TV, The Prisoner, of which I once wrote:

THE PRISONER was a huge, flawed, sprawling, psychotic explosion centred on the personality of its producer/star. Take away the things that gave it unique life - McGoohan, the location, its 1960s psychedelic sensibility - and what you're left with is a story premise that, on its own, was good for one episode of DANGER MAN.

As it happens, I'm working my way through the Danger Man boxed set right now (US title: Secret Agent). Appreciating it properly, too - it was more grown-up than most ITC series and I was too young for it the first time around. Terrific stuff.

Thanks, Pat. Be seeing you.