The Prisoner
The Prisoner is a 1967 British television series created by and starring Patrick McGoohan, with possible contributions from George Markstein. McGoohan portrays Number Six, an unnamed British intelligence agent who is abducted and imprisoned in a mysterious coastal village after resigning from his position. The allegorical plotlines of the series contain elements of science fiction, psychological drama, and spy fiction. It was produced by Everyman Films for distribution by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment.
| The Prisoner | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Created by | Patrick McGoohan |
| Written by |
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| Directed by |
|
| Starring | Patrick McGoohan |
| Theme music composer | Ron Grainer |
| Composers | |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 17 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Patrick McGoohan |
| Producer | David Tomblin |
| Production locations | |
| Running time | 50 minutes |
| Production companies | Everyman Films ITC Entertainment |
| Original release | |
| Network | ATV (ITV) |
| Release | 29 September 1967 – 1 February 1968 |
A single series of 17 episodes was filmed between September 1966 and January 1968, with exterior location filming primarily taking place in the Welsh seaside village of Portmeirion. Interior scenes were filmed at MGM-British Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. The series was first broadcast in Canada beginning on 5 September 1967, in the UK on 29 September 1967, and in the US on 1 June 1968. Although the show was sold as a thriller in the mould of Danger Man, McGoohan's previous series, its surreal and Kafkaesque setting and reflection of concerns of the 1960s counterculture have had a far-reaching influence on popular culture and cultivated a cult following.