“Arrows cost money. Use up the Irish.”
by Andrew LeighThe great actor Patrick McGoohan has passed away. He starred as the title character in the cult TV series “The Prisoner,” but is probably best known to contemporary audiences as King Edward I, aka Longshanks, in one of my favorite movies, “Braveheart.”
If there was a running theme between his two most famous roles, it was liberty versus tyranny. “The Prisoner” is perhaps an acquired taste with its surreal ’60s vibe, but highly original and cerebral. The Kafkaesque story of a defiant government agent known only as “Number 6″ trapped on a strange island, it is an allegory of life under a totalitarian state. McGoohan not only starred in the series but he was one of its creators, writing and directing several episodes. “Lost” certainly owes it a debt of gratitude.
McGoohan was the only actor to appear as four different characters in four different “Columbo” movies with long-time friend Peter Falk, directing three of them. According to his IMDb page, McGoohan was the first choice to play Gandalf in the recent Lord of the Rings trilogy and Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies, but turned down both roles. He also was considered for the role of James Bond, but reportedly declined it for moral reasons.
McGoohan was married to the same woman for 57 years, and included in the contract for his first TV series, “Danger Man,” three special clauses: 1) no kissing, 2) each fight had to be different, and 3) his character must always try to use his brains before resorting to a gun. Last June, he became a great-grandfather.
Today, the Prisoner finally got off the island. So forgive me as I quote “Braveheart” once more: “Freedom!”
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33 Comments
Andrew, great post about one of the best actors to come out of England. Not to be picky, but the line is “arrows cost money, use up the Irish”. That line still applies today and can apply to conservative christians too. As in ‘NO CONSERVATIVE NEED APPLY’ We lost two real actors today, Ricardo and Patrick, now they join the heaven’s ensemble of great actors.
I remember the Prisoner and Mr. McGoohan and he was a wonderful actor! I loved him as the Prisoner, HATED his character Longshanks- he was always able to make me suspend disbelief. What a wonderful actor and thoroughly lovely gentleman. I am saddened by his death.
Sad news. FYI, AMC is producing a Prisoner mini-series starring Jim Caviezel as 6 and Ian McKellan as 2.
Declining a role for moral reasons — now there’s a novel idea.
Goodbye to an honorable man.
I’ve been a Patrick McGoohan fan since Secret Agent aired in the US in the ’60s. There was just something about him that made his performances compelling. It seemed like there was always something going on behind his pale blue eyes. The Prisoner, of course, is the ultimate cult TV show, particularly because there were no easy answers ever given in this series, and it made you think. McGoohan was TV’s Orson Welles.
Supposedly he became friends with Peter Falk when Falk sat next to him on a plane ride and asked him what he thought of a Columbo script he had with him. They both thought it was a piece of crap, and McGoohan rewrote it for Falk. Falk brought him in on Columbo and he wound up directing five of the shows, and played the murderer in four episodes! He also wrote and produced two shows. Whenever Falk had a script he didn’t like, McGoohan would do an uncredited rewrite. Falk said the best Columbos were the ones with McGoohan in them.
I was disappointed that McGoohan never was able to do something as cutting edge as The Prisoner, but certainly he had many memorable roles, and it’s too bad he didn’t take Peter Jackson up on his offer to play Gandalf or Chris Columbus’s offer to play Dumbledore. He would have been won over a new generation of fans.
Just wathced “Ice Station Zebra” this weekend, he was definely the best thing about the film.
Loved his work on “The Prisoner”.
I loved the Prisoner when it first televised in the summer of 1969. Seen it a few more times. My take on the prisoner.
McGoohan’s character had a nervous breakdown. Note the sudden resignation. He is kidnapped and sent to a rest camp to recover. By his behaviour, he proves to the people who control the camp, he has the right stuff and in the end is the new No. 1, complete with the little butler. I am not sure what this all means.
Great actor! Go see Ice Station Zebra is see how good he is.
To this day I remember being frightened by his ‘Scarecrow of Romney Marsh’ character. When I was small ‘The Wonderful World of Disney’ was big at our house on Sunday nights.
Goodbye Mr. McGoohan, RIP. One of my favorite actors ever.
Now I’m off to the video store to get more Prisoner episodes.
I’ll always remember him for Secret Agent – I thought of his character as a cerebral agent as opposed to all the action agents of the 1960s.
I looked him up in imdb and got a shock – he was born in New York. That’s as surprising as learning John Hillerman is from Texas and not the UK.
Most impressive thing to me was “…married to same woman for 57 years…”
He now joins Charlton and Lydia Heston, James and Gloria Stewart and Gregory
and Veronica Peck as commited for life to their mates, and never one whiff
of personal scandal in their entire careers.
Nowdays, mates are tossed aside like used Bics.
How I miss the Old Lions…
RIP The Prisoner. McGoohan gave every role his all, the big and small, whether as the villain in Silver Streak or as a Disney Dad. And he’ll never be forgotten.
He now joins Charlton and Lydia Heston, James and Gloria Stewart and Gregory
and Veronica Peck as commited for life to their mates, and never one whiff
of personal scandal in their entire careers.
Add Ricardo Montalban to that list as well.
Yes, Mr. McGoohan was a great actor and man. I also remember him in “The Scarecrow”, a Disney anthology of a English Cleric riding disguised on the moors as a scarecrow, aiding American patriots or friends of the American Revolutionar War. This again, a freedom vs. tyranny role. “…may the perpetual light shine upon him.”
In an interview he said, “When we started Danger Man the producer wanted me to carry a gun and to have an affair with a different girl each week. I refused. I am not against romance on television, but sex is the antithesis of romance. Television is a gargantuan master that all sorts of people watch at all sorts of time. and it has a moral obligation towards its audience.” This quaint attitude marginalized him with audiences so much he became the highest paid actor in Britain.
He had the wisdom and grace to stay a very private man. From what I know of him, he walked the walk with quiet dignity. His passing is our loss. I suspect it is his gain.
Nice tribute. I don’t understand your last line, though? Life is a prison, and death brings freedom? Huh?
He had a unique presence. Apart from his Scarecrow character for Disney, he played a doctor in a show (early 60s) about a little girl and her cat. I don’t remember much about the show, but I do remember him. Good man. RIP
He would have been an awesome Gandalf. Great actor, good man. I guess Valhalla got two yesterday.
I only knew him through the Scarecrow of Romney Marsh. Just before this past Christmas the DVD of the show was released, and I was lucky enough to receive a copy. I’ll need to watch it again tonight in Mr. McGoohan’s honor.
#6 is dead!LOng live #6!I did not know he was first offered the role of James Bond!
Oh man! Too bad he turned down the Gandalf role. Much better than the activist McKellan.
The early ’60s Disney show with the little girl and her cat was THE THREE LIVES OF THOMASINA, and I recall it fondly, along with THE SCARECROW OF ROMNEY MARSH and especially THE PRISONER! God bless Mr. McGoohan.
I’ve never seen The Prisoner…but, of course, immediately recognnized Mr. McGoohan from his role in Braveheart. From what I’ve read, he was “old school” as we like to say these days. I’m sure he would’ve been brilliant as Gandalf. No offense to Sir Ian.
FWIW, his TV show, The Prisoner, was the inspriration for the song of the same name by Iron Maiden (Number Of the Beast CD). Now, many that visit this site may not enjoy this particular music genre, but it is a very good song on probably Maiden’s best album (circa 1984). The beginning of the song includes sound bites from the show. Frankly, I didn’t know about this connection until yesterday…but as soon as I read about the show, I knew exactly what inspired the song. If you’ve never heard the it, you should give it try…I can assure you it’s better than you expect.
I was also a big fan in the 60s, and since (major crush on my part). The Disney series was a favorite along with The Prisoner and Secret Agent. The other series was based on a delightful novel by Paul Gallicao “Thomasina”. I think it was released in theaters originally and showed serially on the TV later. I also admired his principled stands which are sometimes difficult to maintain in the best of circumstances, let alone in the Hollywood crucible.
McGoohan was not the first choice for James Bond. He may have been second choice, but the first was Cary Grant. Ian Fleming had always said he pictured Grant as Bond. Also, Grant was a friend of Albert Broccoli. He turned it down because whoever played Bond in “Dr. No” would have to sign a contract obligating them to do four sequels as well. Grant said he’d do one Bond film, but not five. Sean Connery, who was fourth or fifth choice, was the one who was young and hungry enough to do commit to the contract.
Mr. McGoohan was brilliant as Longshanks, one of the most menacing villains I’ve ever seen on the screen. I’ve seen very little of The Prisoner, just rtemember it being weird as hell.
Without even knowing who he was, i always thought it was a crying shame that he didn’t get more recognition for Longshanks in Braveheart. Think about, guys, that was a really top-notch performance. For that alone he will be missed.
I think Longshanks gets a bad rap. His decision to send in the Irish because “arrows cost money. the dead cost nothing.” may be one the last sincere efforts at fiscal conservatism.
“THE THREE LIVES OF THOMASINA”
Wow, I haven’t thought about that show for a really long time. When it was mentioned above I immediately recalled McGoohan’s character. The guy leaves quite an impression. Still, the thing I remember the most about the show was that it was a rare three-parter and it was really tough as a kid to wait so long to find out that (spoiler alert!) Thomasina didn’t die and all was well!
Be seeing you, #6!
Be seeing you, Number Six…
Thank you Andrew for your tribute to Patrick McGoohan. I spent the better part of last spring working for a close relative of Mr. McGoohan's and he had so many interesting stories about this amazing man. I informed him of your article and he was quite taken by your kind words and even quoted one of your lines back to me
Blessings to you and all of the McGoohan family.
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