Number Six

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Character Biography

Number Six is the central fictional character in the 1960s television series The Prisoner, played by Patrick McGoohan. In each episode, his attempts to escape his prison the Village would be foiled, either by Number Two, the place's chief administrator, who was changed on a regular basis, or by Rover, an enigmatic artificial guardian that resembles a weather balloon. Another central theme in the series was Number Two's attempt to discover why Number Six resigned from his position — despite the fact that this is already known to them.^[1] Alice, a fictional character based on a real character from the work of Lewis Carroll. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... The Prisoner is a 1967 UK allegorical science fiction television series, starring Patrick McGoohan. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A part of Portmeirion, the real-life filming location for exterior shots of the Village. ... Leo McKern as Number Two in The Prisoner. ... The Rover is a fictional entity from the 1967 BBC television program known as The Prisoner. ... Rawinsonde weather balloon just after launch. ...

Much of Number Six's background is kept a mystery during the series, and not even his true name is revealed. In the first episode it is stated that he was born on March 19, 1928 (the same date as McGoohan's birthday), and that he held a position of some authority with the British government, possibly in some branch of British Intelligence, but the exact nature of his job is not known. Several episodes suggest that he was a spy or similar operative (code number ZM-73, as well as several other aliases). In several episodes it's alluded that other residents in "The Village" are ex-spies who were 'retired' without their consent. He is known to have answered to at least two individuals known as simply "The Colonel", as well as to another long-time superior named Fotheringay. These men are shown as being in league with the Village to one extent or another.

It is known that he was engaged to be married to Janet Portland, the daughter of his superior, Sir Charles Portland, prior to his capture by the Village, though this doesn't stop Number Six from developing close relationships (if not necessarily romantic ones) with various women during his imprisonment.

Medically, Number Six appears to be the picture of good health. However, the episode "Free for All" reveals that he was required to eliminate sugar from his diet "on medical advice" (although he intentionally drops sugar cubes in his tea in "The Chimes of Big Ben" as an act of defiance). He claims to rarely drink in "Dance of the Dead" and is seen to smoke only twice, once a cigar, once in a dream sequence. "The Schizoid Man" establishes Number Six as an at least occasional cigar smoker, as Number Two brainwashes him into preferring Russian cigarettes as a means of undermining his identity.

During the episode "Once Upon a Time", Number Six undergoes an intense form of brainwashing/interrogation called "Degree Absolute" in which his mind is reverted to that of a child and he is made to relive major events of his life. Given the nature of this interrogation and the motive behind it, it is not known for certain what elements of Number Six's life so portrayed are real and which are fiction. Among these events presented is the suggestion that as a young man Number Six was driving a vehicle and speeding. It is also suggested he attended some sort of private school and was once punished for not telling the headmaster about some of his friends' rule-breaking activities. Once Upon A Time is the title of the 16th episode of the British science-fiction-allegorical series, The Prisoner, starring Patrick McGoohan as Number Six. It originally aired in the UK on ITV on January 28, 1968 and was first broadcast in the United States on CBS in the...

During "Once Upon a Time" it is also stated (with greater certainty) that Number Six flew a bomber in "the war"; exactly which war is not stated but evidently Number Six was shot down and captured by the Germans, which presumably means World War II, which is possible given his stated birthdate, if only just. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

A few names are attached to Number Six in the series, but it's impossible to tell if any of them are real. In "Many Happy Returns" he identifies himself as "Peter Smith". Although it is possible that this is an alias, he does say it to a woman who possesses the maintenance log books for his car — something that would presumably include his name. However, the house and car may have been acquired under one of Number Six's long-term false identities as a spy. In the episode "Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling", it is learned that Number Six possesses numerous code names: Schmidt, Duval, and ZM-73. Many Happy Returns is the seventh episode of the television series The Prisoner. ...

The connection between Number Six and Number One — the entity presumably in charge of the Village — is left intentionally ambiguous and has been the subject of debate and analysis since the final episode of the series aired. In "Fall Out", Number Six encounters a man who is supposedly Number One: upon removing two masks worn by him, a person who is identical to Number Six is revealed. This man quickly escapes and never appears again. Speculation as to the identity of this person ranges from a twin brother of Number Six, to John Drake, to a hallucination. It may be of importance that Number Six's address number is "1".

In any event, following this encounter, Number Six appears to escape the Village. However, his ultimate fate is not revealed and in the closing credits as he enters his original house, the "undertakers'" car -- seen in the opening credits when the occupant gets out and gasses the Prisoner through his letterbox -- appears to drive by again. In interviews, McGoohan has repeatedly maintained that the Prisoner "hasn't got [his freedom]".

John Drake?

Many fans of The Prisoner believe that Number Six is really John Drake, the character that McGoohan played in Danger Man from 1960 to 1962 and then again from 1964 to 1966, but the actor has always denied this. However, script editor, George Markstein, who co-created the series with McGoohan, always claimed that Number Six is John Drake. Official novels based on the series also make this connection, although these are generally not considered canon. In addition, the character of Fotheringay is played by the same actor who played Drake's superior in Danger Man (although the character on Danger Man was named Hardy). Christopher Benjamin also plays a secret service contact named Potter in both Danger Man and the "The Girl Who Was Death" episode of The Prisoner. John Drake John Drake was the debonair and duty-bound secret agent played by Patrick McGoohan in the British television show Danger Man (1960-1962, 1964-1966) (also known as Secret Agent). ... This article is about the 1960s TV series which was also known as Secret Agent and shouldnt be confused with the 1990s television series Secret Agent Man. ... George Markstein is a writer, who was the co-creator of The Prisoner, a 1967 British television series starring and often written by Patrick McGoohan. ... Christopher Benjamin is a British actor, born 27 December 1934 in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England. ... The Girl Who Was Death is a television episode of the British science-fiction-allegorical series, The Prisoner. ...

While John Drake and Number Six look identical and have the same moral integrity, the same profession, the same skills, the same mannerisms and the same near-asexuality, some differences are noteworthy. Drake is a more unemotional, restrained character while Number Six has a tendency to be outraged and furious as well as superior and condescending. Drake is a regular smoker of cigarettes, while Number Six is seen smoking in The Prisoner only twice, despite the ready availability of tobacco in the Village. Drake is seen frequently consuming alcoholic beverages (or at least appearing to do so in the course of his undercover work) while Number Six claims to rarely drink. Also, Drake seems to prefer business suits with ties while Number Six's clothing of choice is a dark button-down sweater beneath a dress-jacket.

Admittedly, Drake's habits, lifestyle, temperament and tastes for fashion may have changed over time.

Shattered Visage

In the late 1980s, DC Comics published Shattered Visage, a four-issue comic book mini-series based on The Prisoner, drawn by Mister X creator Dean Motter and co-written with Mark Askwith. Taking place twenty years after the TV series, a shipwrecked woman named Alice Drake is washed up on the shores of the Village. She comes across an older, bearded Number Six. Six is a gentle man of a fragmented psyche, mentally scarred and withdrawn, living a solitary life as the single inhabitant of the Village. He says that the other villagers were "free to go" while he was "free to stay" and describes his fear of societal conditioning and conformity. While Six is obviously traumatized and an isolationist, Alice nevertheless finds him kind as he puts her up in his old number six residence, takes her for a tour of the Village, catches fish and makes them dinner. DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... Shattered Visage is a four-issue comic book mini-series based on The Prisoner, the 1967 television series starring Patrick McGoohan. ... Mister X was a series of comic books written and created by Dean Motter, first published in 1984. ... In the late 1970s Toronto-based illustrator/ designer/ writer Dean Motter edited and art directed Andromeda, a Canadian comic book series which adapted the works of major science–fiction authors such as Arthur C. Clarke and AE Van Vogt. ...

Later, Alice encounters Leo McKern's Number Two, who speaks of Six as a man of many talents and tremendous influence, who was punished as an individual for actions he was made to perform on behalf of all his countrymen. Two claims that Six was imprisoned, interrogated, and eventually broken for the secrets he contained. According to this version of events, what is seen onscreen in Fall Out is a drug-enhanced psycho drama, in which Six was lauded for his individuality and thus granted a number of his preference -- Number One. The paradox that Six was the only individual and therefore Number One, apparently broke Six's mind. Number Six never left the Village, choosing to remain. Fall Out is the title of the controversial seventeenth and final episode of the British science fiction-allegorical series, The Prisoner, starring Patrick McGoohan as Number Six. ...

In a later confrontation between Two and Six that leads to a fistfight, Two calls Six a coward, saying that Six lost twenty years ago and won't return to the outside world because then he'd have to face defeat. Two adds that Six's secrets are out of date and that Six is nothing. Their fight takes them inside an old mill as a pumelled Number Six declares that he is a free man and his life is his own. Two, choking Six around the neck with both hands, answers, "Then take it!" Both fall out the window of the mill, into the water below. Shortly afterwards, Number Six returns to his old place of residence in the Village, and begins to shave his beard.

At the end of the story, Number Six and Alice Drake have returned to London. Six is clean-shaven and tidily dressed. Alice asks Six who Number One was. Six asks in reply, "Does the presence of Number Two require the existence of Number One?" He assures her that the secrets the Village sought from him are safe. "None of us would be here if they weren't," he says with a confident smile.

In Other Works

• Number Six, played by Tricia Helfer, who appears on the television series Battlestar Galactica is apparently a tribute to the character.
• There is also an episode of The Simpsons entitled "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes", parodying The Prisoner, with McGoohan reprising his role as Number Six and Homer Simpson as Number Five.
• The Bionic Woman, Brazil, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Babylon 5 and The Matrix all contain references to the character.^{[citation needed]}
• The opening dialogue is sampled in the intro to the Iron Maiden song "The Prisoner", inspired by the series. The band has also recorded another song called "Back in the Village", similarly influenced.
• Sky One is scheduled to broadcast a new version of The Prisoner in 2007, it was confirmed in May 2006. The actor who will play Number Six has yet to be officially confirmed, but the BBC and other sources initially indicated that Christopher Eccleston was in negotiations. Eccleston's agent has since categorically denied these rumours [1].

Number Six is a fictional character portrayed by Canadian actress Tricia Helfer in the television re-imagining of Battlestar Galactica. ... Tricia Helfer (born April 11, 1974), is a Canadian supermodel and actress best known as Number Six in Battlestar Galactica. ... Battlestar Galactica is a science fiction television program created by Ronald D. Moore that first aired on October 18, 2004 in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky One, and January 14, 2005 in the United States on the Sci Fi Channel. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... The Computer Wore Menace Shoes is an episode of The Simpsons. ... Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Dan Castellaneta. ... The Bionic Woman was a television series which spun off from The Six Million Dollar Man. ... Space station Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (ST:DS9 or STDS9 or DS9 for short) is a science fiction television series produced by Paramount and set in the Star Trek universe. ... Babylon 5 is an epic American science fiction television series created, produced, and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. ... The Matrix is a science fiction/action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski and starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano and Hugo Weaving. ... Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from east London. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Christopher Eccleston (born 16 February 1964) is an English stage, television and film actor, best known as the ninth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who and for other television roles, as well as for his roles in several high-profile low-budget films. ...

References