Patrick McGoohan Has Died

[rick]

Sad news....




Patrick McGoohan, star of 'The Prisoner,' dies (http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/01/14/obit.mcgoohan/index.html)

(CNN) -- Emmy-winning Patrick McGoohan, the actor who created one of British television's most surreal thrillers, has died aged 80, according to British media reports.

The Press Association, quoting his son-in-law Cleve Landsberg, reported he died in Los Angeles after a short illness.

McGoohan, star of the 1960s show 'The Danger Man,' is best remembered for writing and starring in 'The Prisoner' about a former spy locked away in an isolated village who tries to escape each episode.

The Internet Movie Data Base Web site says the "mysterious final episode caused such an uproar that McGoohan was to desert England for more than 20 years."

In a long career in TV and movies, he was King Edward Longshanks in 'Braveheart,' and he won two Emmys for work on the 'Columbo' series starring Peter Falk.

He also did a voiceover on 'The Simpsons' cartoon of his character in 'The Prisoner.'

He was born in Astoria, New York to Irish emigrants but the family returned to Ireland shortly afterwards. McGoohan was raised in Ireland and England



http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/8655/pris1mp4.jpg


Be seeing you.

[choptop]

RIP we'll miss you.:frown:

[Dr.J.]

They say things come in three. just read, that ,Khan ,Ricarado M.from star trek and fantasy island, aslo died. I recall first catching an episode of the prisioner show,in august of 1968, and was baffled at the bouncing balls that would chase him when atempting to escape. It was like nothing ever on the air before.A shame the books that kirby and kane did,of the show never seen print.

[fireSTRIKE!]

Very sad news, indeed...:frown:...

"Be seeing you"...

'STRIKE!

[Shellhead]

I enjoyed the Prisoner series, even though the finale was ridiculous.

[rick]

I enjoyed the Prisoner series, even though the finale was ridiculous.


Not meaning to turn this into a debate, but the ending of the Prisoner is brilliant.

[Shellhead]

Not meaning to turn this into a debate, but the ending of the Prisoner is brilliant.

To me, it looked like the writers were flipping the bird at the network in response to the premature cancellation of the show.

[Pariah74]

So sad, I remember getting the The Prisoner on VHS and practically wearing my VCR out watching and re-watching.

Be seeing you!

[rick]

To me, it looked like the writers were flipping the bird at the network in response to the premature cancellation of the show.

There was no premature cancellation.

McGoohan had only wanted to make seven episodes but was forced by ITV to produce an extra ten, for a total of seventeen.

The series actually went on longer then McGoohan wanted.

[lou-bert vs. q-bert]

Do you think that he's in heaven with Richard Pryor and calling him the n-word?

A No-Prize for anyone who gets the movie reference.

[rick]

Do you think that he's in heaven with Richard Pryor and calling him the n-word?

A No-Prize for anyone who gets the movie reference.


Silver Streak was a nice little film.

[howyadoin]

A stellar talent.

R.I.P.

[Toku King]

RIP, McGoohan.

[king mob]

There was no premature cancellation.

McGoohan had only wanted to make seven episodes but was forced by ITV to produce an extra ten, for a total of seventeen.

The series actually went on longer then McGoohan wanted.

Not to mention that Lew Grade (whose ATV company made it for the ITV network) didn't understand what McGoohan was doing and hated the programme, so McGoohan apparently did the end as a 'fuck you' to Grade. Regardless of the reason, it's a brilliant end that manages to capture a moment of Britain's history perfectly.

Though he never left the UK because of a 'huge outcry' over the end, it was more to do with the UK's high level of tax in the late 60's. McGoohan was one of many British film stars who left the country for those countries with lower levels of tax.

There's also a story in the latest Popbitch mailing telling the old story about how McGoohan lost the film rights of The Prisoner in a poker game in Las Vegas.

[ultramandingo]

..........hopfully we will never get to see a cgi rover

[Pól Rua]

MacGoohan was a notoriously 'difficult' actor, almost Ditkoesque in his inflexibility in his principles.
After doing 'The Prisoner', he was offered work in the US, and his producer contacted one of his former producers in the UK.

"MacGoohan's impossible! How did you cope with him! He's continually insisting on changes and has a list of demands as long as his arm which is getting longer by the minute!"
"Ah, yes. We found a excellent method for dealing with MacGoohan. Whenever he asks for something... we give it to him. Saves a lot of bother, really."

A formidable talent and a man of incredible presence. He will be missed.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f322/polrua/rover-paint.jpg

(edit: apologies to ultramandingo for the CGI rover. it is, however, only ms paint.)

[Pariah74]

..........hopfully we will never get to see a cgi rover

bah, I wouldn't mind. CGI is not bad thing across the board...and I have to say the old one doesn't really hold up. It barely held up back then!

CGI is like anything else, done skillfully and in moderation it's a great tool and a benefit to the movie. Overdone or too heavy handed it takes away from the film.
I think a perfect example is Star Wars SE stuff vs. the Star Trek TOS stuff that has been redone. You can watch an entire episode of the Star Trek stuff and not realize the effects have been improved...and even if you do, it doesn't take away from anything. Trying to watch A New Hope SE on the other hand is like trying to watch a film in the same room as a 5 year old on Red Bull who has a new kazoo!

[rick]

bah, I wouldn't mind. CGI is not bad thing across the board...and I have to say the old one doesn't really hold up. It barely held up back then!

CGI is like anything else, done skillfully and in moderation it's a great tool and a benefit to the movie. Overdone or too heavy handed it takes away from the film.
I think a perfect example is Star Wars SE stuff vs. the Star Trek TOS stuff that has been redone. You can watch an entire episode of the Star Trek stuff and not realize the effects have been improved...and even if you do, it doesn't take away from anything. Trying to watch A New Hope SE on the other hand is like trying to watch a film in the same room as a 5 year old on Red Bull who has a new kazoo!

The original Rover was pretty much perfect, and the Star Treks with the new special effects look just awful.

There really is something to be said for maintaining the integrity of the original.

[Pariah74]

Awful? I guess we just have two different opinions. I can't get my brain around CGI hate. It's no different than any other tool. To me hating it is a like graphic designer sticking with gouache and pencils because Photoshop looks so awful. :rolleyes:
Oh well, that's what makes the world go round I guess.

I do agree with maintaining the integrity of the original, and Star Trek will always be available without the updated effects afaik.

[Pól Rua]

CGI is indeed a tool and is, in itself, neither good or evil.
Unfortunately, almost all the people overseeing its use in Hollywood these days are tools as well.
And that's where the problem comes from.

[Shellhead]

Did anybody here read DC's Prisoner mini-series that came out about 20 years ago?

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/large/63783676416.2.gif

The ending was downbeat and surprisingly disturbing.

And believe it or not, there was actually a role-playing supplement for The Prisoner, for GURPS:

http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/prisoner/img/cover_sm.jpg

[Stony]

Anyway... getting back to McGoohan...

He was the star of what I could unequivocally call my favourite movie/tv film/mini-series (I was never sure which one it was) when I was growing up
The Wonderful World of Disney presents: Dr Syn alias The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh

Fantastic show about a Robin Hood-like smuggler in the 18th Century matching wits with tax collectors and enforcers.
MacGoohan is great as the kindly vicar by day who leads a smuggler's band as the terrifying Scarecrow by night
Action, adventure, intrigue... everything a growing boy needs.

[StoneGold]

Can't find an image, but don't forget, McGoohan also Slammed Evil.

http://www.movieposteraddict.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/mpaphantom.jpg

[ultramandingo]

.......... his creepy beard was also in
http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/3479/movieposterscannerszk0.jpg (http://img258.imageshack.us/my.php?image=movieposterscannerszk0.jpg)