"A Prisoner in Bondage" McGoohan, Patrick McGoohan
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I’m a bit off a Bond buff. As some of you are undoubtedly aware, Patrick McGoohan was originally offered the role of James Bond (before Sean Connery), not once but twice, but refused both times (you only live twice ya know ;)).
McGoohan was already the highest paid actor in British television for Danger Man (aka Secret Agent).
From a 1995 interview with Patrick Mchoohan (Patrick McGoohan is a bit of a recluse and rarely gives interviews):
[quote]Interviewer: In Danger Man, one of your particular traits is that you never carry arms.
McGoohan: That’s going back a long way, you know. The first episode was about 1960. My objection was that the telly goes into people’s homes, and at that time television was very [i]reserved[/i]. For that reason I also refused to allow my character to go to bed with a different girl in each episode. In films, it’s not the same thing. If you want James Bond to be armed, it’s not a problem.
Interviewer: Is that why you turned down the role of James Bond?
McGoohan: That story has been much exaggerated. Broccoli’s partner offered the part to me at the end of the first year of Danger Man . I read the script – not very good for that time, even if it has become so subsequently. The real reason for my refusal was that there was a certain person in the crew I didn’t want to work with. In any case, it wasn’t a part for me, and Sean was perfect in the role. [/quote]
Anyway, more than the kernel of an idea for a new TV show may have already sprouted in the fertile head of Patrick McGoohan… I wonder if by the time of Danger Man ep. Colony 3 he (and others) were thinking of a show that would complement that episode nicely — ‘course he’s always denied that No. 6 and John Drake are the same, but they do… Opps, sorry, I’m digressing rather badly. 😳
BTW, just a thought, but I wonder if the [i]cabbages[/i] quotes in The Prisoner — for instance, “Many of you have accepted your fate, and will die here like rotten cabbages” — could have been an oblique reference to Mr. Broccoli. 😉 Whatever, I’m just very glad that McGoohan didn’t accept the Bond fate — if he had we might never have had the chance to relish The Prisoner.
Still, I wonder if after the huge success of the Bond films if there ever was any regret with Patrick McGoohan over not taking on the role (especially as he became frustrated with much critical reaction to the Prisoner — perhaps that’s partially why he decided to frustrate people even more with his final episode which I thought perfect as a finale). Well, as Kenneth Griffith (No. 2, Schnipps, The President) once said about McGoohan’s personal “resignation” after the fall-out from Fall Out:
[quote=”Griffith”]I told Patrick that he was tall and handsome and could have made millions. But he rejected the star system. I think he really didn’t like being in a business which is so shallow and has such shallow values.[/quote]
Here’s an interesting site on The Bond/Prisoner connection: http://www.hmss.com/otherspies/prisoner.htm
P.S. George Lazenby (On Her Majesty’s Secret Service) who replaced the original Bond after Connery pronounced, incorrectly, that he was finished with the role, truly regretted his decision not to continue with Bond — claiming that he received bad advice. But then Patrick McGoohan is no ordinary man; “a revolutionary of a different callibre, a man of steel…”
Oh crap….. Wrote out a long reply and forgot to log in 😯 .
Too pissed off to go at it again – But I will try again later…..
Maurice
I suppose everyone has some passing regrets about things they could have done but it’s hard to imagine that McGoohan truly envied the fame/notoriety that playing Bond brought to Connery — he had a taste of it with Danger Man and the Prisoner and rejected it pretty decisively. I never actually looked at his bio, did he do a lot of stage work after “The Prisoner”? His film & TV appearances afterwards are sort of an odd mish-mash of things, they don’t seem particularly well chosen.
I always thought Connery was either smart or lucky in quitting Bond when he did, before it became impossible for him to be seen in any other role. Plus he played Bond in the right era, before the whole concept became an anachronism.
Actually, I’m not really sure what today’s topic is, so I’ve just been rambling on myself 😕
I know why fatguy hasn’t come back yet–no electricity. Ours just came back half an hour ago.
elmey
😯 😮
*Number Nine sees the words “bondage” and “McGoohan” in the title*
*Tries hard to hide her mental images!* 😳
[quote=”Micromary”]:shock: 😮
*Number Nine sees the words “bondage” and “McGoohan” in the title*
*Tries hard to hide her mental images!* :oops:[/quote]
Who needs mental images? I have a pic of that! 😈
[img]http://www.petserrano.com/tv/dangerman/images/dd024.jpg[/img]
*
s
w
o
o
n
**THUD*
83;D
You’ve got to stop doing that to Me! 😯 😳
One of these days my eyeballs are going to fall out and I won’t be able to stuff them back in… 😉
Vandevere
[quote=”Vandevere”]You’ve got to stop doing that to Me! 😯 😳
One of these days my eyeballs are going to fall out and I won’t be able to stuff them back in… 😉
Vandevere[/quote]
For you, Double-O Sexy… 😉
[img]http://www.members.shaw.ca/funky2funky/The%20Prisoner/FunkypimphatPrisoner5.jpg[/img]
Patrick McGoohan sure could put the [color=orange][size=18]$[/size][/color] in stocks and [b]Bond[/b]s.
OOH, I WANT one of THOSE! Look, at him; nothing better than a man whose got his priorities straight!. Logan, that is very funny! Where’s the chest and back hair; and his girls around him?
[quote=”mandara k”]OOH, I WANT one of THOSE! Look, at him; nothing better than a man whose got his priorities straight!. Logan, that is very funny! Where’s the chest and back hair; and his girls around him?[/quote]
Hey Mandara! It’ all about the cream, yome$ane? $$$
He went for that 2-for-1 booty deal. You know, get your pimpmobile waxed and get your backside waxed at the same time. Don’t know what happened to his chest hair though. 😕
As for the girls, I’m guessing that he’s saving them for the Christmas parade when he’ll be going as Pimp Santa. Every Santa needs his ho ho hos.
Merry Christmas everyone! 😀
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