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Patrick McGoohan dies at 80

Patrick McGoohan

Actor starred in ‘Secret Agent,’ ‘The Prisoner’

Patrick McGoohan, who was born March 19, 1928, in New York and grew up in Ireland and England, died on January 13, 2009, at the age of 80.

As a television actor, McGoohan starred as secret agent John Drake in the British series “Danger Man,” which was later shown in America under the title “Secret Agent” featuring the famous theme song “Secret Agent Man” performed by Johnny Rivers.

Secret Agent

Unlike other fictional secret agents, McGoohan’s John Drake rarely used a gun, and did not spend his time romancing women during his missions. McGoohan turned down the roles of James Bond and The Saint, regarding them as too violent.

Following “Danger Man,” Patrick McGoohan played another secret agent, known only as Number Six, in “The Prisoner.” The series, written and produced by McGoohan, depicted Number Six trapped in a mysterious village whose administrators want him to reveal why he resigned from his former career.

The Prisoner

Though “The Prisoner” ran for only 17 episodes in the late ’60s, it continues to have a cult following due to its surreal setting and storylines, like “Twin Peaks” and “The X-Files” would decades later.

Patrick McGoohan’s other roles have included King Edward the Longshanks in the Oscar-winning film “Braveheart,” as well as several guest appearances on the detective series “Columbo,” for which he won two Emmy awards.

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