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Tuesday 3 April 2012

The Therapy Zone

Credit Worthy

    Looking at those names and numbers who were worthy of credit within the Prisoner series, we continue with that look here.
    Some names or roles appear in the credits, but who do not actually appear in the episodes, or indeed vice versa. The pair of Croquet players who have already been mentioned in not appearing in Arrival for one, yet do not appear, and actor John Maxim for another. John Maxim is credited with being No.86 in the episode Once Upon A Time though he does not appear in it at all. Annette Andre of Its Your Funeral is credited simply as the "Watchmakers Daughter," when we know both her name and number as being Monique and No.51.
    In the episode The Girl Who Was Death, you have the girl credited as being Sonia, when that name is never actually used in the episode, because in the episode the girls name is Death!
    In the episode of Fall Out set dresser, John Lageu, actually gets his own name on screen, as well as appearing in the credits. John Lageu was responsible for the "For Sale" sign outside on the railings of
No.1 Buckingham Place, seen upon the large screen in the episode. the sign bears the name of a fictitious estate agents - "Lageu & Son."
    The Italianate village of Portmeirion receives it's own credit in Fall Out as the location for the village. However those eagle eyed viewers can spot other references to Portmeirion, upon the bottom of No.6's tea cup during A Change of Mind when he tips away the tea, made for him by No.68, into a flower pot. And in the episode Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Draling, written upon the envelope as part of the address to where No.6 wrote to Seltzman when he was staying in Scotland -
Portmeirion Road
, Filey, Clyde, Scotland.
   Portmeirion's architect also receives due credit in Fall Out, with the statement "Courtesy of Mr. Clough Wiliams-Ellis." The series was of course made before Sir Clough received his Knighthood. But Sir Clough's on screen credit may also be accompanied by an on screen appearance, in Arrival, as No.6 is taken for a taxi ride around the village. Walking up with the Town Hall at his back is a solitary figure, who is thought to be Clough Willaims-Ellis
    Some of the episodes were written under an a pseudonym. Lewis Griefer wrote the script for The General under the name of Joshua Adam, whilst the script for Free For All was written under the name of Paddy Fitz, who was of course Patrck McGoohan and Paddy Fitz having been created from his mothers maiden name of Fitzpatrick. It is also believed that the identity of Joseph Serf  who wrote anay Happy Returns and A Change of Mind  is also the identity of McGoohan who directed Once Upon A Time, which he wrote under the name of Archibald Schwartz, along with Fall Out under his own name. David Tomblin was the producer of the series, but who also directed both Living In Harmony and The Girl Who Was Death.
   The Prisoner was produced by the film company, set up by Patrick McGoohan and David Tombiln, "Everyman Films" which receives a credit at the end of every episode. And Patrick McGoohan is also credited as executive producer.
    Why Alexis Kanner has his name presented in a box in the opening credits of the episodes Living In Harmony and Fall Out is completely beyond me. Kanner also had a cameo role as a fashion photographer in The Girl Who Was Death. However Kenneth Griffith receives no special acknowledgement in Fall Out, this despite having written his own Persident speech himelf. But perhaps the most poignant credit which appears in the closing credits of Fall Out is one single word - PRISONER.

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