Therapy Zone

The Diminutive Man – A Gentleman’s Gentleman

   Smartly attired in black tails, white shirt, black tie and often black gloves, this diminutive man is both Butler, valet, manservant and gentleman's gentleman to No.2-Chairman of the village. He is never heard to utter one single syllable, so on that evidence alone he is considered to be mute. But I think that just because e never here the butler speak, doesn't necessarily mean he cannot speak. After all who is it that phones No.2 during A B & C to inform him that No.6 is waiting to see him?

   "Is he, send him in" No.2 orders.

When the pair of steel doors open it is the butler who shows No.6 in, so presumably it was he speaking to No.2 on the telephone moments earlier.

    The diminutive man who is seen to follow blindly, giving good service, and serving each new No.2 without question or complaint. Well almost every No.2. Because Mrs. Butterworth upon her arrival in the village actually brought her own maid with her. And I couldn't see Martha sharing the annex to the Green Dome with the Butler, could you? The Butler who is seen as representing the 'little man' who has no voice in the important matters, and who's voice matters not one jot. Probably wouldn't have said anything, and probably didn't put up any resistance to Matha's arrival. But No.2 could have but one servant, one maid and no room for a gentleman's gentleman!

   Although things could have been so different you know, or perhaps you don't. Because the first draft of the Arrival script called for the Butler as being the archetypal Gentleman's Gentleman. A tall, well spoken, very formal man. In obviously good physical shape, who would be at home in an E-type Jaguar car.

    As to why the change was made who can say. However there is the possibility that one story might be close to the mark. This being that seeing how the Butler would be tall, well built, in good shape, and well spoken, might very well clash with the character of the Prisoner-No.6. And more to take away something from McGoohan himself, and thereby being not so high standing in the series. In other words, a clash of characters and egos. Who's ego's I leave to your discretion!

    The diminutive figure of Angelo Muscat-the Butler, was chosen by McGoohan himself, after studying a vast number of photographs. It is interesting to note that the Butler, and the diminutive stature of Angelo Muscat, became one of the most intriguing characters in the series. Certainly I am of the belief that the Butler knew far more than he was letting on, judging by the way he was always at the centre of things!

Good old fashioned Green backs!

    Well perhaps not American green backs, but certainly they were American Dollar bills which the Colonel took from the safe of the Prisoner's home in the episode of Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling. So why would the Colonel, I use the title as not to confuse the issue with that of No.6's mind wrongly housed in the Colonels body, take American Dollar currency to use in England, and especially when he's heading for the town of Kandersfeld in Austria?

    Of course it is only to be expected that the Prisoner in his line of work would have a multitude of differing currencies in his safe, yet it is a little confusing that he chose U.S. Dollars for this particular trip. Or perhaps it is something more close to home, with the monetary exchange rate at the time, having more faith in the $ rather than that of  the £, which might very well have been the case back in the late 1960's. And which would effect the £ in your pocket!

    And then there's the question of that safe secreted behind the television set. I wonder if this particular aspect of the Prisoner's study was replicated in his home of '6 Private' in the village? Chances are it wasn't.

   Incidentally Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling is the only Prisoner episode where No.6 demonstrates affection. The affectionate embrace enjoyed and kisses between Janet and her fiance No.6, on the occasion of her birthday party. Well this isn't really correct, it was No.6's mind, if not his body, and the way he kissed Janet which made up her mind to exactly who the man she was sharing an embrace was. Well it certainly wasn't Patrick McGoohan, but that of Nigel Stock, which just so happened to be a disappointment for actress Zena Walker, who thought when reading of the shared embrace and kiss in her script, that she would be embracing Patrick McGoohan. Poor Nigel Stock!

    I'm sure that had McGoohan not been in America filming Ice Station Zebra, but here filming the Prisoner that scene would still have been with actor Nigel Stock. Romantic scenes with actresses and Patrick McGoohan, either on television or the big screen are the rarest of the rare!

BCNU