A life time fan and Prisonerologist of the 1960's series 'the Prisoner', a leading authority on the subject, a short story writer, and now Prisoner novelist.
If I left the impression that we saw the pistol in JD's apartment more than once that was a mistake. I merely cited it as an example of JD's having a gun.
There were three or four paperback stories based on the John Drake character. In one of them, the author had Drake carrying and using a handgun. I found that a bit jarring since I thought that JD never used a gun.( I read an interview with PM where he stated that JD never used a gun.) I bought the two Drake series and was surprised to discover that there were several episodes where JD used a gun.
In the half hour series there was an episode where JD reluctantly accepted an assassination assignment where he smuggled a dis-assembled rifle into what looked to be East Germany. Drake did not kill the target with that rifle; Drake shot the target in a struggle over a hunting rifle.
In another episode he deals with bandit brothers and has a pistol; he uses it to overwhelm the brothers who think they have the drop on him.
In Secret Agent, besides Fair Exchange, other episodes where Drake uses a gun are:
Such Men Are Dangerous Yesterday's Enemies No Marks for Servility
So for the most part Drake did not carry or use a gun, but seldom is not never.
That's perfectly alright, we all have to make mistakes, sometimes we have to. Drake never actually carries a gun, but he's certainly handy with one when a gun comes to hand. But he only kills as a last resort. In the case of Vogler in 'Time To Kill, Drake is in that hunting Lodge fighting for his life, and in the struggle the rifle is discharged. Drake is not fond of killing, but in this case it was not deliberate. Yes, Drake uses a gun, a gun is but a tool, a tool which he is reluctant to use, but can do if he has to. James Bond carries a gun, only he's not too reluctant to use his. I don't think Drake was "licensed to kill,' only in the case of Vogler, when he was sent to kill the man.
I concur that John Drake was a more complex character than James Bond, but disagree that Drake never carries a gun. When he went after Vogler he brought hi rifle into the country hidden in loaves of bread and as parts of his car. He also took a shot at Vogler with that gun and missed only because the school teacher he was handcuffed to swatted the gun at the time he fired.But for the teacher's action, Drake would have killed Vogler..
In the paperback, Drake most certainly carried a gun and used it.
I will have to view the second instance of Danger Man, but it seems to me that Drake had the handgun in the bag that was supposed to have the money to pay the bandits.
In No Marks for Servility, Drake took the gun from the kidnappers and took it when he went back to the chateau where he confronted the ringleader and his henchman.
How many times does one have to be "licensed to kill"? Seems to me once will do.
This isn't my axe to grind here, it's no matter to me one way or the other. As for the 'Danger Man' novels, there were written by writers who had nothing to do with the television series, on which the novels are merely based. However I will say this, the TV Drake much preferred his adversaries to face the justice of the law, rather the gun.
The novels were sanctioned by the owner of the rights to the TV series since they were granted permission to use the name John Drake and the likeness of PM as JD.
Whatever the novel writers did with the character JD they received the approval of character's owner. Whatever PM may have said about the character he did so as an actor who played the character...the intellectual rights to JD were not his.
Without such permission, the novels would never have been published. Yes, I wondered how the likeness of Patrick McGoohan was used for the books. I should think that Patrick McGoohan would have had something to say about that, as no-one owned McGoohan's likeness, but McGoohan himself, and not Ralph Smart. Of course McGoohan spoke of John Drake as an actor. How could it have been otherwise?
John Drake kept a gun in the desk of his apartment. In one episode a former colleague stole it
ReplyDeleteHe also used a gun in at least two episodes of Secret Agent and at least one episode of Danger Man.
So "no gun" is "not quite".
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThe tag line 'The Spy With No Gun And No Girls' often accompanied publicity on 'Danger Man' in its day. I am merely the messenger.
DeleteI trust the line didn't spoil your overall pleasure..?
Hello Mister Anonymous,
DeleteOne epsiode where Drake keeps a gun in a drawer of his desk is 'Fair Exchange,' I don't know of another.
As ever
David
BCNU
Hello Mister David Stimpson,
DeleteIf I left the impression that we saw the pistol in JD's apartment more than once that was a mistake. I merely cited it as an example of JD's having a gun.
There were three or four paperback stories based on the John Drake character. In one of them, the author had Drake carrying and using a handgun. I found that a bit jarring since I thought that JD never used a gun.( I read an interview with PM where he stated that JD never used a gun.) I bought the two Drake series and was surprised to discover that there were several episodes where JD used a gun.
In the half hour series there was an episode where JD reluctantly accepted an assassination assignment where he smuggled a dis-assembled rifle into what looked to be East Germany. Drake did not kill the target with that rifle; Drake shot the target in a struggle over a hunting rifle.
In another episode he deals with bandit brothers and has a pistol; he uses it to overwhelm the brothers who think they have the drop on him.
In Secret Agent, besides Fair Exchange, other episodes where Drake uses a gun are:
Such Men Are Dangerous
Yesterday's Enemies
No Marks for Servility
So for the most part Drake did not carry or use a gun, but seldom is not never.
Mister Anonymous.
Hello Anonymous,
DeleteThat's perfectly alright, we all have to make mistakes, sometimes we have to.
Drake never actually carries a gun, but he's certainly handy with one when a gun comes to hand. But he only kills as a last resort. In the case of Vogler in 'Time To Kill, Drake is in that hunting Lodge fighting for his life, and in the struggle the rifle is discharged. Drake is not fond of killing, but in this case it was not deliberate.
Yes, Drake uses a gun, a gun is but a tool, a tool which he is reluctant to use, but can do if he has to. James Bond carries a gun, only he's not too reluctant to use his. I don't think Drake was "licensed to kill,' only in the case of Vogler, when he was sent to kill the man.
Kind regards
David
I'm obliged
Hello Mister David Stimpson,
DeleteI concur that John Drake was a more complex character than James Bond, but disagree that Drake never carries a gun. When he went after Vogler he brought hi rifle into the country hidden in loaves of bread and as parts of his car. He also took a shot at Vogler with that gun and missed only because the school teacher he was handcuffed to swatted the gun at the time he fired.But for the teacher's action, Drake would have killed Vogler..
In the paperback, Drake most certainly carried a gun and used it.
I will have to view the second instance of Danger Man, but it seems to me that Drake had the handgun in the bag that was supposed to have the money to pay the bandits.
In No Marks for Servility, Drake took the gun from the kidnappers and took it when he went back to the chateau where he confronted the ringleader and his henchman.
How many times does one have to be "licensed to kill"? Seems to me once will do.
Cheerio,
Mister Rhee
Hello Mister Rhee,
DeleteThis isn't my axe to grind here, it's no matter to me one way or the other. As for the 'Danger Man' novels, there were written by writers who had nothing to do with the television series, on which the novels are merely based.
However I will say this, the TV Drake much preferred his adversaries to face the justice of the law, rather the gun.
Kind regards
David
I'm Obligbed
Hello Mister David Stimpson,
DeleteThe novels were sanctioned by the owner of the rights to the TV series since they were granted permission to use the name John Drake and the likeness of PM as JD.
Whatever the novel writers did with the character JD they received the approval of character's owner. Whatever PM may have said about the character he did so as an actor who played the character...the intellectual rights to JD were not his.
Cheerio,
Mister Rhee
Hello Mister Rhee,
DeleteWithout such permission, the novels would never have been published. Yes, I wondered how the likeness of Patrick McGoohan was used for the books. I should think that Patrick McGoohan would have had something to say about that, as no-one owned McGoohan's likeness, but McGoohan himself, and not Ralph Smart.
Of course McGoohan spoke of John Drake as an actor. How could it have been otherwise?
Regards
David
Be seeing you