Description
Book SynopsisWhen Patrick McGoohan first hit UK screens starring as the Danger Man in 1960 audiences were immediately impressed by his fiery persona and on-screen charisma. By the time he took on the role of Number 6 in cult show The Prisoner his fanbase was global, Hollywood beckoned and many of the actors and directors that he worked with regarded him as enigmatic genius. But who was this man who had worked variously as a chicken farmer and bank clerk before launching a hugely successful acting career simply by chance? In NOT A NUMBER Rupert Booth reveals the true character of a man known for his peculiar off-screen behaviour as much for his acting, directing and writing abilities. Why was he so puritanical, refusing to even kiss a woman for any part he played? Why did he identify so greatly with the individual's need to assert himself in the face of suppression and mediocrity and how has he become an icon of subversion? A timely exploration of the man whose declaration 'I will not be
Trade Review
‘Many people have tried to reach a conclusion about the sort of person that Patrick McGoohan really was. For the first time, Rupert Booth may well have found the answer.’ Rick Davy, The Unmutual Prisoner website ‘...at last an in-depth exploration of a controversial character who can teach us all to say “no” at a time when we need to...’ Dazed & Confused “A genuinely good read and the author must be congratulated. Booth has a very warm writing style, and in telling a personal story of Patrick McGoohan and his devotion to wife Joan, sprinkled with film/TV along the way, he has approached the subject matter in a more attractive way than a simple “screenography” approach. As a result we do get a view on what sort of MAN he was rather than just what sort of ACTOR he was.” – The Unmutual
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION Meeting the Man 7 CHAPTER 1 An Actor is Formed 14 CHAPTER 2 Rising Star, New Romance 39 CHAPTER 3 Not a Brand 62 CHAPTER 4 Danger Man, Risk Taker 104 CHAPTER 5 The Prisoner Arrives 145 CHAPTER 6 The Prisoner: Obsession 184 CHAPTER 7 Fall-out: The USA 221 CHAPTER 8 Kings and Desperate Men 241 CHAPTER 9 An Enigmatic Legacy 268 LIST OF IMAGES 297 REFERENCES 298
