Patrick McGoohan
Patrick Joseph McGoohan was born at 4:31 a.m. on March 19th, 1928 in Astoria, Long Island, New York. His father, Thomas McGoohan was an Irish farmer who had married Rose Fitzpatrick in the 1920’s. They then emigrated to the United States of America to look for work. His parents did not stay in the U.S. for long and moved back to Ireland.
Seven years later they moved to Sheffield, England. At this early age McGoohan junior had a number of health problems such as acute bronchial asthma. His strong Catholic upbringing pushed him towards an ambition of becoming a Roman Catholic priest. He spent his later years in other parts of England where he eventually gave up ideas of priesthood and became interested in the theatre. In 1944 he left school and worked for a year at the Sheffield British Rope Company.
A local youth club was putting on an amateur production and McGoohan got his first role. After working in a bank for another two years he took a job managing a chicken farm in Chesterfield while a member of several dramatic societies. In 1947, while unemployed (he was allergic to chicken feathers) he strolled into the Sheffield Repertory Theatre and was accepted as stage manager.
For the next two years he assisted with stage management, sets, lighting, etc. One night, when a lead actor became ill McGoohan received his big break – eventually becoming a leading man with this theatre company. McGoohan met his future wife Joan Drummond while with the repertory company and in 1951 they married in Sheffield.
He married stage actress Joan Drummond in 1951. The oldest of their three daughters, Catherine, is also an actress.
After “Secret Agent”’s success,” McGoohan pitched to producers the surreal and cerebral “The Prisoner” to give himself a challenge. McGoohan also wrote and directed several episodes of the series.
Although only 17 episodes were made, it became a cult favorite, and its cultural impact continues, as evident by his guest appearance playing Number Six in a 2000 episode of “The Simpsons.”
The show is being remade as a series for AMC to premiere later this year.
“His creation of ‘The Prisoner’ made an indelible mark on the sci-fi, fantasy and political thriller genres, creating one of the most iconic characters of all time,” AMC said in a statement Wednesday. “AMC hopes to honor his legacy in our re-imagining of ‘The Prisoner.’”
Later came smaller roles in film and television. McGoohan won Emmys for guest spots on “Columbo” 16 years apart, in 1974 and 1990.
His film credits include “Ice Station Zebra,” the 1979 Clint Eastwood film “Escape from Alcatraz,” the John Grisham courtroom drama “A Time To Kill,” “Silver Streak,” and “Scanners.” He also starred in the 1963 Disney TV film “The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh,” playing an 18th century English country priest who thwarts the king’s minions as a disguised avenger.
His last major role was in “Braveheart,” in what The Associated Press called a “standout” performance as the brutal king who battles Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace, played by Gibson.
In his review of the film for the Los Angeles Times critic Peter Rainer said “McGoohan is in possession of perhaps the most villainous enunciation in the history of acting.”
McGoohan died on 13 January 2009 at St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, following a brief illness. He was cremated.
At the time of his death, McGoohan had been retired from acting for several years and was living in Los Angeles with his wife of 57 years, Joan Drummond McGoohan. He had three daughters.
