Patrick McGoohan

He is no longer a number; he is now a free man...

Patrick McGoohan, the Emmy-winning actor who created and starred in cult classic TV show The Prisoner, has died. He was 80 years of age. His film producer son-in-law Cleve Landsberg made the announcement.

His death came after a short illness but the much-lauded actor has left a memorable legacy. He won two Emmys for his work on Columbo, the hit detective drama which starred Peter Falk. More recently, he appeared as King Edward Longshanks in the 1995 Mel Gibson film Braveheart. However, he remains best known as the title character Number Six in the surreal 1960s British series The Prisoner. Born in New York, Patrick McGoohan was raised in Ireland and England. He trod the boards but his first real brush with fame came courtesy of Danger Man, a 1960s Brit spy series. The work he did in The Prisoner, his next big TV project, stayed with him for the rest of his life. It was this show that brought us the iconic phrase: "I am not a number! I am a free man!"

First airing on ITV between 1967 and 1968, The Prisoner is viewed by many critics as one of the most radical, thought-provoking dramas in the history of television. Slick and intelligent, the 17-episode series explores numerous themes: from democracy and freedom, conformity and rebellion to the nature of the individual and revolution. Widely regarded as a political commentary which is as relevant today as it was 40 years ago, The Prisoner continues to fascinate. ITV are even remaking it with The Passion Of The Christ's Jim Caviezel in McGoohan's role and Ian McKellen as Number Two, the Chief Administrator of The Village.

At the time of his death, Patrick McGoohan was mostly retired and living in Los Angeles with his wife of 57 years, Joan Drummond McGoohan.