Win, Draw or Lose

By Isobel Smith

One of the main themes of ‘the Prisoner’ is the battle between Number Six and the administrative head of The Village, Number Two. This recurring character is portrayed by a different actor or actress each episode. When asked why the character was not played by just one actor, Patrick McGoohan likened it to what he termed “the bank employee syndrome” - wherein each time one visits the bank, there is always a different employee; thus giving no co-ordination or chance of building links with that person.

Each of the Number Twos varies in character and relates very differently to their chief Prisoner. Two are professional sadists; one finally breaks free from “the hand that fed him”; three are completely shattered by their encounter with Number Six and one has the trump card after a surreal fancy dress party.

Arrival

In the first episode of the series, the character who the viewer knows as Number Six, meets the first Number Two and his successor, developing the “bank employee syndrome” for the first time. These Number Twos are as different as possible. The first (the late Guy Doleman) is affable and his replacement (George Baker) is the model of efficiency.

The Chimes of Big Ben

This Number Two (Leo McKern) is full of bravado and seems to be rather akin to the man he is due to interrogate. In later episodes when this Number Two reappears, it seems that he is just as much a rebel as Number Six. There appears to be a mutual understanding between the two men which is seen to develop in the later episodes, ‘Once Upon A Time’ and ‘Fall Out’.

A, B & C

Again the character of Number Two is played by the same actor, which only happens twice. It is believed the Number Two in this episode is the same as the one in ‘The General’ as played by the late Colin Gordon. As the character evolves it proves the point that ‘The General’ should be viewed prior to this episode. Number Two in this episode seems much less confident and is suffering badly from an ulcer, brought on no doubt from his previous experience with Number Six and his last bite at the apple (i.e. to find out why Number Six resigned).

Free For All

The man shown in the major part of this episode as Number Two (the late Eric Portman) seems to get on rather well with Number Six and is a complete contrast to the person at the end of the episode who proves to be the ‘real’ Number Two (Rachel Herbert). As far as Eric Portman’s Number Two goes, he is friendly and rather pleased that Number Six has agreed to be his running mate for the election.  Beneath this Number Two is aware that it is a ‘put up job’ to hide the true identity of the rather gushing maid.  Rachel Herbert’s Number Two seems to enjoy the pain she inflicts on Number Six.

The General

Number Two (the late Colin Gordon) appears to be much more in control than he is in ‘A, B & C’. He seems to me to be rather smug and superior, characteristics that are lost by the time he again meets Number Six in ‘A, B & C’. Perhaps the weakness that appears in Number Two in the later episode starts to develop at the end of the programme when The General is destroyed.

The Schizoid Man

Along with Peter Wyngarde’s Number Two, Anton Rogers’ Number Two seems to be a ‘bit of a smoothie’ and gets ‘his girls’ to work on Number Six.  Bluff and double bluff abound in this episode and it finally seems as if Number Six will escape the clutches of The Village. However, because not enough preparation has been undertaken, The Village remains the victor. Although Number Two is shown to be friendly, he too has a nasty side to him when he interrogates Curtis.

Many Happy Returns

Again the identity of Number Two is hidden, this time it does seem that Number Six has finally escaped. He returns to London to discover that his house has been bought by a ‘merry widow’, Mrs. Butterworth. She offers friendship and understanding that he has not seen before. Personally, Mrs. Butterworth was too nice to be genuine. When Number Six returns to The Village, he is given a birthday cake from the very same lady, who reveals her true nature, that being Number Two (played by Georgina Cookson).

Dance of the Dead

The Number Two in this episode seems to be the most enigmatic and more deadly. She is portrayed by the late Mary Morris.  She plays the role in an almost masculine way. The role of Peter Pan is equally suited to the character. One wonders how the late Trevor Howard would have portrayed the role of Number Two, as in the original casting.  Mary Morris seems so perfect.  We shall never know.

Checkmate

Peter Wyngarde plays the role Of Number Two with oily villainy. He always seems to have the upper hand with Number Six, almost allowing himself to be too willing to let Number Six escape, only to pull his ace card. Informing Number Six that the M S Polotska Is a Village boat and that the Rook has double-tricked Number Six!

Hammer Into Anvil

Together with Rachel Herbert’s Number Two, the late Patrick Cargill’s Number Two is a sadist and seems to enjoy the pain he inflicts on Number Six. Deep down, he is a coward, making others do his dirty work. Gradually the tables are turned.  Number Six has the upper hand and Number Two becomes a bundle of nerves.  The Goethe quotation is used to great effect as the anvil becomes the hammer.

It’s Your Funeral

There are two men who appear in the role of Number Two (Derren Nesbitt and Andre Van Gyseghem) and they are completely different. The older Number Two appears to be rather friendly and is frantic when he finds out that he will be the assassin’s target, whilst the younger has delusions of grandeur.  When at the end of the episode, he has been tricked by Number Six, he too seems a bundle of nerves.

A Change of Mind

The late John Sharp who plays Number Two in this episode, seem to be the most creepy of all the Number Twos, he too seems to be in control until the closing scene when the tables have been turned on him. He believes that if all the aggression is removed from Number Six, it will make him more willing to give away his resignation secret.  John Sharp made even nibbling a biscuit creepy.

Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling

The character of Number Two is only seen briefly at the beginning of the episode and at the end when he is shown to have been tricked by Number Six. The character of Number Two portrayed by the late Clifford Evans, is not fully developed and one can only guess what his role is like in The Village.  He appears to be a little more intelligent than his predecessors as he is aware of the work of Professor Seltzman and his links to Number Six, which he hopes will, in the long term help him discover why Number Six resigned.

Living In Harmony

As with Clifford Evans, the late David Bauer’s Number Two is not fully developed although he appears on screen for a much longer time. This is because his counterpart in Harmony takes over.  Harmony parallels with The Village from the opening titles to when Number Six wakes to discover he has been drugged. The mayor of Harmony is shown to be a nasty piece of work, allowing Kathy’s brother to be hung without a trial and his sidekick, the Kid, to ride roughshod over the other residents of Harmony. When the viewer finally sees that Harmony is another Village trick, Number Two seems to be surprised that Number Six did not reveal his resignation secret in Harmony.  He too has had the tables turned on him.

The Girl Who Was Death

Number Two and the make-believe Professor Schnipps seem to be very similar and I am sure that Number Six had met this Number Two prior to telling the fairy story to the Village  children and, realising that he is always being watched, made up the story to include the Number Two figure to make fun of him and his aides. The appearance of Number Two (played by Kenneth Griffith) is all too brief and again one wonders what he would be like out of the context of the fairy story.

Once Upon A Time

and

Fall Out

Leo McKern reappears as Number Two and gradually, through the last two episodes, one realises that this Number Two is very similar to Number Six, and rebels against the authority that employed him in the first place. I have always felt that Number Two (Leo McKern) and Number Forty-Eight (Alexis Kanner) are both facets of the one man - Number Six. What he was and what he will become.  Maybe I am wrong on this but it is just my feeling. At first Number Two seems to be in total control but slowly the shift of power develops and Number Two realises that the way ahead is by rebelling.

The title of this article is ‘Win, Draw or Lose’ and it describes the result of the episode - if Number Six is able to win against the Village authorities, and at the end of ‘Fall Out’, has he won or lost?  I think he has lost as The Village is always going to go round in his mind and he will never be free completely.