Number Two (The Prisoner)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Number Two was the title of the chief administrator of The Village in the 1967-68 British television series ''
The Prisoner ''The Prisoner'' is a 1967 British television series about an unnamed British intelligence agent who is abducted and imprisoned in a mysterious coastal village, where his captors designate him as Number Six and try to find out why he abruptl ...
''. More than 17 different actors appeared as holders of the office during the 17-episode series (some episodes featured more than one "Number Two", most notably "It's Your Funeral" which featured two Number Twos in major roles and images of two others). In the 2009 reboot series, Number Two was played by Ian McKellen, the character being referred to simply as "Two".


Background

The first episode, " Arrival", established that the person assigned to the position is frequently changed. Two Number Twos make repeat appearances:
Leo McKern Reginald "Leo" McKern, AO (16 March 1920 – 23 July 2002) was an Australian actor who appeared in numerous British, Australian and American television programmes and films, and in more than 200 stage roles. His notable roles include Cla ...
appeared in three episodes and
Colin Gordon Colin Gordon (27 April 1911 – 4 October 1972) was a British actor born in Ceylon. Biography He was educated at Marlborough College and Christ Church, Oxford. He made his first West End appearance in 1934 as the hind legs of a horse in a ...
in two. With the exception of " Fall Out", this was the result of the actors performing their roles in two consecutive episodes filmed back to back. Colin Gordon was filmed in " The General" followed immediately with " A. B. and C.", McKern was featured in the series' second transmitted episode, " The Chimes of Big Ben," and then featured in the next production episode to be filmed "
Once Upon a Time "Once upon a time" is a stock phrase used to introduce a narrative of past events, typically in fairy tales and folk tales. It has been used in some form since at least 1380 (according to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'') in storytelling in t ...
".
Kenneth Griffith Kenneth Griffith (born Kenneth Reginald Griffiths, 12 October 1921 – 25 June 2006) was a Welsh actor and documentary filmmaker. His outspoken views made him a controversial figure, especially when presenting documentaries which have been ca ...
,
Patrick Cargill Patrick Cargill (3 June 191823 May 1996) was an English actor remembered for his lead role in the British television sitcom ''Father, Dear Father''. Career Cargill was born to middle-class parents living in Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex. After educati ...
and
Georgina Cookson Antoinette Georgina Cookson (19 December 1918 – 1 October 2011) was a British film, stage and television actress. She died in Sydney, aged 92, on 1 October 2011. Family Cookson was the daughter of racing driver Roger Cookson and Sybil Tayl ...
also appeared in more than one episode each: Griffith as the Judge/President in "Fall Out", Cargill as Thorpe in "Many Happy Returns", and Cookson as a woman at the party which Number Six hallucinates in "A, B and C". However, there is no indication as to whether their characters in these episodes are the same people as their Number Two characters. The various Number Twos make use of several symbols of authority. One of these is the Seal, a large golden medallion, somewhat in the style of a mayoral chain, with the penny-farthing logo and the official title "Chief Administrator" is only seen in the episode " It's Your Funeral". Two more visible signs are a black, yellow and white scarf (similar in style to a British
academic scarf The wearing of academic scarves is a tradition found at many colleges and universities in English-speaking countries, and particularly in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Sets of two or more coloured stripes have traditionally been used as part of t ...
) and a colourful seat stick umbrella (used as a cane). Most, though not all, Number Twos use these symbolic objects. Each Number Two is also served by the same diminutive, silent manservant, portrayed by Angelo Muscat, who appeared in every episode except " Many Happy Returns", " Living in Harmony" and "
The Girl Who Was Death "The Girl Who Was Death" is an episode of the allegorical British science fiction TV series, ''The Prisoner''. It was written by Terence Feely and directed by David Tomblin and was the sixteenth produced. It was broadcast in the UK on ITV (S ...
". Only two Number Twos were removed as a punishment for failure:
Patrick Cargill Patrick Cargill (3 June 191823 May 1996) was an English actor remembered for his lead role in the British television sitcom ''Father, Dear Father''. Career Cargill was born to middle-class parents living in Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex. After educati ...
in " Hammer into Anvil" is manipulated by Number Six into reporting his own incompetence, and
Colin Gordon Colin Gordon (27 April 1911 – 4 October 1972) was a British actor born in Ceylon. Biography He was educated at Marlborough College and Christ Church, Oxford. He made his first West End appearance in 1934 as the hind legs of a horse in a ...
in "A, B and C" is repeatedly warned over the telephone about the consequences of failure. In " A Change of Mind" Number Two is effectively driven out of The Village after Number Six manipulates the population to turn against him. In the episode "Free for All" the Village holds an election for Number Two, and the serving Number Two (
Eric Portman Eric Harold Portman (13 July 1901 – 7 December 1969) was an English stage and film actor. He is probably best remembered for his roles in several films for Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger during the 1940s. Early life Born in Halifax, ...
) insists to Number Six that Number Twos are "democratically elected by the people". However, this election turns out to be another ploy to break Number Six. In contrast, the Number Two of " The Chimes of Big Ben" (played by
Leo McKern Reginald "Leo" McKern, AO (16 March 1920 – 23 July 2002) was an Australian actor who appeared in numerous British, Australian and American television programmes and films, and in more than 200 stage roles. His notable roles include Cla ...
) ended the story with an agent on loan to the Village promising to report favourably to his superiors on his almost successful plan to trick Number Six into confessing.


Function

Number Twos often vary in personality, methods and aims. Most seek to extract information from Number Six, but others may seek to cause Number Six to accept his role in the Village, or to be recruited into the organisation running the Village. Most are intensely focused on Number Six, but others simply seek to maintain order and control in the Village, and will generally ignore Six beyond preventing his escape attempts. Most Number Twos are congenial and polite, but some are sadistic or simply brusque and rude. The schemes of the various Number Twos range from deception, intimidation, and elaborate role-play to the use of drugs and outright mind control. Number Twos are often seen reporting by telephone to an unseen higher authority, presumably Number One, who has the power to remove them; some Number Twos live in terror of their superiors, while others appear to have good or even personal relationships with them.


2009 remake

In the 2009 remake of the series, Number Two was played by actor
Sir Ian McKellen Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor. His career spans seven decades, having performed in genres ranging from Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. Regarded as a British cultural i ...
in all six episodes.


In other media

In the comic book miniseries '' Shattered Visage'', established as a sequel to ''The Prisoner'', the Number Two featured is the version played by McKern, with the permission of McKern. In ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer Simpson, Homer, Marge ...
'' episode " The Computer Wore Menace Shoes", Number Two was voiced by
Hank Azaria Henry Albert Azaria ( ; born April 25, 1964) is an American actor, comedian, and writer. He is known for voicing many characters in the animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'' (1989–present), most notably Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, ...
. In
Xavier Mauméjean Xavier Mauméjean (born 30 December 1963) is a French writer. He teaches philosophy at a high school in Valenciennes, Northern France. Books in French * ''Les Mémoires de l'Homme-Eléphant'', Le Masque (2000) * ''Gotham'', Le Masque (2002) * '' ...
's short story "Be Seeing You!", from the second volume of the ''
Tales of the Shadowmen ''Tales of the Shadowmen'' is an American anthology of short fiction edited by Jean-Marc Lofficier and Randy Lofficier and published by Black Coat Press. The stories share the conceit of taking place in a fictional world where all of the character ...
'' anthology series, Denis Nayland Smith is the original Number 2, in 1912. ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corpora ...
'' included the character in their 2013 list of The 60 Nastiest Villains of All Time.Bretts, Bruce; Roush, Matt; (25 March 2013). "Baddies to the Bone: The 60 nastiest villains of all time". ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corpora ...
''. pp. 14–15.


List of actors who played Number Two

Colin Gordon, Leo McKern, Mary Morris and Peter Wyngarde were the only Number Two actors whose voices featured in the title sequences of the episodes in which they appeared. The openings of "Arrival", "Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling", "Living in Harmony" and "Fall Out" did not include dialogue. In the title sequences of the remaining seven episodes the voice of Number Two was that of
Robert Rietti Robert Rietti, (born Lucio Rietti; 8 February 1923 – 3 April 2015), was an actor, and Oscar-nominated director of Anglo-Italian descent. With over 200 credits to his name, he had a highly prolific career in the American, British and Ita ...
. With the death of Peter Wyngarde in 2018, Derren Nesbitt and Rachel Herbert are the only surviving actors to have portrayed the character.


References

{{Subject bar , portal1= Television, portal23=United Kingdom, portal2= 1960s , commons=yes, commons-search=The Prisoner , q=yes, q-search=The Prisoner , d=yes Articles about multiple fictional characters Fictional characters without a name Fictional titles and ranks Television characters introduced in 1967 The Prisoner characters