Conference noted::sf

607.0. "The Prisoner" by BINKLY::WINSTON (Jeff Winston (Hudson, MA)) Wed Apr 27 1988 23:25

This is my first time in this notes file, and couldn't find a prior
reference.  Please direct me to the proper note (or file) if appropriate. 

I'm hoping some of you are familiar with "The Prisoner", a 1960s British TV
series, the brainchild of Patrick McGoohan, that involved a secret agent
imprisoned in a ultra-hi-tech totalitarian society. Personally being an
avid fan of all 17 episodes, I was surprised, in a recent video catalog, to
see a $30 offering for 

   "The Prisoner, Lost Episode:  "The Alternative Chimes of Big Ben" was the
   episode that never aired.  Find out what director McGoohan had in mind for
   many of his ideas, including the Penny Farthing bicycle. Truly a "Must
   have" episode". 

Now, episode 2 was titled "Chimes of Big Ben", but McGoohan didn't direct
it.  Not sure whether this is an original episode, or an outtake, or minor
recut of Episode 2.  Anyone ever see this? 

				/j 


(while I'm at it, I'm told a documentary on the making of the show existed
at one time, antone have access to it?) 

[too bad this couldn't be note 606]

    There is a whole conference devoted to the show:
    OPG::THE_PRISONER. If you hit the "7" key on the right-hand
    keypad of your terminal, that conference will be added to
    your notebook. Note #46 discusses the "lost episode".
    
    The gist of it (if memory serves) is that it was a sort of
    pilot episode� done to exhibit to the press. It was later cut
    and revised to air as a regular episode.
    
    --- jerry
    
    � In television, there are two types of pilots. The usual one
    is a first or "origin" episode, that introduces the characters
    and premise, etc. The second, such as the alternative version of
    "...Big Ben", is done up as a "typical" episode to give an idea
    of what the show will be like.

thanx for the pointer - i'm off to there, never (?) to return....

    For those interested, I poasted a LONG and very in-dept analysis
    into each episode of the series on the THE_PRISONER board. Also
    provided facts and sources to "toys" that are not generally known.