The Prisoner: Checkmate (1967)

Date(s) of Broadcast: 3 December 1967
Episode Running Times: 50 mins
Format: colour
Sound: mono

PRODUCTION
Production Company: An ITC production by Everyman Films Ltd
Executive Producer: Patrick McGoohan
Producer: David Tomblin

SCRIPT
Script: Gerald Kelsey
Script Editor: George Markstein

DIRECTION
Director: Don Chaffey

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Brenden J. Stafford

MUSIC
Music: Ron Grainer
Theme Performed By: The Ron Grainer Orchestra

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Art Director: Jack Shampan

LOCATIONS
Locations: London, England, UK; Hotel Portmerion, Penrhyndeudraeth, North Wales, UK
Studio: MGM Studios, Borehamwood, England, UK

CASTING
Casting Director: Rose Tobias

CAST
Patrick McGoohan (Number 6)
Ronald Radd (Rook)
Patricia Jessel (1st psychiatrist)
Peter Wyngarde (Number 2)
Rosalie Crutchley (The Queen)
George Coulouris (man with the stick)
Angelo Muscat (the butler)
Bee Duffell (2nd psychiatrist)
Basil Dignam (supervisor)
Danvers Walker (painter)
Denis Shaw (shopkeeper)
Victor Platt (assistant supervisor)
Shivaun O'Casey (nurse)
Geoffrey Reed (skipper)
Terence Donovan (sailor)
Joe Dunne (1st tower guard)
Romo Gorrara (2nd tower guard)

PLOT SUMMARY

Number 6 finds himself literally a pawn in Number 2's power games when he takes part in a chess game where each piece is 'played' by a member of the village. Number 2 hopes that the Queen will finally be able to break Number 6.

UK
Television Distributor: ITV; Channel 4
Video Distributor: Channel Five
DVD Distributor: Carlton

USA
Laserdisc Distributor: Image (ID 6211 MP); Image (ID 4507 PG)

1967
December
3: UK - television broadcast (on ITV)

1998
May
Day Unknown: USA - laserdisc release (Image (ID 6211 MP))

November
10: USA - laserdisc release (Image (ID 4507 PG))

KEYWORDS

allegories, chess, paranoia, prisoners, prisons, secret agents, spies

Last Updated: 1 January, 2009