Number Six

[close] Number Six is the central fictional character in the 1960s television series The Prisoner, played by Patrick McGoohan.

In several episodes, his attempts to escape his prison the Village would be foiled, either by Number Two, the place's chief administrator, who was frequently changed, or by Rover, an enigmatic artificial guardian that resembles a weather balloon.
Much of Number Six's background is kept a mystery during the series, and not even his true name is revealed. In the first episode, it is stated that he was born on 19 March 1928 (the same date as McGoohan's birthday), and that he held a position of some responsibility with the British government, possibly in some branch of British Intelligence, but the exact nature of his job is not known. Several episodes suggest that he was a spy or similar operative (code number ZM-73, as well as several other aliases). He is shown to be highly sagacious, if not a genius, with tremendous proficiency and expertise in subjects ranging from fencing, boxing and marksmanship; to mathematics, languages and astronomy.