"IT'S THINKING MAN'S TV"
Steve Raines war redakteur des mitgliedermagazins "Contact Imminent" der PRISONER Appreciation Society "Six Of One"
nr6de: Pleased to meet you, Steve! We've met here for many years. How long have you been a member of SIX OF ONE?
SR: Oh well, I've been a member nearly 32 years. I joined in the first influx when Dave Barrie, the founder, his address was broadcast after the last episode "Fall Out" in 1976. And I wrote him and I joined them and I've been a member ever since.
nr6de: So, you've been a member since the beginning, like Max, like Larry and most of the...
DIESES INTERVIEW AUF DEUTSCH
SR: Glennys, I think, and I... Dave Barrie and Max had become the founding fathers of SIX OF ONE.
nr6de: Did you attend all the conventions?
SR: I've been to 24 conventions, haven't been to every one. I was in the army for a while and couldn't make it on one or two occasions.
nr6de: What do you enjoy about THE PRISONER?
SR: I enjoy it's thinking man's TV. It makes you think. It makes you consider what you're seeing is a bit... maybe not what's going on. Not many programmes give their audience that kind of challenge.
INTERVIEW: DAVE BARRIE
INTERVIEW: MAX HORA
6 PRIVATE - DAS HAUS VON NUMMER SECHS
MEHR ÜBER SIX OF ONE
ÜBER PORTMEIRION
VILLAGE TAXI: FAHREN SIE MICH SO WEIT SIE KÖNNEN!
nr6de: What's your favourite episode?
SR: I think "Free For All". I like the idea of individual freedom and its fight against oppression and manipulation.
nr6de: Did you ever meet Patrick McGoohan?
SR: Yes, I met Patrick on four different occasions. Once when Max and I were together at an ATV studio, just very briefly. I met him at the NEC Motorshow in 1990 I believe. And I met him a couple of times in New York, backstage when he was on stage in New York in a play. And I met him in California as well through a mutual friend.
nr6de: Can you tell about the circumstances of this encounter?
SR: When I went to the NEC in Birmingham, the motorshow, he was invited there by Caterham Cars who were launching a PRISONER car special, his Lotus, the KAR120C. They were launching a whole range of cars dedicated to THE PRISONER. They were individually numbered with a little plaque signed by McGoohan. He came over to promote that for Caterham Cars. I believe he was given the keys to number 6 car of the production line which I think was a surprise to him.
I just went as a fan, I went in my costume and garb. There was a stand dedicated to THE PRISONER to present the car. There were a couple of ladies or one lady of Caterham. And I think I got mistaken for part of the stand. So I was lucky to get invited on to the dais (= podium). We had a very short talk and a handshake and off he went. It was very pleasant and it was quite a big surprise for me.
nr6de: And in the USA, in California...
SR: It was in a famous bookshop. I happend to be on business out there. So I kind of made sure I was around when he came in. And he recognised me from the time... once when he saw me in the 70s in the UK from the NEC Motorshow. I was quite thrilled that he recognised me.
nr6de: Did you have a little conversation?
SR: Yes. I had a couple of photos and told him about SIX OF ONE. He was very supportive and very pleasant. He was getting on and he was telling me he was just finishing writing and directing. He wasn't going to be starring in it. I think it was called (COLUMBO:) MURDER WITH TOO MANY NOTES ("Mord nach Takten"). He was quite excited about that because he is a very good friend of Peter Falk and they worked together before.
nr6de: You are about to become editor of the new society magazine "Contact Imminent". Can you tell about your plans for it?
SR: First it's going to be in full colour, a return to colour. I was trying to make it a bit more Society-friendly, ideas to encourage people to contribute as much as they can. It's their society, our society. SIX OF ONE thrives of its members. Because we wouldn't be here without them. There's not many appreciation societies or fan clubs that can boast that they can have such a relationship with the actual setting, of any television programme. We are very unique, I think, in that fandom that we can have a relationship and come here and appreciate THE PRISONER.
nr6de: How could the Society get a little more international, the international aspect...
SR: That's one thing SIX OF ONE has really encouraged. This weekend we've had a big contingent from the United States, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, France. It's very international. That's part of the appeal of THE PRISONER, it is international. It does reach a wide audience, of all ages. We've got young people, children, people who weren't even born when THE PRISONER was first made. Yet they're here, they are interested, they're joining in, meeting new people, new fans. And, hopefully, we'll keep them for another 30 years.
nr6de: Did you see THE PRISONER on its first UK screening?
SR: No. Vaguely I remember its debut. My interest was very piqued in 1976 when it was nationally rerun here. And, of course, Dave Barrie's address was given out.
nr6de: Can you give a few good words to our German fans who we'd like to come to the Village, what can they expect to happen?
SR: Comradeship really. You'll meet interested parties, you're interested in the same thing. And it's international. You'll meet people from diverse backgrounds, all sorts of professional people, people who've retired... It doesn't matter. That's the appeal of THE PRISONER.
When you come here you'll get the encourage to join in, for discussion. It's always exciting. Thankfully people do come to our conventions and they seem to be quite glad to come here.
nr6de: What do you think about the future of THE PRISONER and of SIX OF ONE?
SR: Well, it has been going for 40 years. And one would think the interest would wane. But I can honestly say that's complete the opposite.
nr6de: Steve, thank you very much for this interview! Hope to see you again next year. As we say in Germany: "Wir sehen uns!"
SR: Be seeing you!
INTERVIEW: DAVE BARRIE
INTERVIEW: MAX HORA
6 PRIVATE - DAS HAUS VON NUMMER SECHS
MEHR ÜBER SIX OF ONE
ÜBER PORTMEIRION
VILLAGE TAXI: FAHREN SIE MICH SO WEIT SIE KÖNNEN!
Interview:
Michael Brüne während der PRISONER Convention 2008, Videoaufzeichnung:
Jürgen Staeder, Transkription und bearbeitung: Arno Baumgärtel.
Steve Raines war redakteur des ehemaligen mitgliedermagazins "Contact
Imminent" der PRISONER Appreciation.
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