Evergreen

92 EVERGREEN Autumn
Danger Man was a hugely
successful espionage drama
which premiered in 1960
and introduced Patrick McGoohan
as secret agent John Drake. Drake
took on hazardous missions all over
the world, initially for
NATO and then the
British Secret Service.
The series was made
by the Incorporated
Television Company
(ITC), led by Lew Grade. During
the late ’50s ITC produced mostly
historical swashbucklers, such as
The Adventures of Robin Hood, aimed
mainly at the international market,
but they were also televised across
ITV’s network.
To boost sales to America, Grade
commissioned writer and director
Ralph Smart to develop ideas
for a modern-day series with an
international look to it. Smart intended
to make a James Bond television
series and had discussions with 007
creator Ian Fleming. When this failed
to materialise, Smart, with the help of
writer Ian Stuart Black, created John
Drake and based him on Bond.
Smart’s idea reflected Cold War
tension, growth of
mass communication,
advances in technology,
and burgeoning
international travel.
Drake was a solitary,
globetrotting American NATO agent
based in Washington. Initially the
series was called “Lone Wolf”.
By 1959, when Danger Man went
into production, 31-year-old Patrick
McGoohan had experienced theatrical
success and appeared in a number
of films. However, after reading the
early scripts McGoohan, found
the emphasis on sex and violence
unacceptable for a television audience
that would include millions of
children. He insisted that this type