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THE PRISONER:
THE OFFICIAL FACT FILE... (REGIONAL TRIAL)

PARTWORKS: VHS
Published: 18 February to 28 April 2004 (fortnightly)
Publisher: DeAgostini UK Ltd
Video Cassettes / Issues: 6
BBFC Certification: PG
Design: Warrender Grant Publications

 Click images to enlarge

Number 1

Published: 18 February 2004

Episode 1:
Arrival

Magazine Contents:
Your Guide to
Arrival
Introducing The Prisoner
The Technology: Information Board
The Characters: Number 6 / Who's Who
The Locations: The Village
The Outside World: Pop Culture
The Transport:
Lotus Seven

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd
with thanks to David Stimpson and Rick Davy

Number 2

Published: 3 March 2004

Episode 2:
The Chimes of Big Ben

Magazine Contents:
Your Guide to The Chimes of Big Ben
The Technology: Scanner Arm
The Characters: Number 2 / Who's Who
The Locations: The Prisoner's Residence
The Outside World: The Cold War
The Transport: Collapsible Boat

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd
with thanks to David Stimpson and Rick Davy

Number 3

Published: 17 March 2004

Episode 3:
A. B. and C.

Magazine Contents:
Your Guide to
A. B. and C.
The Technology: Rovers
The Characters: Number 2 / Who's Who
The Locations: Number 2's Residence
The Outside World: Secret Agents
The Transport: Village Taxis

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 4

Published: 31 March 2004

Episode 4:
Free For All

Magazine Contents:
Your Guide to
Free For All
The Technology: Cameras
The Characters: Alison / The Butler / Who's Who
The Locations: The Town Hall
The Outside World: Politics in Turmoil
The Transport: The Penny-farthing

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 5

Published: 14 April 2004

Episode 5:
The Schizoid Man

Magazine Contents:
Your Guide to
The Schizoid Man
The Technology: Pulsator
The Characters: The Colonel / The Doctor / Who's Who
The Locations: The Control Room
The Outside World: Medical Science
The Transport: Village Helicopter

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 6

Published: 28 April 2004

Episode 6:
The General

Magazine Contents:
A Guide to The General
The Technology: Control Console
The Characters: Number 2 / Who's Who
The Locations: The Stone Boat
The Outside World: Student Unrest
The Transport: The Village Tractors

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd
with thanks to Rick Davy

Notes
  • This fortnightly partwork from DeAgostini was available to buy in high street newsagents and also via subscription. The first issue was priced at £2.99, with each subsequent issue costing £5.99.

  • This was a regional trial run for the eventual The Prisoner / Danger Man partwork and was curtailed after six test issues. This was a common practice with partworks, the idea being that the producers could determine whether a title would be popular and viable. In this particular case, the regions chosen for the trial were London, the Midlands and the south west of England.

  • Each issue comprised a VHS videotape containing a single Prisoner episode and a 24-page magazine written by Robert Fairclough and Marcus Hearn which contained information about the episodes featured, along with more general features about The Prisoner. (The initial issue covering Arrival was 40 pages, to allow for an introduction to the series.)

  • Some issues were planned to come with free gifts for subscribers: a Map of Your Village with the first issue, a VHS cassette of the Danger Man feature film Koroshi (compiled from the television episodes Koroshi and Shinda Shima) with the second, and a t-shirt, Lotus Seven model, a Jack Shampan design painting print, and a Prisoner Fact File Companion video (a port of Carlton's 35th Anniversary release).

  • Despite the inclusion of Koroshi, the partwork was marketed as simply The Prisoner: The Official Fact File... at this stage in its development. The Prisoner issues of the later full partwork carried the subtitle The Danger Man Collection, but this was absent for the trial run.

  • The design of the VHS covers was striking but often let down by poor choices of main cover images, which were all framegrabs from the episodes. This was a strange decision considering the rich photo library that exists for The Prisoner, though perhaps it was a cheaper option than licensing from photo libraries. Additionally, a standard Helvetica-style font was chosen for the episode title on the cover and spine, while the cassette label adopted the 'Village' / adapted 'Albertus' font for the same purpose.

  • After the trial run, the decision was taken not to pursue a national DeAgostini Prisoner/ Danger Man collection on VHS.

  • DeAgostini UK Ltd remains the leading partwork publisher in the United Kingdom and also issues titles in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Malta. The international De Agostini group of companies has its head office in Milan, where the company was founded in 1901. The company published its first partwork in 1959 and its catalogue is remarkably wide ranging, offering major works on art, culture, history and geography, cooking, do-it-yourself, language and computer learning, music, film and books for young people. Find them at www.deagostini.com.
     

 

 

 

THE PRISONER:
THE OFFICIAL FACT FILE... (REGIONAL TRIAL)

PARTWORKS: DVD
Published: 18 February to 28 April 2004 (fortnightly)
Publisher: DeAgostini UK Ltd
Discs / Issues: 6
BBFC Certification: PG
Design: Warrender Grant Publications

 Click images to enlarge

Number 1

Published: 18 February 2004

Episode 1:
Arrival

Magazine Contents:
Your Guide to
Arrival
Introducing The Prisoner
The Technology: Information Board
The Characters: Number 6 / Who's Who
The Locations: The Village
The Outside World: Pop Culture
The Transport:
Lotus Seven

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd
with thanks to Rick Davy

Number 2

Published: 3 March 2004

Episode 2:
The Chimes of Big Ben

Magazine Contents:
Your Guide to The Chimes of Big Ben
The Technology: Scanner Arm
The Characters: Number 2 / Who's Who
The Locations: The Prisoner's Residence
The Outside World: The Cold War
The Transport: Collapsible Boat

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd
with thanks to Rick Davy

Number 3

Published: 17 March 2004

Episode 3:
A. B. and C.

Magazine Contents:
Your Guide to A. B. and C.
The Technology: Rovers
The Characters: Number 2 / Who's Who
The Locations: Number 2's Residence
The Outside World: Secret Agents
The Transport: Village Taxis

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 4

Published: 31 March 2004

Episode 4:
Free For All

Magazine Contents:
Your Guide to
Free For All
The Technology: Cameras
The Characters: Alison / The Butler / Who's Who
The Locations: The Town Hall
The Outside World: Politics in Turmoil
The Transport: The Penny-farthing

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 5

Published: 14 April 2004

Episode 5:
The Schizoid Man

Magazine Contents:
Your Guide to
The Schizoid Man
The Technology: Pulsator
The Characters: The Colonel / The Doctor / Who's Who
The Locations: The Control Room
The Outside World: Medical Science
The Transport: Village Helicopter

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 6

Published: 28 April 2004

Episode 6:
The General

Magazine Contents:
A Guide to The General
The Technology: Control Console
The Characters: Number 2 / Who's Who
The Locations: The Stone Boat
The Outside World: Student Unrest
The Transport: The Village Tractors

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd
with thanks to Rick Davy

Notes
  • This fortnightly partwork from DeAgostini was available to buy in high street newsagents and also via subscription. The first issue was priced at £2.99, with each subsequent issue costing £7.99 (£2 more expensive than the VHS editions).

  • This was a regional trial run for the eventual The Prisoner / Danger Man partwork and was curtailed after six test issues. This was a common practice with partworks, the idea being that the producers could determine whether a title would be popular and viable. In this particular case, the regions chosen for the trial were London, the Midlands and the south west of England.

  • Each issue comprised a DVD disc containing a single Prisoner episode and a 24-page magazine written by Robert Fairclough and Marcus Hearn which contained information about the episodes featured, along with more general features about The Prisoner. (The initial issue covering Arrival was 40 pages, to allow for an introduction to the series.)

  • Some issues were planned to come with free gifts for subscribers: a Map of Your Village with the first issue, a DVD of the Danger Man feature film Koroshi (compiled from the television episodes Koroshi and Shinda Shima) with the second, and a t-shirt, Lotus Seven model, a Jack Shampan design painting print, and a Prisoner Fact File DVD Companion video (a port of Carlton's 35th Anniversary release).

  • Despite the inclusion of Koroshi, the partwork was marketed as simply The Prisoner: The Official Fact File... at this stage in its development. The Prisoner issues of the later full partwork carried the subtitle The Danger Man Collection, but this was absent for the trial run.

  • The design of the DVD covers was striking but often let down by poor choices of main cover images, which were all framegrabs from the episodes. This was a strange decision considering the rich photo library that exists for The Prisoner. Additionally, a standard Helvetica-style font was chosen for the episode title on the cover and spine, while the cassette label adopted the 'Village' / adapted 'Albertus' font for the same purpose.

  • After the trial run, the decision was taken not to pursue a national DeAgostini Prisoner/ Danger Man collection on VHS. This would ultimately commence on Tuesday 21 December 2004.

  • DeAgostini UK Ltd remains the leading partwork publisher in the United Kingdom and also issues titles in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Malta. The international De Agostini group of companies has its head office in Milan, where the company was founded in 1901. The company published its first partwork in 1959 and its catalogue is remarkably wide ranging, offering major works on art, culture, history and geography, cooking, do-it-yourself, language and computer learning, music, film and books for young people. Find them at www.deagostini.com.

 

 

THE PRISONER:
THE OFFICIAL FACT FILE...

PARTWORKS: DVD

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Published: 21 December 2004 to 2 August 2005 (fortnightly - run then continued as The Danger Man Collection and concluded on 2 October 2006)
Publisher: DeAgostini UK Ltd
Discs / Issues: 17 + Fact File DVD
BBFC Certification: PG
Design: Warrender Grant Publications

 Click images to enlarge

Number 1

 

Image: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd
with thanks to Fred Edwards

Published: 21 December 2004

Episode 1:
Arrival

Magazine Contents:
Your Guide to
Arrival
Introducing The Prisoner
The Technology: Information Board
The Characters: Number 6 / Who's Who
The Locations: The Village
The Outside World: Pop Culture
The Transport:
Lotus Seven

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 2

Published: 4 January 2005

Episode 2:
The Chimes of Big Ben

Magazine Contents:
Your Guide to The Chimes of Big Ben
The Technology: Scanner Arm
The Characters: Number 2 / Who's Who
The Locations: The Prisoner's Residence
The Outside World: The Cold War
The Transport: Collapsible Boat

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 3

Published: 18 January 2005

Episode 3:
A. B. and C.

Magazine Contents:
Your Guide to A. B. and C.
The Technology: Rovers
The Characters: Number 2 / Who's Who
The Locations: Number 2's Residence
The Outside World: Secret Agents
The Transport: Village Taxis

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 4

Published: 1 February 2005

Episode 4:
Free For All

Magazine Contents:
Your Guide to
Free For All
The Technology: Cameras
The Characters: Alison / The Butler / Who's Who
The Locations: The Town Hall
The Outside World: Politics in Turmoil
The Transport: The Penny-farthing

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 5

Published: 15 February 2005

Episode 5:
The Schizoid Man

Magazine Contents:
Your Guide to
The Schizoid Man
The Technology: Pulsator
The Characters: The Colonel / The Doctor / Who's Who
The Locations: The Control Room
The Outside World: Medical Science
The Transport: Village Helicopter

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 6

Published: 1 March 2005

Episode 6:
The General

Magazine Contents:
A Guide to The General
The Technology: Control Console
The Characters: Number 2 / Who's Who
The Locations: The Stone Boat
The Outside World: Student Unrest
The Transport: The Village Tractors

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 7

Published: 15 March 2005

Episode 7:
Many Happy Returns

Magazine Contents:
A Guide to Many Happy Returns
The Technology: Credit Units
The Characters: Cobb / The Colonel /
Mrs Butterworth / Nadia / Who's Who
The Locations: The London Office
The Outside World: The Challenge of Speed
The Transport: RAF Jet

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 8

Published: 29 March 2005

Episode 8:
Dance of the Dead

Magazine Contents:
A Guide to Dance of the Dead
The Technology: The Truth Test
The Characters: Number 2 / Who's Who
The Locations: Town Hall Ballroom / The Outer Rooms
The Outside World: War and Protest
The Transport: Village Bicycles

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 9

Published: 12 April 2005

Episode 9:
Checkmate

Magazine Contents:
A Guide to Checkmate
The Technology: High Eye / Beam
The Characters: The Professor / The Queen /
The Kid / Man with the Stick / Who's Who
The Locations: The Hospital
The Outside World: Computers
The Transport: Diesel Yachts

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 10

Published: 26 April 2005

Episode 10:
Hammer into Anvil

Magazine Contents:
A Guide to Hammer into Anvil
The Technology: Numbers and Badges
The Characters: Number 2 / Who's Who
The Locations: Kosho Arena
The Outside World: Art and Happenings
The Transport:
Number 6's Raft

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 11

Published: 10 May 2005

Episode 11:
It's Your Funeral

Magazine Contents:
A Guide to It's Your Funeral
The Technology: Telephones and Kiosks
The Characters: Number 100 / The President /
Watchmaker's Daughter / The Woman / Who's Who
The Locations: The Professor's House
The Outside World: Environmental Disasters
The Transport: Speedboat

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 12

Published: 24 May 2005

Episode 12:
A Change of Mind

Magazine Contents:
A Guide to A Change of Mind
The Technology: Therapies
The Characters: Number 2 / Who's Who
The Locations: Labour Exchange
The Outside World: Consumer Culture
The Transport: The Village
Moped

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 13

Published: 7 June 2005

Episode 13:
Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling

Magazine Contents:
A Guide to Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling
The Technology: Control Room Viewscreen /
Surveillance Network
The Characters: The Supervisor / Thorpe /
Engadine / Fotheringay / Who's Who
The Locations: London Residence
The Outside World: Sixties Style
The Transport: The Hearse

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 14

Published: 21 June 2005

Episode 14:
Living in Harmony

Magazine Contents:
A Guide to Living in Harmony
The Technology: Village Tannoys
The Characters: The Judge / Kathy / Who's Who
The Locations: The General Store
The Outside World: TV and Cinema
The Transport: Wagons and Coaches

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 15

Published: 5 July 2005

Episode 15:
The Girl Who Was Death

Magazine Contents:
A Guide to The Girl Who Was Death
The Technology: Weaponry
The Characters: The Rook / Schnipps /
Sonia Schnipps / Who's Who
The Locations: Old People's Home
The Outside World: Sexual Revolution
The Transport: E-Type Jaguar

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 16

Published: 19 July 2005

Episode 16:
Once upon a Time

Magazine Contents:
A Guide to Once upon a Time
The Technology: Village Computers
The Characters: Number 12 / Number 14 /
Girl Bo-Peep / Janet / Who's Who
The Locations: The Embryo Room
The Outside World: Psychology
The Transport: The
Low-loader

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Number 17

Published: 2005

Episode 17:
Fall Out

Magazine Contents:
A Guide to Fall Out
The Technology: Number 2's Chair
The Characters: Number 48 / / Number 86 / Who's Who
The Locations: The Rocket Rooms
The Outside World: The Space Race
The Transport: Rockets

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

The Prisoner -
An Official Fact File DVD Companion

 

Published: 2 August 2005

Subscription Free Gift

DVD Contents:
The Alternate Version of Arrival
Arrival: A Brief History
Patrick McGoohan and George Markstein Biographies
Bernard Williams Interview
Collecting Prisoner Memorabilia: For the Love of...
Commercial Break Bumpers
Foreign Language Filing Cabinet Sequence
Textless Sequence
Renault 21 Commercial
Photo and Merchandise Galleries

 

Images: Warrender Grant Publications / DeAgostini UK Ltd

Notes
  • This fortnightly partwork from DeAgostini was available to buy in high street newsagents and also via subscription. The first issue was priced at £2.99, with each subsequent issue costing £7.99.

  • Each issue comprised a DVD disc containing a single Prisoner episode and a 24-page magazine written by Robert Fairclough and Marcus Hearn which contained information about the episodes featured, along with more general features about The Prisoner. (The initial issue covering Arrival was 40 pages, to allow for an introduction to the series.)

  • Some issues came with free gifts for subscribers: a Map of Your Village with the first issue, a DVD of the Danger Man feature film Koroshi (compiled from the television episodes Koroshi and Shinda Shima) with the second, and binders, section divider cards, a t-shirt, Lotus Seven model, a Jack Shampan design painting print, and a Prisoner Fact File DVD Companion video (a direct port of Carlton's 35th Anniversary release).

  • The design of the DVD covers was striking but often let down by poor choices of main cover images, which were all framegrabs from the episodes. This was a strange decision considering the rich photo library that exists for The Prisoner, though perhaps it was a cheaper option than licensing from photo libraries. Additionally, a standard Helvetica-style font was chosen for the episode title on the cover and spine, while the cassette label adopted the 'Village' / adapted 'Albertus' font for the same purpose.

  • Early subscribers would have received the first six DVDs with Carlton Visual Entertainment logos and copyright notices on the DVD covers and magazines. When Granada bought out the Carlton group in 2005 and relaunched as Granada Ventures the first six magazines and DVDs were reprinted, with new subscribers receiving Granada Ventures-branded issues for the full run.

  • After the seventeenth issue, the run continued with what became a complete series release of Patrick McGoohan's earlier ITC series, Danger Man.

  • DeAgostini UK Ltd remains the leading partwork publisher in the United Kingdom and also issues titles in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Malta. The international De Agostini group of companies has its head office in Milan, where the company was founded in 1901. The company published its first partwork in 1959 and its catalogue is remarkably wide ranging, offering major works on art, culture, history and geography, cooking, do-it-yourself, language and computer learning, music, film and books for young people. Find them at www.deagostini.com.

 
 
 

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