The Star Of A Beloved '60s Sci-Fi Show Turned Down James Bond On Moral Grounds

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James Bond might seem like a dream role for any actor, but one of the first stars ever approached for the part was steadfast in his refusal to lead the classic spy franchise. Patrick McGoohan is best known for his work on the classic 1960s sci-fi series, "The Prisoner," a psychological drama remembered for the surrealist Orwellian world it created.

McGoohan both created "The Prisoner" and starred on it as Number Six, a spy who had resigned from his position and subsequently found himself imprisoned in a strange coastal village under constant surveillance. In 1960, when Eon Productions began work on their first Bond film, "Dr. No," the role of James Bond was offered to McGoohan. Despite becoming synonymous with his role as a spy on "The Prisoner," though, McGoohan objected strongly to the idea of playing 007.

McGoohan was a strict Catholic and did not approve of Bond's excessively violent and sexual characterization. The actor once said to The New York Times that television "has an insidious and powerful influence on children. Would you like your son to grow up like James Bond?" He went on to explain his objection to Bond as a character, saying "Bond, I really think, is a sort of cartoon-strip fantasy, with morals that I find questionable."

In his autobiography, "When the Snow Melts," Bond producer Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli wrote that McGoohan "might have made a fine Bond," but noted that the actor "was strongly religious and was uneasy about sex and violence."

Turning down the role of James Bond wasn't the only time Patrick McGoohan's religious views shaped his acting work. Before his career-defining role on "The Prisoner," McGoohan played John Drake on the series "Danger Man" (retitled "Secret Agent" from its second season onward in the U.S.). First airing in 1960, this must-watch spy series was not too dissimilar to the world of James Bond. However, McGoohan's involvement came on the condition that his character not be a womanizer, nor rely on a firearm.

McGoohan would later go on to appear in the David Cronenberg film, "Scanners," where his excessive moralizing was reportedly a source of friction. Cronenberg recalled an incident where lead actress Jennifer O'Neill, who had then been married three times, came to him "incredibly distraught and said, 'Patrick said, 'Are you a wh***? Are you a s***?' And he started to lay into her because she'd had, like, five husbands." Cronenberg called McGoohan "probably the most difficult actor I ever worked with," but noted that "he gave a fantastic performance."