Actor Patrick McGoohan Dies at Age 80

McGoohan, the Emmy award-winning actor, passed away at the age of 80 in Los Angeles, the Associated Press reports. He was only ill for a short time, as his son-in-law Cleve Landsberg stated.

Although born in New York, McGoohan first gained popularity in Europe by playing a secret service agent in the TV series, Danger Man. The show was then renamed Secret Agent when it debuted in the States.

His most famous role was that of the character Six on the 1960s cult TV show, The Prisoner. The show involved McGoohan's character, a former spy, trying to escape from the village in which he was being held captive, while frequently uttering the now famous line, "I am not a number - I am a free man!"

McGoohan won his two Emmy awards for two different guest appearances on 1970s detective show Columbo.

He also more recently played King Edward Longshanks in Braveheart and was a voice actor in the animated film, Treasure Planet.