Jim Prideaux

Jim Prideaux is a fictional character created by John le Carré. He appears in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, with the book's events alternating between his point of view and that of George Smiley, and a minor character in A Legacy of Spies. He is the head of the "scalphunters", a division of MI6 dedicated to especially dangerous counterintelligence missions often involving violence or assassinations.

The betrayal of Prideaux and his subsequent capture, following a botched mission in Czechoslovakia, is the jumping off point for the events of the book. The character has been featured in both cinematic adaptations of the book, with each presenting a markedly different portrayal of the character.