Patrick Macnee

Patrick Macnee Headshot

Actor

Birth Date: February 6, 1922

Death Date: June 25, 2015

Birth Place: London, England, UK

This English actor is perhaps best known as the elegantly witty, bowler-hatted and rather dandified secret agent John Steed in the swinging 1960s TV series "The Avengers" (1960-65 in the UK; 1966-69 in the USA), a role he briefly reprised in the late 70s on CBS' "The New Avengers" (1978-80).

Macnee began his career on stage in the early days of World War II, appearing in a production of "When We Are Married" in the provinces of his native England in 1940. A year later, he made his London debut as Laurie, the stalwart young male lead, in "Little Women." He toured with "Little Women" until called to military service in the navy from 1942-44. After the war, he broke into features with a small part in "The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp" (1945).

Macnee joined David Niven in "The Elusive Pimpernel" (1950) and continued with decidedly supporting roles in films. He was Young Marley in the 1951 version of "A Christmas Carol," starring Alastair Sim, and was on board with Anthony Quayle chasing the German Navy during WWII in "Pursuit of the Graf Spee" (1957).

By the 60s, Macnee's film career, which never reached the star grade, had petered out, although he would return to the big screen in character roles later on, notably as a teaching physician in "Young Doctors in Love" (1982) and as the record company owner in "This Is Spinal Tap" (1984). He continued working occasionally until his retirement early in the 21st century, and died in his adopted home of California on June 25, 2015 at the age of 93.

Macnee found real success on the small screen. After debuting as Laertes in a 1947 BBC production of "Hamlet," he went on to frequent appearances on American TV in the anthology series so prevalent during that era. Macnee was a particular favorite of Alfred Hitchcock, who employed the actor in several episodes of CBS' "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." But it was back in Britain that the actor found his signature role, John Steed.

Macnee was first teamed with a male partner (played by Ian Hendrey) before being joined by a string of females: Catherine Gale (Honor Blackman), Mrs. Emma Peel (Diana Rigg) and Tara King (Linda Thorson). The show proved to be an international success with a cult following that continues to today.

Macnee made his Broadway debut as the star of Anthony Shaffer's mystery "Sleuth" (1972) and subsequently headlined the national tour. He continued to appear in TV-movies and miniseries, including as a charming con man in "Mr. Jericho" (ABC, 1970) and as Dr. Watson in NBC's "Sherlock Holmes in New York" (1976), a role he later reprised in two syndicated TV-movies in 1992.

He briefly reprised his most famous role, now teamed with Joanna Lumley in "The New Avengers" (1976 in the UK, CBS, 1978-79 in the USA). From 1981-82, he starred in the Australian series "For the Term of His Natural Life," then returned to the USA for several failed attempts: "Gavilan" (NBC, 1982), "Empire" (CBS, 1984) and "Lime Street" (ABC, 1985). During this period, he co-starred in longtime friend Roger Moore's final film as James Bond, "A View to a Kill" (1985).

Macnee also found work in several low-budget horror films, including "Waxwork" (1988), as the wheelchair-bound Sir Wilfred out to save the world, and its sequel, "Waxwork II: Lost in Time," released direct-to-video in 1992. Later in the decade, Macnee made a cameo appearance in the feature version of "The Avengers" (1998) with Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman. His final screen role came in the science fiction comedy "The Low Budget Time Machine" (2003).

Patrick Macnee died at his home in Rancho Mirage, California, on June 25, 2015. He was 93.

Credits

Real Ghost Stories 4

Host
Show
2010

Real Ghost Stories 3

Host
Show
2009

Real Ghost Stories 2

Host
Show
2008

Roswell Top Secret

Host
Show
2007

An Evening at the Improv

Host
Show
2000

Family Law

Guest Star
Series
1999

Nancherrow

Actor
Show
1999

The AvengersStream

Voice
Invisible Jones
Movie
1998
5%

Roswell Top Secret

Actor
Movie
1998

NightManStream

Actor
Dr. Walton
Series
1997

NightManStream

Guest Star
Series
1997

Spy Game

Guest Star
Show
1997

Mysteries, Magic and Miracles

Host
Show
1994

Thunder in Paradise

Actor
Show
1994

Diagnosis MurderStream

Guest Star
Series
1993

FrasierStream

Guest Star
Cecil Hedley
Series
1993
95%

Thunder in Paradise

Actor
Edward Whitaker
Movie
1993

The Hound of London

Actor
Sherlock Holmes
Movie
1993

Hollywood Fantasy Christmas

Host
Show
1992

Sherlock Holmes: Incident at Victoria Falls

Actor
Show
1992

Incident at Victoria Falls

Actor
Dr. John Watson
Movie
1992

Waxwork II: Lost in Time

Actor
Sir Wilfred
Movie
1992

Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady

Actor
Show
1991

El Apostador

Actor
Movie
1991

Chill Factor

Actor
Carl Lawton
Movie
1990

Super Force

Actor
Movie
1990

Where There's a Will

Actor
Charles Crow-Finch
Show
1989

CoachStream

Guest Star
Mr. Thind
Series
1989

Pura Sangre

Actor
Movie
1989

El Regreso de Sam McCloud

Actor
Movie
1989

Triunfo por Desastre

Actor
Movie
1989

Doblemente Oculto

Actor
Movie
1989

Sospecha Fatal

Actor
Movie
1989

Lobster Man from Mars

Actor
Movie
1989

Sorry, Wrong Number

Actor
Nigel Evans
Movie
1989

Masque of the Red Death

Actor
Machiavel
Movie
1989

Blood Sport

Actor
Geoffrey Keeble
Movie
1989

Twice Shy

Actor
Geoffrey Keeble
Movie
1989

The Search For Haunted Hollywood

Actor
Movie
1989

Lobster Man From Mars

Actor
Professor Plocostomos
Movie
1989

The Return of Sam McCloud

Actor
Tom Jamison
Movie
1989

Waxwork

Actor
Sir Wilfred
Movie
1988

Transformación Diabólica

Actor
Movie
1988

Waxwork, el Museo de Cera

Actor
Movie
1988

Transformations

Actor
Father Christopher
Movie
1988

Shadey

Actor
Sir Cyril Landau
Movie
1986

Club MedStream

Actor
Gilbert Anthony Paige
Movie
1986

Mary

Guest Star
Burke
Show
1985

The Ray Bradbury TheaterStream

Actor
Stendahl
Series
1985

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Actor
Show
1985

A View to a KillStream

Actor
Sir Godfrey Tibbett
Movie
1985
37%

Murder, She WroteStream

Guest Star
Oliver Trumbull
Series
1984

Empire

Actor
Calvin Cromwell
Show
1984

This Is Spinal TapStream

Actor
Sir Denis Eton-Hogg
Movie
1984
96%

Hotel

Guest Star
Soap
1983

For the Term of His Natural Life

Actor
Major Vickers
Show
1983

Sweet Sixteen

Actor
Dr. John Morgan
Movie
1983

The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Actor
Movie
1983

Gavilan

Actor
Milo Bentley
Show
1982

Cupidon chez les docteurs

Actor
Movie
1982

Hot Touch

Actor
Vincent Reyblack
Movie
1982

Young Doctors in Love

Actor
Jacobs
Movie
1982
35%

Rehearsal for Murder

Actor
David Mathews
Movie
1982

Coup de maître

Actor
Movie
1981

The HowlingStream

Actor
Dr. George Waggner
Movie
1981
74%

The Creature Wasn't Nice

Actor
Dr. Stark
Movie
1981

Hurlements

Actor
Movie
1981

Magnum, P.I.Stream

Guest Star
David Worth/Chee/Chinese Doctor
Series
1980

The Sea Wolves

Actor
Major 'Yogi' Crossley
Movie
1980

The Littlest HoboStream

Guest Star
Series
1979

Hart to HartStream

Guest Star
Series
1979

La Amenaza del Billón

Actor
Movie
1979

Stunt Seven

Actor
Boudreau
Movie
1979

The Billion Dollar Threat

Actor
Horatio Black
Movie
1979

Battlestar GalacticaStream

Guest Star
Count Iblis
Series
1978
43%

War of the Gods

Actor
Opening Credit Announcer
Movie
1978

The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew MysteriesStream

Actor
Series
1977

Dead of NightStream

Actor
Dr. Gheria
Movie
1977

The New Avengers

Actor
Series
1976

Sherlock Holmes in New York

Actor
Dr. Watson
Movie
1976

King Solomon's Treasure

Actor
Captain Good R.N.
Movie
1976

Colombo: Assassinio a bordo

Actor
Capt. Gibbon
Movie
1975

Matt Helm

Actor
Movie
1975

ColumboStream

Guest Star
Capt. Gibbon
Series
1971
84%

Alias Smith and Jones

Guest Star
Series
1971

Night GalleryStream

Actor
Series
1970

Night GalleryStream

Guest Star
Series
1970

Bloodsuckers

Actor
Derek Longbow
Movie
1970

Mister Jerico

Actor
Dudley Jerico
Movie
1969

The AvengersStream

Actor
Series
1961

The Twilight ZoneStream

Actor
First Officer McLeod
Series
1959
92%

One Step BeyondStream

Actor
Series
1959

Mission of Danger

Actor
Colonel Trent
Movie
1959

Northwest PassageStream

Guest Star
Series
1958

Les Girls

Actor
Sir Percy
Movie
1957

Jane Eyre

Actor
Rochester
Movie
1957

Pursuit of the Graf Spee

Actor
Lieutenant Commander Medley R.N.
Movie
1956

The Alcoa Hour

Actor
Charlie
Show
1955

Alfred Hitchcock PresentsStream

Actor
Professor Kersley
Series
1955

A Christmas CarolStream

Actor
Young Jacob Marley
Movie
1951
86%

What's My Line?Stream

Guest
Game Show
1950

Studio One

Actor
Series
1948