Patrick Macnee Dies: ‘Avengers’ Star ‘Had A Knack For Making Friends’
Patrick Macnee, best known for his performance as John Steed in the popular 1960s television series The Avengers, has died at the age of 93. A statement on Macnee’s website claimed the actor’s death was “natural.”
The statement reads that Patrick Macnee wasn’t just a well-respected actor, but he was also a very likable person outside of his roles in film and television.
“He had a knack for making friends, and keeping them. Wherever he went, he left behind a trove of memories and good wishes.”
Prior to his breakthrough role in The Avengers, Patrick Macnee appeared in a wide range of television shows such as Kraft Theatre and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Macnee also had several film roles, including an uncredited part in Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet.
The Avengers ran from 1961-1969, and can still be watched on television via syndicated airings, according to Variety. The entire series is also available to stream on Hulu. On the series, Patrick Macnee’s character first served as assistant to Ian Hendry’s Dr. David Keel. Once Hendry exited the series, Macnee took over as the lead actor. The Avengers also featured Diana Rigg as Emma Peel, Honor Blackman as Catherine Gale, and Linda Thorson as Tara King.
Macnee reprised his role for the short-lived New Avengers from 1976-1977. He also had a voiceover role in the 1998 film adaptation of the popular series, which starred Ralph Fiennes, Uma Thurman, and Sean Connery, and was a critical and commercial failure.
After The Avengers came to an end, Patrick Macnee provided voiceover narration for the introduction to the sci-fi cult series, Battlestar Galactica. Macnee also had guest appearances in Murder, She Wrote, War of the Worlds, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, and Diagnosis: Murder, according to his IMDb page. Macnee’s final television appearance was in an episode of NBC’s Frasier in 2001.
In the film world post-Avengers, Patrick Macnee worked with Joe Dante on The Howling, Rob Reiner on the faux documentary This is Spinal Tap, and also had a role in the James Bond film A View to a Kill, in which Roger Moore played the iconic secret agent. Macnee’s last film role was in 2003 in a film called The Low Budget Time Machine.
Fans and colleagues have begun to pay tribute to Patrick Macnee on Twitter.
So very sad to hear Pat MacNee has left us. We were mates from 1950s and I have so many happy memories of working with him. A true gent.
— Sir Roger Moore (@sirrogermoore) June 25, 2015
Heartbroken to learn that #PatrickMacnee has died. John Steed in one of the all-time great TV shows, England’s “The Avengers.”
— Jim Bessman (@JimBessman) June 25, 2015
R.I.P to the real Avenger Patrick MacNee…
— ?Tedas Quinn? (@carla90bcn) June 25, 2015
Aside from The Avengers, what was your favorite Patrick Macnee role?
[Photos: Evening Standard/Getty Images and Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images]
