Actor Patrick Macnee – who was best known for his role as secret agent John Steed in the classic 1960s spy series The Avengers – has passed away at his home in California on Thursday, aged 93.
Born in London in 1922, Macnee studied at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art but had to put his fledgling acting career on hold when he was called up to serve in the Royal Navy during World War II.
Following his service, he appeared in films such as Scrooge (151) and The Battle of the River Plate, before securing his career defining turn in The Avengers, which ran between 1961 and 1969.
Macnee would reprise the role of John Steed for the 1976 revival The New Avengers, while his subsequent credits included the likes of The Howling, This Is Spinal Tap, A View to a Kill and Waxwork. He also lent his voice to Invisible Jones in the 1998 feature adaptation of The Avengers, which starred Ralph Fiennes as John Steed.
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Originally published June 26, 2015. Updated April 14, 2018.
