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Biography
Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg on the cover of a 1994 reprint of an Avengers novel co-written by Macnee.
Patrick Macnee, born on February 6, 1922, in London, England as Daniel Patrick Macnee, is a British-born actor, probably best known for his television roles. He is not of Irish extraction despite his Gaelic sounding name. His parents divorced after his mother, Dorothea, declared her lesbianism, and had a live-in partner who helped pay for young Patrick's schooling. After nurturing his acting career in Canada, Macnee became an American citizen in 1959.
Despite numerous roles in theatre, on television and in cinema, Macnee is still best known as the inimitable secret agent John Steed in the series The Avengers. Initially a secondary character — the series was conceived as a vehicle for Ian Hendry, who played an associate of Steed's — Steed (and Macnee) became the centre of the show after Hendry's departure at the end of the first season, playing opposite a succession of female partners that included Honor Blackman, Diana Rigg, and, finally, the little-known Canadian-born actress Linda Thorson. Steed was also the central character of a revival, The New Avengers, in which he was teamed with characters Purdey, played by Joanna Lumley and Mike Gambit (Gareth Hunt).
During the 1960s, Macnee co-wrote two original novels based upon The Avengers, Dead Duck and Deadline. Other notable roles include his part in the James Bond movie A View to a Kill, a guest role in Alias Smith and Jones, and two villainous roles in Battlestar Galactica. He also presents the American 'paranormal' series, Mysteries, Magic and Miracles, as well as the ubiquitous Murder She Wrote with Angela Lansbury.
Patrick Macnee is the author of an autobiography entitled, Blind in One Ear.
He has been married to Baba Majos de Nagyzsenye, his third wife, since 1988. He has two children by his first marriage and he is a cousin of the late TV magician David Nixon.
Macnee serves as the narrator for several "behind-the-scenes" featurettes featured on the James Bond series of DVDs. He lent his voice in a cameo as "Invisible Jones" in the critically lambasted film version of The Avengers (Steed was played by Ralph Fiennes) in 1998, and he also featured in Oasis' video of their song Don't Look Back In Anger in 1996, with the familiar smart suit and umbrella, but minus the bowler hat.
