Patrick Macnee

Birth Name:

Daniel Patrick Macnee

Birth Place:

Paddington, London, England, United Kingdom

Profession

Actor, Soundtrack, Producer, Costume department

Credited with helping to pioneer the Canadian television industry
Served as an officer in the British Royal Navy during World War II, an experience which led him to insist that his character John Steed in "The Avengers" shouldn't carry a gun
Won a scholarship to attend the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London in 1940
Spent his early life in Wiltshire, England, with his mother and her lesbian lover, whom he referred to as "Uncle" Evelyn
His mother, Dorothea Hastings, was a niece of the Earl of Huntingdon, possibly making him a distant descendant of Robin Hood
Quote: "I'm not afraid of death․ What's to fear? Once you're dead, that's it․ Nothing ․․․ What matters is the here and now․ Yes, I'm 88 and there are things I can't do: I can't run a race or climb Everest․ But isn't life magnificent?"
Quote: "[on why "The Avengers" was so successful] "It was the first show that put its leading man and leading lady on an equal footing, and showed a woman fighting and kicking and throwing men around․ That was a radical departure in its time․""
Best known for his role as John Steed on the hit British TV series "The Avengers․"
Enjoyed recording audio books and worked on several different projects, including the Bible and a number of Jack Higgins' thriller novels
Claimed to participate in "bird-watching, desert reclamation and preventing terrorism" in his spare time

Fast Facts