Patrick Macnee was a British actor best known for his starring role on the English television series The Avengers. Macnee played secret agent John Steed for seven seasons — from 1961 to 1969 — on the quirky show that centered on an eccentric spy and his succession of female partners.

The series debuted stateside in 1966 and was nominated for four Emmy Awards, including outstanding dramatic series, and would run in syndication for decades afterward. Macnee reprised his role in The New Avengers, which aired from 1976 to 1977 and followed Steed and his new partners, Mike Gambit (Gareth Hunt) and Purdey (Joanna Lumley). Macnee would work on an Avengers project once more; in the 1998 film version he voiced the character Invisible Jones, a Ministry agent. Ralph Fiennes starred as Steed, Uma Thurman and Sean Connery rounded out the top of the bill.

Macnee would also lend his voice to the character Imperious Leader in the 1970s series Battlestar Galactica. Later in life he recorded books on tape, including the Bible, several Jack Higgins thrillers and his own autobiography, Blind in One Ear: The Avenger Returns.

Macnee also had appearances on many popular American television series, including Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Rawhide, Twilight Zone, Columbo, Magnum, P.I., Hart to Hart, The Love Boat, Dream On, Murder, She Wrote, Coach, Diagnosis Murder and Frasier.

His film work included This Is Spinal Tap, A View to a Kill and Waxwork.

Macnee died June 25, 2015 in Rancho Mirage, California. He was 93.