Patrick Macnee was born on February 6, 1922, in London, England, to a wealthy and eccentric family. His father, Daniel Macnee, was a race horse trainer who struggled with addiction, leaving the family's fortune to dwindle. As a result, Macnee was raised by his lesbian mother, Dorothea Mary, and her partner.
After graduating from Eton, where he was almost expelled for running a gambling ring, Macnee began his acting career on stage and made his film debut as an extra in Pygmalion (1938). His career was interrupted by World War II, during which he served in the Royal Navy.
After the war, Macnee attended the Webber Douglas School of Dramatic Art in London on scholarship and resumed his stage and film career. He appeared in bit parts, including Young Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol (1951). However, he became disappointed with his limited roles and decided to leave England for Canada and the United States.
In 1954, Macnee joined an Old Vic troupe and went to Broadway, before moving to Hollywood and making occasional television and film appearances. He eventually returned to England in 1959 and used his producing experience to become co-producer of the British television series Winston Churchill: The Valiant Years (1960).
Macnee's breakthrough role came in 1961 when he landed the part of John Steed in the classic British television series The Avengers. His iconic portrayal of the character brought him worldwide fame and popularity. However, after the series ended in 1969, Macnee struggled to find roles that measured up to his success as Steed, leading him to reprise the role in The New Avengers (1976).
During the 1980s and 1990s, Macnee became a familiar face on American television, appearing in shows such as Gavilan (1982),Empire (1984),Thunder in Paradise (1994),and NightMan (1997). In the past decade, he has also made several audio recordings of book fiction.
