RIP Patrick Macnee, the Real First Avenger

[tony ingram]

Patrick Macnee, The Avengers' own John Steed, has died aged 93 at his home in California. There'll be a glass of champagne waiting for him upstairs, no doubt...

[alanultron5]

Sad new indeed Tony! By all accounts a true gentleman to work alongside. Never heard a bad word about him! Linda was on the BBC new this morning- regards him so highly!

[Kashgar]

I remember the young Patrick Macnee playing the young Jacob Marley opposite George Cole as the young Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1951 classic 'Scrooge' starring Alistair Sim. Steed, of course, will always remain his iconic creation. I just think it's somewhat of a shame that he so quickly set up home in the America and spent so long being the 'professional Englishman' to US TV audiences in a variety of often sub-standard enterprises.
I'll certainly be watching a few Avengers episodes this weekend though to see him at his suave and impeccable best.

[paw broon]

Well said, Kashgar. I also will indulge myself with a few of my favourite episodes. Radio 4 had a piece on him this afternoon.

[alanultron5]

I think Patrick realised he would never be one of the really gifted actors and found a `niche` he was comfortable in. He played his `acting` hand well and made a good living at it! He could act more `dramatic` when required- but his career rarely went that way!

He was by all accounts- a very fine person to work with.

[DavidKW]

I can remmeber in one of the Avengers fanzines in the late 80s an article ranting at how its a scandal that PAtrick MacNee has been reduced to just doing things like guest spots in Hart To Hart and Magnum PI and starring in Tv Movies like Return Of The Man From UNCLE (a TV series I don't rate either).

But then he kept working and made a living from being the English gent in America - and he was a USA ctitzen by 1959, before the Avengers started.

He was hoping in 1960 to carve out a career as a producer where he made an acclaimed documentary "Churchill - The Valiant Years" with the great man himself. But he was also broke by then and with kids and did turn down the role of Steed, until - I think- Sydney Newman reminded him he was broke. (Newman was later instrumental in getting Doctor Who established on the BBC - a show with many Avengers connections I've noticed).

Having said that -post-Avengers MacNee didn't do very much that hit the heights - 2 serials he did in USA were in 1980s the flop sitcom Empire - which was dire; then Thunder In Paradise with Hulk Hogan (I was forced to watch this on Tyne Tees with 2 Avengers hating acquaintances in Newcastle).

I think MacNee did make a Uk sitcom pilot with him as a bumbling solicitor for Plymouth based ITV TSW - got scapped when TSW lost its franchise.

Also did a pilot - which I have the DVD for - in 1969 for a series called Mr Jericho written by Philip Levene (a key writer in Emma Peel era). That too did not make a series.

I rememeber he did make a terribel UK film in 1985 called Shady - I saw it once but only because Leslie Ash played his daughter in it and I fancied her back then (hate her now) - saw it in 1988 during a dark time for me back then.

He also did that strange horror film Incense For The Damned in early 1970s.

Got a feeling that Patrick MacNee could have achieved much more post Avengers.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

Although I have a disdain and aversion to the Establishment and the Landed Gentry still entrenched within UK society, the fantasy character of John Steed as embodied by Patrick Macnee remains---for me, anyway----- an absolute 60s icon that eclipsed the Beatles and Stones in 1960s pop culture [I was too young to appreciate most pop music, but TV fare from the same era is still firmly entrenched in my psyche]---a testimony to the power of television.

Tonight, myself and a boozing buddy will be unspooling a choice AVENGERS episode from my considerable audio/visual archives.

[tony ingram]

Although I have a disdain and aversion to the Establishment and the Landed Gentry still entrenched within UK society

Damned hippies. Set the dogs on 'im, Wilkins!

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

I've been called a 'snivelling commie', as well as a 'hippie' and 'anarchist' Tone---I am none of these, though.

Me and me mate watched the 1965 b/w episode THE HOUR THAT NEVER WAS episode, about a deserted airforce base---good creepily atmospheric stuff, as are most of the episodes all these years later.

Timeless

[tony ingram]

I watched The Undertakers. Still a classic.

[philcom55]

So long Steed!

Here's how the dapper duo were introduced to Diana readers in their short-lived DC Thomson comic strip during the 1960s.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

Looks fantastic!

The current versions on comic strip are also very accomplished, going by the covers, at any rate.

[tony ingram]

Here's a link to a piece I wrote on the Avengers strips a few years ago...
http://www.brokenfrontier.com/the-aveng ... sh-heroes/

[alanultron5]

I'm hoping those `repeats` currently on Channel 61 will finally show "Stay Tuned" possibly Patricks best performance since the early `drama` based Avengers!

He was pretty good in "The Howling" (Circa 1975 I think) and in guest episode of `Battleship Gallactica` as "Count Iblis" who turned out to be Satan!!

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

the Howling was 1980 Alan---a year before American Werewolf in London---both good films of their type.