Patrick Macnee, star of 1960s TV show ‘The Avengers’, dead at 93

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Patrick Macnee, the British actor who rose to international fame as the star of the popular 1960s television spy series “The Avengers,” died Thursday at his home in California. He was 93.

The Briton -- who earned legions of fans for his portrayal of eccentric but suave secret agent John Steed, armed with only his trusty umbrella-sword -- died of natural causes with his family at his side, his son Rupert said on the actor’s website.

The actor -- whose full name was Daniel Patrick Macnee -- also performed on stage, in both London’s West End and New York’s Broadway, and served in the Royal Navy during World War II.

Born in 1922 into a wealthy family in London and educated at Britain’s exclusive Eton school, Macnee spent years after the war taking minor roles on stage and screen, including in Laurence Olivier’s 1948 film version of “Hamlet.”

But his turn as Steed -- which began in 1961 -- would bring him international fame.

Macnee, sporting a smart suit and a bowler hat, starred alongside a bevy of beautiful women -- most notably Diana Rigg in the role of the glamorous, uber-fashionable Emma Peel.   

The actor often said in interviews that he insisted on his character not using a gun, because of the violence he had witnessed in World War II.   

The series went off the air in 1969 but was briefly rebooted in the 1970s as “The New Avengers,” with Joanna Lumley -- who would later star in “Absolutely Fabulous” -- as Purdey, one of his sidekicks.

The series returned to life again in 1998, in a big-screen version with Ralph Fiennes as the stylish steed, and Uma Thurman donning Peel’s leather cat suit.   

Macnee had an off-camera, voice-only role. But the film suffered from withering reviews.

Other notable roles for Macnee included 1980s appearances in “This is Spinal Tap,” Rob Reiner’s razor-sharp rock movie parody, and in the James Bond film “A View to a Kill” alongside Roger Moore’s super-spy.

Moore remembered the actor on Twitter, saying: “So very sad to hear Pat Macnee has left us. We were mates from 1950s and I have so many happy memories of working with him. A true gent.”

On US television, he had guest spots on several long-running series such as “The Love Boat,“ “Frasier” and “Magnum, P.I.”

He stopped acting in the early 2000s.

Later in life, he advocated stricter gun controls, according to his website.

Macnee spent the last 40 years living in California, and died at his home in Rancho Mirage.

“He was at home wherever in the world he found himself. He had a knack for making friends, and keeping them. Wherever he went, he left behind a trove of memories and good wishes,” said the statement on his website.

Macnee was married three times. All three wives predeceased him. He had a son, Rupert, and a daughter, Jenny.