Patrick Macnee, the dapper British actor best known for his role in the 1960s TV series "The Avengers," has died at the age of 93, the Associated Press reported.
Macnee died on Thursday of natural causes at his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif. with his family at his bedside, according to a statement posted on the actor's website.
He played the recognizable role of John Steed in the spy drama "The Avengers," which started in Britain in 1961 and then debuted in the U.S. five years later. Macnee's character was known for being accompanied by beautiful female agents, according to The New York Times. Diana Rigg, the actress who played the character Emma Peel from 1965 to 1968, would likely be the most popular of Macnee's onscreen sidekicks.
The show glamourized espionage during the Cold War, yet Macnee's character in the "spy-fi" show never used a gun. The Guardian reported. The series featured cutting-edge technology in its storylines and was also noted for being progressively feminist.
In a 1999 interview with Salt Lake City's Deseret News, obtained by the AP, Macnee explained why he thought "The Avengers" was so successful.
"It's a very simple reason: It's extremely good," he said. "I feel very justified and delighted in seeing after all these years that the show works."
