... has just died (June 26, 2015): he was 93 but he will remain as the typically English dandy.

He was world famous as John Steed, Her Majesty’s intelligence agent in the serial “The Avengers” (French : “Chapeau melon et bottes de cuir”)

Why English? – because of his bowler hat and sharp suit, because of his character’s temper (a real smart, cool gentleman, with his British composure (Fr.: flegme britannique), and a good sense of humour, also a lover of beautiful ladies, including Emma Peel (actress Diana Rigg), Tara King (played by Linda Thorson); Macnee was pre-deceased by his three wives (the actress Katherine Woodville was the second). 

A lot of things you wouldn’t expect from Patrick Macnee : 

-He first went to Eton College before joining a London drama school.

-He served in the Royal Navy in the Second World War. “Macnee caught bronchitis just before D-Day; while he was recuperating in hospital, his boat and crew were lost in action” (Wikipedia).

-his character never used a gun, but was skilful with an umbrella

-he featured in an Oasis music video for their 1996 song “Don't Look Back In Anger”, appearing as the band's driver.

-He was in the 1985 James Bond film “A View To A Kill” with Roger Moore, acting as Bond's ally, the horse trainer Sir Godfrey Tibbett.

-He is one of a very small number of actors to have portrayed both Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson on screen.

-He openly criticized the private sale, purchase and use of guns

-He died in California, where he’d been living for over 40 years (he became a US citizen in 1959).

A website : http://www.patrickmacnee.com