Many talented people often remain behind the scenes. They can do their job well, be talented and persistent. But they do not have the grip that, as a rule, those who crave fame and recognition possess. Judging objectively, it turns out that the stars, which seem to have earned respect, love and reverence for the viewer, are still far behind those who are gifted with universal attention. Unfortunately, one can learn about such people only by chance, collecting bits of information, like beads of a crumbling necklace. Patrick McNee, interesting facts about which will be presented below, was a man of action who went all his life towards his goal. And only at the end of his life's journey did he achieve what he wanted.
Acquaintance
One of the great people of the last century was Patrick McNee, an actor and producer from Britain. The peak of his popularity fell on the 60s when he starred in the TV series Avengers. Acting and producing career lasted from 1946 to 2015. Patrick McNee lived an interesting and eventful life, continuing to work until his death.
Father
The future actor was born on February 6, 1922 in London. Great-grandfather of the boy Daniel McNee was a famous artist. His works are known around the world, and the painting "Lady in Gray" is in the gallery of Edinburgh. The boy’s father was a military man, passed the First World War. After the horror of the war ended, McNee Sr. worked as a horse trainer. He was in good standing, so he often took his son with him, teaching him riding lessons. It is interesting that the father had the nickname Shrimp, whose origin is still not known. But McNee Sr. had a strong flaw - the addiction to alcohol that appeared after the war. Having lost his job, he left for India.
Mother
Dorothy Hastings was shocked that her husband left the family. Soon she moved with her good friend, who lived in a spacious chic mansion. By then, Patrick was already 8 years old. An influential friend was able to fully assume the support of mom and son. With her light hand, Patrick McNee entered the prestigious Eton School. However, due to absenteeism caused by the combination of work and study, the boy was almost expelled.
First creative experience: Patrick McNee
His biography says that Patrick began his career at the age of 5. Then he went to the theater stage of the school in the image of a policeman in the play by Charles Dickens “Nicholas Nickleby”. He spends the second half of the 1930s, participating in various extras. Among the works of this period can be noted the film "Pygmalion."
Father's return
At the end of the 1930s, his father decided to return to his homeland, to old England. He decided to look for happiness in Berkshire, where a large number of horse lovers gathered. The son did not see this as a solution to the problem, since his father went in search of work penniless for his soul. However, to everyone’s surprise, McNee Sr. became a respected trainer in a short period of time.
As a young man, Patrick McNee often visited his father. There, along with famous jockeys, he talked about the intricacies of riding. In a sense, he saw himself in the future as a jockey, but it turned out that he was not suitable for this work: as they say, he did not come out with growth.
Theater school
In 1939, Patrick graduated from Eton School. Soon after, he entered the Royal Navy. Then he spent another 9 months at Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. 1940 was the debut year for the young actor: he played in the production of “When We Are Married” on the stage of the St. Francis Theater.
After that, he was offered several profitable contracts, and as a result, he concluded an annual deal, playing several key roles. In 1941, there was a slight rise in his career, caused by his role in the play "Little Women". McNee's game received the approval of the audience, critics and the press, and soon he began to play in the best theaters of the capital. Soon, McNee signed a contract for the shooting of the film "Child of Thursday", but due to circumstances (service) refused the role.
Service and Wedding
In 1942, Patrick went to the fleet. He showed excellent results. Even before the preparatory course ended, McNee was enrolled aboard the frigate. However, before the start of the service, he was able to spend some time in London. It was then that he married Barbara Douglas, with whom they studied at the academy together.
Work on television
Since 1946, Patrick McNee begins to appear more and more on television. His first work was the movie Morning Train. In 1947, he played Edgar Linton in the drama Wuthering Heights based on the novel by Emilia Bronte. It was thanks to this small role that he was noticed. After the shooting, the actor was offered the main role. And although it was a low-budget tape, Patrick still began a solo climb.
After the release of the film "Fatal Night", critics noticed a rising star such as Patrick McNee. Films with his participation became more and more popular. At the same time, both the specialists and the audience reacted to the young actor equally well. However, a big breakthrough in his career and dizzying fame did not follow.
After a while, Patrick received a call from his longtime friend. He suggested that he move to Canada and begin working on television together. After thinking and weighing his prospects, the ambitious young man quickly packed up and hit the road.
Canada and America
Patrick McNee, whose filmography is full of secondary roles, played the main character in the production of the series "Moonstone" (Wilkie Collins). During his work, he met many influential people who had an important influence on his career. And Patrick lived in an ordinary room in a small dormitory, sharing his territory with a film critic. Standing on his feet, Patrick began to flicker more and more in television and radio. Together with other actors in Canada, he gradually gained the status of “face of TV”. The archives of the Canadian library indicate that Patrick McNee was the most popular actor on TV in the period 1952-1959.
Tired of Canada, the actor returned to London. There he became a member of the theater troupe, which traveled, showing the performance "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Together with his work colleagues, he visited Broadway and Athens. Seeing America, he wanted to stay in it forever. In speed, the artist concludes a deal for a year, according to which he takes part in various television projects. Earning a decent amount, he gets to Malibu a cozy house, whose windows open directly to the beach.
In 1957, the actor was invited to shoot in the musical "Girls" in Hollywood. Unfortunately, Patrick’s small role was not appreciated. In the same year he starred in the film "Before Departure". However, all the scenes with McNee were subsequently cut out. Because of this, the artist had to continue working on television. In 1958, the shooting of the series “Veil” was held, which was very promising, but did not appear on television.
Patrick McNee, whose photos were already familiar to almost everyone in the country, received US citizenship. Since 1959, he begins his career as a director and poses several plays in various states.
Homecoming
In 1960, McNee returned to his homeland. Here, few people knew him, but behind him was a worthy experience. I had to start from scratch, but past developments have allowed us to do this very quickly. Soon he received an offer to jointly create a documentary series about Winston Churchill. I had to agree, as there were no special successes in the acting career.
Having worked in this area, Patrick realized that this is a very profitable occupation. Based on such thoughts, he decided to devote all his time to the career of a producer. Soon he received an offer to star in the series. Realizing that he had few prospects to become famous, and evaluating his income from his current work, McNee went to the trick. He agreed, but requested too much. To his greatest surprise, the creators of the series agreed. It was the same cult project Avengers that finally brought Patrick McNee the long-awaited fame and success.
Last scene
That was such a man - actor Patrick McNee. Photos, films with his participation, roles in the series - all this will remain in the memory of those who knew a talented artist. He died of old age in 2015 in California, on his own Mirage ranch, surrounded by close and dear people.