PATRICK MACNEE spent 10 years as the star of the international hit television series "The Avengers," where he created the leading role of the distinctive John Steed. Born into an aristocratic English family, Macnee began his acting career in 1941 with small stage and screen roles in Britain. Soon after, he served a four-year stint in the Royal Navy. Following active service, Macnee returned to England and starred in more than 30 television plays and more than a dozen films, commuting between Britain, the United States and Canada, where he helped pioneer Canadian TV. In the late 1950s Macnee came to Hollywood for roles in the films "Les Girls" and "Mission of Danger," as well as the television series "Playhouse 90" and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" and numerous stage appearances. Macnee's other film credits include the comedy "Young Doctors in Love"; the James Bond film "A View to a Kill"; "Sea Wolves" with David Niven, Gregory Peck and Roger Moore; and "Rob Reiner's satire "This is Spinal Tap." He appeared onstage in a New York production of "Sleuth" and starred during the 1970s in the TV series "The New Avengers." Macnee has also made TV appearances on such shows as "Sherlock Holmes" with Christopher Lee; HBO's "Dream On"; and 26 episodes of "Thunder in Paradise," and he currently hosts the Sci-Fi Channel's "Mysteries, Magic and Miracles." In addition, he has recorded numerous books on tape and has written two books, an autobiography entitled Blind in One Ear and the current release The Avengers and Me.