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Original at The Patrick Macnee website

Patrick Macnee's Comments - The Elusive Pimpernel (1950)

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1950: Films - The Elusive Pimpernel - "Jack Hawkins' wife hissed into my ear. "Can you ride?" and I said, "Yes" and she said "Report to Michael Powell" who is a famous director of the Red Shoes which I did. I was presented with a horse and was told to ride around the ring and jump and everything. And I did and they said, "You're hired" and I became the leader of the Scarlet Pimpernel's band. The Scarlet Pimpernel was David Niven and I just disported myself on the most beautiful horse you've ever seen. As it turned out, after six months Sam Goldwyn who was co-producing the film thought it was pretty bad so we had to make it all over again. By that time I had been given some lines I graduated from a riding extra who took falls which I afterwards many years did on Wagon Train and Rawhide during the '50s in Hollywood. I eventually became what I thought I was - an actor but I had to do these various things to keep money coming". (Patrick Macnee June 2001)
[Patrick played the Hon. John Bristow, one of the members of the Pimpernel's band (not the leader)]