You aren't kidding he looks awful. How sad.

http://www.lulu.com/shop/gabriel-hershman/send-in-the-clowns-the-yo-yo-life-of-ian-hendry/paperback/product-20974696.html

He had actually won his battle with the bottle had been booze free for while at the time of his death.

He just started his appearances in Brookside when he died rather suddenly. It is difficult to believe he was in his 50s as he always looked older even in his earlier film appearances.
Its that man again!!

Yeah, was really shocked by that. He looked like he was approaching 70 and not 53. The combination of his acting career diminishing to TV bit-parts and the early death of his wife plus the fact that actors it seem like to drink obviously didn't help.
In McVicar he looked like he hadn't aged well but still looked healthy enough. That was done around 1980. But here he looked just plain terrible.
Peter Cook died of the exact same thing. Excessive drinking and smoking saw him also develop a rather huge gut which was disproportionate to the rest of his body and he also collapsed and died of stomach hemorrhage in 95' at around the same age.
Carrying around excessive weight in your 50's is of course un-advisable as your in real heart attack territory but a bloated stomach points to your liver and kidneys being under real stress.
It's sad how McNee looked almost embarrassed for him. Alas.he was a terrific actor. Loved him in 'The Hill'.May he rest in peace!