NCIS Actors You May Not Know Passed Away

Los Angeles native Michael Gilden, who died by suicide in 2006, had a fascinating career that began with an appearance in the 1981 Chevy Chase comedy "Under the Rainbow." He was one of several dwarf actors to appear in the film, all playing actors from 1939's "The Wizard of Oz." Carrie Fisher also featured, and Gilden would reunite with her a few years later when he was hired to play one of the Ewoks in "Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi." He went on to do both acting and stunt work in several notable films, including "Pulp Fiction," "Last Action Hero," and "My Giant."

As for his television career, Gilden appeared on "The Amanda Show," "Family Law," "Charmed," and "CSI," in addition to his two episodes in the fourth season of "NCIS," where he played Marty Pearson. Gilden also worked as a stockbroker and was involved in organizations that supported little people. His wife at the time of his death, actor Meredith Eaton, made history when she joined the cast of "Family Law" and became the first female with dwarfism to ever be a regular on a primetime television series. "One day in 2006, Eaton found her husband hanging in their Los Angeles home," The Hollywood Reporter confirmed. "He was 44."

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ at​ 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

One of the true marks of a great character actor is the ability to play multiple different roles in the same series. This is something that Gregory Itzin did several times throughout his long acting career, perhaps most notably within the "Star Trek" universe: Itzin played five different characters across "Deep Space Nine," "Voyager," and "Enterprise." He also played multiple roles on "Empty Nest," "Night Court," "The Practice," and, of course, "NCIS."

Within the "NCIS" universe, Itzin played three different characters. He portrayed Undersecretary of State Lawrence Culbertson in "JAG," and Director Charlie in a pair of Season 1 episodes of "NCIS." He returned to play Spencer Downing in a Season 17 episode of the latter show, which would be one of his final roles. Itzin's most prominent and most celebrated role was President Charles Logan in "24," a character he played across three different seasons. He received two Emmy nominations for his work as Logan.

Itzin died in 2022 after emergency surgery led to complications, his family confirmed to Deadline. He was 74. "He was one of the most talented actors I had the honor to work with but more than that he was an all around great guy," director and producer Jon Cassar, who worked with Itzin on "24," said in a tribute tweet. "He'll be missed by his 24 family who had nothing but love & respect for him. You made your mark, now Rest in Peace friend."

Television veteran Ralph Waite had been gracing the small screen for a long time prior to his eight-episode stint on "NCIS." He delivered an Emmy-nominated performance in "Roots" in the late 1970s, but he was best known for portraying patriarch John Walton Sr. on the long-running historical drama "The Waltons," a role he played for all nine seasons of the original series, as well as all six subsequent movie specials. But he wasn't only a TV actor, as Waite had also appeared in such classic films as "Five Easy Pieces" and "Cool Hand Luke."

As for his tenure on "NCIS," he played the important role of Jackson Gibbs, father to series lead Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), in eight episodes of the show. Waite portrayed the character right up until the end of his life. Jackson Gibbs died in the Season 11 episode "Honor Thy Father," which aired three months after Waite's death in February 2014 at the age of 85. In addition to acting, Waite also dabbled in politics. He ran for Congress in California, "narrowly losing in 1990 and again in 1998 to Mary Bono, the widow of former congressman and Sonny and Cher star Sonny Bono," CNN reports.

"NCIS" guest star Sam Sarpong accomplished a lot in his life, despite it being cut tragically short. The London-born multi-hyphenate was an actor, model, television host, singer, writer, producer, and director. He was one of the earliest guest stars on "NCIS," appearing in the Season 1 episode "Seadog." He began his acting career almost a decade earlier when he snagged an uncredited role in "My So-Called Life." He steadily built up a respectable TV resume in the years that followed, popping up in the likes of "Family Matters," "Home Improvement," "ER," "Everybody Hates Chris," "24," and "Bones." His final appearance was a posthumous one in "American Crime Story."

Sarpong moved to Los Angeles to live with his father aged 11. He played basketball in high school, and, according to the Independent, he wanted to play professionally. "When that didn't work out he turned to modeling and acting," the British newspaper confirmed, adding that he "carved out a successful catwalk career, working with Hilfiger, Gucci, Versace and Louis Vuitton." He became a well-known television presenter, co-hosting MTV's "Yo Momma" and later fronting the pre-show of the annual BET Awards. He showed off his musical skills on screen in projects like "Carmen: A Hip Hopera" and off screen as music supervisor on several films. He was also a successful recording artist in his own right, with his group The League having sold over a million records worldwide.

Sarpong jumped off a California bridge to his death in October 2015. He was 40. "His passing is a loss for the world," his sister, TV presenter June Sarpong, said (via the Daily Mail). "I'd ask anyone who is going through tough times to seek help. Please talk to someone."

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ at​ 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

Shows like "NCIS" are often a great showcase for aging actors. A guest spot doesn't require a significant time commitment, but the roles are usually more meaty than a quick appearance on a sitcom or soap opera. "NCIS" in particular seems to do a great job at casting longtime veterans of the business and helping them get one last great role before they retire or pass away. Nina Foch got that chance when she played Victoria Mallard in two episodes of "NCIS," once in Season 2 and again in Season 3.

As the mother of Donald "Ducky" Mallard (David McCallum), who was around since the show's backdoor pilot episode in "JAG," Foch got to play an important character in the show's canon. It was one of her last ever appearances, helping to cap a career that stretched all the way back to the 1940s. Her notable credits include iconic films such as "The Ten Commandments" and "Spartacus," and classic television shows like "Gunsmoke," "Bonanza," and "Murder, She Wrote." The New York Times reported that Foch died in 2008 at the age of 84, calling her an "actress in sophisticated roles."

One of the first actors you see in the very first episode of "NCIS" is Gerry Becker, who is escorting the show's version of president George W. Bush through an airplane. Not many people can say they got to help introduce a show to millions of viewers that would be on the air for 20 years, but Becker is one of them. The actor's first love was theater and that's where he did the bulk of his work, particularly in the Chicago area throughout the 1980s and '90s. His most notable stage credit came in 1993 when he appeared in the apartheid-set Broadway play "The Song of Jacob Zulu," playing the character Marty Frankel.

Becker still played plenty of film and TV characters during his career, including sizable roles in the movies "Donnie Brasco," "Man on the Moon," "Mickey Blue Eyes," and 2002's "Spider-Man." He portrayed Maximilian Fargas in the Sam Raimi film, a member of the OsCorp Board of Directors who clashed with Norman Osborn over plans to sell the company. He gets murdered by Osborn after he becomes the Green Goblin and attacks the World Unity Festival. Becker stepped away from acting in the 2010s, with his last credited screen role being in a 2008 episode of "Law & Order." He passed away in April 2019 due to complications related to diabetes, per Chicago Theater Bike Ride.

One of the biggest losses to the "NCIS" family in terms of role size was Miguel Ferrer, who died from throat cancer in 2017 at the age of 61. Ferrer played Owen Granger on "NCIS: Los Angeles," starting as a recurring character in Season 3 and Season 4 before becoming a main cast member for Season 5 through to Season 8. It wouldn't be the first or only series Ferrer was a regular player on, as he graced the casts of many television shows during his 40-plus year career.

Though it wouldn't air until after his death, Ferrer reprised the role of FBI agent Albert Rosenfield for the revival of "Twin Peaks" after having previously played the character in the original series and the follow-up film "Fire Walk With Me." He was also a main cast member in "Crossing Jordan," and he had multi-episode stints on "The Protector" and 2007's "Bionic Woman." His big screen breakthrough was in the original "RoboCop," and he went on to appear in films like "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock," "Traffic," and "Iron Man 3." He played Vice President Rodriguez in the Marvel movie, a corrupt character who was impeached for his role in the Mandarin's terror attacks.

Ferrer also did a lot of voice work. He brought his distinctive tones to everything from Disney's "Mulan" to shows like "Jackie Chan Adventures," "Adventure Time," and "Young Justice." He was a first cousin of George Clooney, who told Variety that Ferrer "made the world brighter and funnier" in a statement following his death. "His passing is felt so deeply in our family," the A-lister said. "We love you Miguel. We always will."

It's tough on a show when a cast member dies between seasons, but it's even more difficult when that actor has been a core tenant of the series since its inception. After having played Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard for 461 episodes of television, actor David McCallum died of natural causes on September 25, 2023, six days after his 90th birthday. The last remaining original member of the "NCIS" cast (following Mark Harmon's 2019 departure), McCallum's absence in the upcoming 21st season will be felt by all, and signify the end of an era.

But McCallum was a familiar face long before he warmed the hearts of viewers as Ducky. He initially made an impact with small parts in the classic films "A Night to Remember" and "The Great Escape." For decades, the he was remembered as Russian secret agent Illya Kuryakin on the 1964 – 1968 series "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.," a character he played for 104 episodes. McCallum also starred in the 1972 – 1974 British drama "Colditz" and the 1979 – 1982 supernatural series "Sapphire & Steel." He later developed a penchant for lending his vocal talents to cartoons, voicing Professor Paradox in the "Ben 10" franchise and Alfred Pennyworth in three separate direct-to-video "Batman" features.

Acting was only one of McCallum's talents. Over his 90 years, he narrated documentaries, wrote a mystery novel, and even released four separate studio albums with Capitol Records, where he showed off his musical abilities by playing a host of instruments. McCallum is survived by his wife, four children, and eight grandchildren.