NCIS Star David McCallum Dead At 90
On September 25, the entertainment world lost a true icon. Big and small screen journeyman David McCallum has died of natural causes at the age of 90, as confirmed by his son, Peter, in a statement made on behalf of his family. "He was the kindest, coolest, most patient, and loving father. He always put family before self," he told the publication of his late father. Peter also noted that his dad shared a special connection with each of his grandchildren, going above and beyond to bond with them while still making time to explore his many passions (via Variety).
Throughout his decades-long acting career, McCallum became a household name through several unforgettable roles. He first rose to prominence via the TV spy drama, "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.," where he portrayed Illya Kuryakin opposite Robert Vaughn as Napoleon Solo for the program's four seasons. Arguably his second best-known TV role was that of Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard on the long-running crime procedural "NCIS." He also appeared in such films as "The Great Escape" and "The Greatest Story Ever Told," among numerous others.
McCallum's passing is a major loss for family, friends, and fans alike. He will be sorely missed, but his legacy will undoubtedly live on.
McCallum embraced his status as a TV staple
David McCallum was born on September 19, 1933, in Glasgow, Scotland, and before he reached adulthood, he had lived quite a busy life. After bouncing back and forth from Scotland to England, McCallum attended University College School, but he soon turned in his school uniform for a military one when he joined the British Army's 3rd Battalion at the age of 18. Once his time in the military was up, he took a vested interest in the art of acting, and a remarkable career on stage and television, as well as at the movies, followed.
Still, when most think of McCallum, his TV works spring to mind first and foremost. Though many actors may look at this as a negative given the widely-held belief that TV is a step down from film, he wasn't one of those actors. "I've done some great movies, but not many. I think there are people that work better in television than in film and make a career out of television wisely, which I think I've done. I think predominantly I'm a television actor," McCallum said during a chat with the Television Academy Foundation back in January, making it clear that he owned and embraced his status as a TV staple.
Despite McCallum becoming a TV legend, one would be remiss not to highlight the rich and varied body of acting work across mediums that he leaves behind.
McCallum did it all
David McCallum's professional acting tenure dates back to the 1950s, with three appearances on "The Rose and the Ring" in 1953 being his first television credits. Four years later, he appeared in his first feature films, such as "Night Ambush" and "Dangerous Youth," which collectively set him on the path to Hollywood fame. As the 20th century wore on, McCallum built his name on the aforementioned "Man from U.N.C.L.E.", "The Outer Limits," and "Sapphire and Steel," in addition to films like "The Great Escape," "The Greatest Story Ever Told," and "The Watcher in the Woods."
Come the 21st century, McCallum continued to keep busy on the movie and TV fronts. His TV legend status grew with his work on "The Education of Max Bickford," "The Replacements," and, of course, "NCIS." He even joined a few DC Comics-based projects before and into the early days of the comic book adaptation boom, lending his voice acting talents to animated film efforts that include "Batman: Gotham Knight," "Wonder Woman," and "Batman vs. Robin." Looking back on his career, it's evident that in the over half a century McCallum spent acting, he did a little bit of it all.
Considering all that he managed to do in his time as a professional actor and the sheer amount of solid performances he delivered, it's no stretch to say that fans will continue to enjoy David McCallum's work for generations to come.