David McCallum

[Pyan]

David McCallum, star of The Man from U.N.C.L.E and NCIS has died. He was 90.

So many parts in so many films and TV programmes, from 1957 to this year.
In the SFF genre, he appeared in Babylon 5, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Outer Limits and, of course Sapphire and Steel, with Joanna Lumley. He's probably best remembered these days for the twenty years that he played Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard, the chief medical examiner in NCIS.

RIP, David. You gave a lot of pleasure to a lot of people.

 

[Ian Fortytwo]

RIP David.

 

[Steve Harrison]

He was one of my favorite character actors and aside from U.N.C.L.E., I remember him from some of my favorite WWII movies, like The Great Escape & Mosquito Squadron, and the 70s Colditz TV series.

RIP David.

 

[Dave]

I've obviously watched him in all those too, but I think I remember him first/most from Harve Bennett's The Invisible Man which was another one of those mid-'70's friday night staples in our house.

I'm surprised he was 90. I guess he was one of those lucky people who looked much younger than their age. When he was making all that '70's and '80's sci-fi he must have already been in his forties or older.

 

[Pyan]

Yes, I can remember my mother sighing over Illya Kuryakin...

 

[The Judge]

He was gorgeous as Illya. There's a scene in NCIS when Gibbs is asked "What did Ducky look like when he was younger?" and Gibbs replies "Illya Kuryakin" which made me laugh. (I was sure there was a photo of him as IK in his house, but on a repeat viewing some years back it wasn't there, so I'm not sure if I imagined it first time round or missed it the second.)

I'd forgotten he appeared in Babylon 5, but I do recall there was an episode of The A-Team when he appears as Robert Vaughn's former Russian partner, which directly refers to The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Anyway, the BBC obit in case anyone is interested. David McCallum: NCIS and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. actor dies aged 90

 

[The Judge]

The BBC has done an expanded obit now, with some interesting details David McCallum obituary: TV favourite from NCIS and The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

 

[Danny McG]

I've learned now that he was also an author, I've downloaded the crime thriller he wrote, Once a crooked man, and I'll get to reading it in the near future

 

[Parson]

Illya Kuryakin was the best. I loved the way David McCallum played him. I think he was like Bill Cosby in I Spy and Leonard Nimoy in the OTS were the secondary actors that truly stole the show from their headliners.

**As proof of how things change I really have a hard time thinking about I Spy, and The Cosby Show, 2 of my all time favorites, in a favorable light anymore.

 

[Wayne Mack]

I was sure there was a photo of him as IK in his house

I recall seeing that scene as well.

 

[Mon0Zer0]

Not only a great actor, but also a great musician. Fans of Dr Dre may know the intro to this:

 

[Pyan]

I was sure there was a photo of him as IK in his house, but on a repeat viewing some years back it wasn't there, so I'm not sure if I imagined it first time round or missed it the second.)

In in the NCIS episode "The Meat Locker" (S2:E13), there is a very quick pan of Mrs. Mallard's (Ducky's mother's) bedroom showing a black and white photo of Ducky and his father (which is actually a picture of David McCallum and his real-life father, David McCallum Sr). This is the same episode as Gibb's quip that the young Ducky looked like Illya Kuryakin.
Possibly what you're thinking of, TJ?

 

[Danny McG]

The photo taken on 16th March 1966 of David McCallum Snr and Jnr

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Brilliant in UNCLE.

 

[The Judge]

In in the NCIS episode "The Meat Locker" (S2:E13), there is a very quick pan of Mrs. Mallard's (Ducky's mother's) bedroom showing a black and white photo of Ducky and his father (which is actually a picture of David McCallum and his real-life father, David McCallum Sr). This is the same episode as Gibb's quip that the young Ducky looked like Illya Kuryakin.
Possibly what you're thinking of, TJ?

That's not how I "see" the picture in my memory, which was just a studio portrait of just him (ie face only) in a frame on a mantelpiece, but the way my memory works, it could well be I'm mis-remembering it! Certainly, it was that episode where I recall seeing it. We'll have to get out the box set again and start re-watching them all!

 

[svalbard]

RIP David. Sapphire and Steel scared the young life out of me.