The greater NCIS family was heartbroken by the passing of longtime regular David McCallum, known as the verbose medical examiner Donald “Ducky” Mallard. in light of a loss that strikes at the heart of the show, NCIS has put together an episode that acts entirely as a tribute to McCallum.
McCallum, known also as the serious yet reliable Illya Kuryakin in Man From U.N.C.L.E., was 90 when he died of natural causes on September 25. He played Ducky for 20 years until his death, with the role giving McCallum renewed international stardom. Here is how the NCIS team plans on honoring his legacy on the show.
The ‘NCIS’ crew treasure their memories with David McCallum
Faces have come and gone on NCIS, even that of Mark Harmon’s Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. But as of the end of season 20, McCallum has actually been in the most episodes. He beats Michael Weatherly’s 308 appearances, Pauley Perette’s 354, and Harmon’s 435 with a whopping 452 episodes to McCallum’s name. After changing directors, Field agents, liaisons, and more, NCIS always had Ducky as a constant.
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Following McCallum’s passing, NCIS co-showrunners/executive producers Steven D. Binder and David North issued a statement celebrating McCallum’s place in the show’s history. “For over 20 years, David McCallum endeared himself to audiences around the world playing the wise, quirky, and sometimes enigmatic, Dr. Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard,” they said.
“But as much as his fans may have loved him, those who worked side by side with David loved him that much more. He was a scholar and a gentleman, always gracious, a consummate professional, and never one to pass up a joke. From Day 1, it was an honor to work with him and he never let us down. He was, quite simply, a legend. He was also family and will be deeply missed.”
A legacy like that, everyone agreed, demanded a special honor.
Details on the ‘NCIS’ tribute episode dedicated to David McCallum and Ducky
In a statement to TVLine, Binder and North explored the importance of Dr. Mallard and McCallum and their way of paying tribute to both.
“Everyone at NCIS felt it was important to do an episode that honors such a legendary actor, not to mention a dear friend,” they said. “In the episode, the team will learn of Ducky’s passing and reflect on their memories of him as they grieve. And true to Ducky’s meticulous and compassionate nature, even after he’s gone, he still manages to solve one last crime with the team.”
The showrunners also teased that “there will also be a very touching and special moment you won’t want to miss.”
On top of that, the episode is co-written by Brian Dietzen, known for playing Jimmy Palmer, who was Ducky’s protege and eventually completed his medical studies to take over the practice. Executive Producer Scott Williams worked with Dietzen for this special tribute to McCallum.
Season 21 of NCIS premieres on Monday, February 12 at 9/8c. The episode paying tribute to McCallum airs on February 19 at the same time.
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