The actor, known for playing eccentric medical examiner Dr. Donald 'Ducky' Mallard on the popular CBS show, has passed away surrounded by his loved ones amid hospitalization in New York.
- Sep 26, 2023
AceShowbiz - "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." star David McCallum has passed away aged 90. The actor, who had a career revival playing eccentric medical examiner Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard on the popular CBS show "NCIS", died on Monday, September 25 from natural causes surrounded by family at New York Presbyterian Hospital, CBS revealed in a statement.
His passing arrives six days after his 90th birthday on September 19.
It added, "David was a gifted actor and author, and beloved by many around the world. He led an incredible life, and his legacy will forever live on through his family and the countless hours on film and television that will never go away."
Scottish-born David was a household name in the 1960s thanks to his role on "TMFU", which cashed in on the success of the James Bond films.
The show, which started in 1964, also starred the late Robert Vaughn as Napoleon Solo, an agent in a secretive, high-tech squad of crime fighters whose initials stood for United Network Command for Law and Enforcement.
David played Illya Kuryakin, Napoleon's Russian sidekick, and became a pin-up for teen girls at the time. By 1965, David's character was a lead role and he and Robert were mobbed by fans in public.
The series ended in 1968 but the actors reunited in 1983 for the TV movie spin-off "The Return of the Man From U.N.C.L.E.", with David returning to television in 2003 on CBS' "NCIS". Double Emmy-nominee David said he thought his medical examiner character "looked a little silly," but admitted it was "great fun" to play.
The Glashow-born actor - who got his break in theatre - married his first wife, English actress Jill Ireland, on May 11, 1957. Their marriage lasted 10 years and after leaving David, his ex got hitched to action star Charles Bronson, to whom the actor had introduced her while he and the actor were filming "The Great Escape" in 1963.
He had three sons with Jill, who died aged 54 in 1990 - Paul, Jason, and Valentine. Jason, who was adopted, died from an accidental drug overdose in 1989. Val McCallum is a guitar player, and has played on and off with Jackson Browne since 2002.
In 1967, David married Katherine Carpenter and they had son Peter and daughter Sophie. On 27 August 1999, David was naturalized as a U.S. citizen, and as well as his four children, is also survived by six grandchildren.
