LOS ANGELES — David McCallum, an adolescent heartthrob in the 1960s series “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” and the eccentric medical examiner in the popular series “NCIS” four decades later, has passed away. He was 90 years old.
CBS said that McCallum died of natural causes surrounded by family at New York Presbyterian Hospital on Monday.
“David was a talented actor and author who many people across the globe adored. CBS said, “He led an extraordinary life, and his legacy will live on through his family and the countless hours of film and television that will never disappear.”
McCallum, who was born in Scotland, had been successful in films such as “A Night to Remember” (about the Titanic), “The Great Escape,” and “The Greatest Story Ever Told” (as Judas). In the mid-1960s, “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” made the blond actor with the Beatles-inspired haircut a ubiquitous name.
The popularity of the James Bond novels and films spawned a proliferation of secret operatives on both large and small screens. According to Jon Heitland’s “The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Book,” Bond originator Ian Fleming contributed to developing “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.”
CBS said that McCallum died of natural causes surrounded by family at New York Presbyterian Hospital on Monday.
Robert Vaughn portrayed Napoleon Solo, an agent in a covert, high-tech squad of crime fighters whose initials stood for United Network Command for Law and Enforcement. The program debuted in 1964. Despite the Cold War, the agency had international personnel, including McCallum as Solo’s Russian sidekick, Illya Kuryakin.
McCallum recalled that the role was initially relatively minor, adding in a 1998 interview, “I’d never heard of the word’sidekick’ before.”
The show received mixed reviews but eventually gained popularity, especially among teenage females drawn to McCallum’s good looks and enigmatic, intelligent character. By 1965, Illya was Vaughn’s primary partner, and both stars were mobbed during personal appearances.
The series ran until 1968. In 1983, Vaughn and McCallum reunited for the nostalgic television film “The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” in which the agents were coaxed out of retirement to save the world again.
McCallum returned to television in 2003 with another series featuring an agency with initials: CBS’s “NCIS.” He portrayed Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard, a nerdy pathologist for the Naval Criminal Investigation Service, which investigates offenses involving the Navy or Marines. Mark Harmon portrayed the leader of NCIS.
McCallum stated that he believed Ducky, who wore glasses and a bow tie and had an eye for beautiful women, “looked a little silly, but it was great fun to do.” He also took the position seriously, spending time in the coroner’s office in Los Angeles to learn how autopsies are conducted.
David McCallum, an adolescent heartthrob in the 1960s series “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” and the eccentric medical examiner in the popular series “NCIS”
Co-star Lauren Holly lamented his passing on X, formerly Twitter: “You were the kindest man. “We appreciate your being you.” The 20th-anniversary marathon of “NCIS” on Monday night will now include an “in memoriam” card in memory of McCallum.
Gradually gaining an audience, the show eventually made the list of top 10 programs. McCallum, who resided in New York, rented a one-bedroom flat in Santa Monica while “NCIS” was filmed.
“He was a scholar and a gentleman who was always gracious, a consummate professional, and never one to turn down a jest. Working with him from day one was a privilege; he never let us down. According to a statement from “NCIS” Executive Producers Steven D. Binder and David North, he was merely a legend.
McCallum’s work on “U.N.C.L.E.” earned him two Emmy nominations, and he received a third nomination for his role as an educator battling alcoholism in the 1969 Hallmark Hall of Fame film “Teacher, Teacher.”
In 1975, he portrayed the title character in a short-lived science fiction series titled “The Invisible Man,” from 1979 to 1982, he portrayed Steel in the British science fiction series “Sapphire and Steel.” Over the years, he has also made guest appearances on numerous television programs, including “Murder, She Wrote” and “Sex and the City.”
He appeared on Broadway in the 1968 comedy “The Flip Side” and in the 1999 revival of “Amadeus” starring Michael Sheen and David Suchet. Additionally, he acted in several off-Broadway productions.
McCallum was a longtime American citizen, telling The Associated Press in 2003, “I have always admired the freedom this country stands for and everything it stands for. And I reside here and enjoy voting here.”
In 1933, David Keith McCallum was born in Glasgow. His father played the violin, and his mother, David, played the cello. When David was 3 years old, the family migrated to London, where David Sr. played with the London Philharmonic and Royal Philharmonic.
David McCallum, an adolescent heartthrob in the 1960s series “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” and the eccentric medical examiner in the popular series “NCIS”
The young David studied the oboe at the Royal Academy of Music. He determined he wasn’t good enough, so he studied briefly at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before turning to theatre. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in 2009, he stated, “I was a small, emaciated blonde with a sunken chest, so there weren’t a whole lot of roles for me.”
After completing his military service, he returned to London and began working in live television and film. In 1957, he appeared in “Robbery Under Arms” alongside Jill Ireland, an emerging Australian actress. The couple tied the knot in the same year.
McCallum was a member of the large ensemble of “The Great Escape” in 1963, and he and his wife became friends with Charles Bronson, who also appeared in the film. Ireland fell in love with Bronson, and she and McCallum divorced in 1967 after their separation. In 1968, she married Bronson.
McCallum stated in 2009, “Everything turned out well because shortly after that I met Katherine Carpenter, a former model, and we’ve been married for 42 years.”
Paul, Jason, and Valentine were McCallum’s three sons from his first marriage, and Peter and Sophie were his son and daughter from his second. Jason overdosed and perished.
“He was a genuine Renaissance man — he was fascinated by science and culture and would turn those passions into knowledge. As an example, according to a statement released by Peter McCallum, he was able to conduct a symphony orchestra and (if necessary) could execute an autopsy based on his decades-long preparation for his role on NCIS.
In 2007, while working on “NCIS,” McCallum told a reporter, “I’ve always felt that the harder I work, the more fortunate I become. I believe in serendipity, but I also believe that dedicating yourself to what you do is the greatest way to succeed in this life.”
SOURCE – (AP)
