The British actor David McCallum, who grew into a celebrity in the 1960s thanks to his role as a personal agent in The Man from U.N.C.L.E., has passed away at the age of 90. Most especially, the Scotsman’s long term as NCIS’s medical examiner made him a household name.
‘NCIS’ actor David McCallum has died at the age of 90. pic.twitter.com/blRVakNRgj
— Pop Base (@PopBase) September 25, 2023
“We will miss his warmth and endearing sense of humor that lit up any room or soundstage he stepped onto,” the NCIS account wrote on social media.
Aside from Colditz, the actor was also in The Invisible Man and Sapphire & Steel.
The NCIS memorial read, “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.”
He became one of the biggest TV stars of the decade thanks to his performance as the mysterious Soviet agent Illya Kuryakin in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. The show-stopped in 1968, but not before he was nominated for multiple awards.
After that, in the BBC’s Colditz, set in a German POW camp during World War II, he portrayed an RAF officer. He played the role of a scientist who discovers the ability to become invisible by accident in the film The Invisible Man.
Near the end of the 1970s, he linked up with Joanna Lumley to play a time-traveling agent in Sapphire & Steel who was tasked by a mysterious authority with protecting the fabric of time itself.
McCallum’s filmography includes hits like The Great Escape and A Night to Remember as well as lesser-known fare like The Greatest Story Ever Told. Both Perry Mason and The Outer Limits featured him in guest roles.
McCallum, who started out as a musician before becoming an actor, was born in Glasgow to parents who were both classical musicians.
Music By Dr. Dre
He worked with producer David Axelrod to create four albums for Capitol Records in the ’60s. Dr. Dre sampled one of his songs, The Edge, for his 2000 smash single The Next Episode, which featured Snoop Dogg.
The 2008 video game Grand Theft Auto IV and the 2017 film Baby Driver both featured McCallum’s instrumental original. Peter McCallum, his son, said in a statement provided by CBS, “He was the kindest, coolest, most patient, and loving father.” He was a selfless family man.
“He was a true renaissance man – he was fascinated by science and culture and would turn those passions into knowledge.”
“For example, he was capable of conducting a symphony orchestra and (if needed) could actually perform an autopsy, based on his decades-long studies for his role on NCIS.”
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No One Did It Better
The actor passed away on Monday in New York. Natural causes were cited as the cause of his death. Michael Weatherly, another NCIS cast member, also attended the memorial.
Weatherly sent an autographed photo of McCallum and Steve McQueen from their film The Great Escape with the words, “David McCallum made every moment count, in life and on set.” Let’s have a drink in his honor because he’s a humorous, great, and genuine human being.
“I’ve only got three autographs. [Sean] Connery, Tony Bennett, and McCallum,” he continued. “I felt the same way as Steve McQueen in this picture from The Great Escape: Wow! It’s David McCallum! No one did it better.”
Wilmer Valderama, who also stars in NCIS, posted a photo of himself with actor David McCallum, writing that it was an “immense honor” to work alongside McCallum. You will be remembered for your “professionalism and ability to take all of us on a journey through your art with ease,” he added.
According to Emily Wickersham’s Instagram post, “Had the pleasure of working with David for many years and he was the utmost professional and a true legend.”
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McCallum was cast in his NCIS role after an appearance on JAG, the show that eventually spawned NCIS. NCIS spawned spinoffs in other cities, including Los Angeles and New Orleans. Voice acting for children’s cartoons and computer games was another source of income for McCallum.
