R.I.P., David McCallum: NCIS Cast Members Past and Present Pay Tribute to Actor Behind ‘Ducky’

Michael Ausiello
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David McCallum’s NCIS family is remembering their beloved co-star in the wake of his death Monday at age 90.

“David made every moment count, in life and on set,” shared former cast member Michael Weatherly on X (fka Twitter). “Let’s raise a jug and celebrate a funny fantastic authentic man… We were lucky to have him bring us Ducky. Let’s send all the love in the world to his beautiful family.” (Read Mark Harmon’s tribute here.)

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Fellow NCIS alum Emily Wickersham called McCallum “an utmost professional and a true legend” in an Instagram story, adding, “I will miss you David.”

Also on Instagram, current cast member Katrina Law shared a photo of McCallum above the caption, “R.I.P.”

Brian Dietzen, who plays Ducky’s protégé Dr. Jimmy Palmer on the CBS procedural, posted a series of photos of McCallum on Instagram along with a heartfelt caption: “David McCallum was a mentor, a great scene partner, a wonderful father and husband, and he was my dear friend… He was a joy to work with. Always had a smile. Always had something new to add to the page, and ALWAYS had the ability to steal every scene he was in!… The friendship and respect people saw between Ducky and Jimmy over the years mirrored the relationship we’d developed off camera.”

Wilmer Valderrama, who currently stars on NCIS as special agent Nick Torres, added his own tribute: “David, what an immense honor it was to share the screen with you. Your professionalism and ability to effortlessly take every one of us on a journey through your art will be felt forever. I will miss you my friend.”

NCIS‘ current exec producers Seven D. Binder and David North, meanwhile, said that as much as fans loved McCallum and ‘Ducky,’ “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 one, it was an honor to work with him and he never let us down. He was, quite simply, a legend.”

As we reported, McCallum died Monday morning of natural causes at New York Presbyterian Hospital.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of David McCallum and privileged that CBS was his home for so many years,” said a CBS rep in a statement. “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.  We will miss his warmth and endearing sense of humor that lit up any room or soundstage he stepped onto, as well as the brilliant stories he often shared from a life well-lived.”

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