Late David McCallum who played the character Donald “Ducky” Mallard, D.H.L. (hon.) served as the NCIS Historian and was a retired physician. He also held the position of the official Medical Examiner for the NCIS Major Case Response Team, which was led by NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. In the end we will also reveal the estimated net worth of David McCallum.
In March 2019, Ducky stepped down from his role as NCIS’s Chief Medical Examiner, with his previous Assistant, Dr. James Palmer, taking over the position. After retiring, he embraced the new role of NCIS Historian. Ducky passed away peacefully in his sleep in May 2023, at the start of The Stories We Leave Behind (NCIS Season 21 Episode 2). Today we will throw light on 9 unsaid facts relating to Ducky that fans may or may not know.
9 Unsaid Facts About The Most Beloved NCIS Character Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard
1) During autopsies of murder victims, Ducky frequently engages in conversation with them, sharing a short amusing or interesting story about a real incident from his own life.
2) Co-incidentally, both character Ducky and his actor, David McCallum, hail from Scotland and have military backgrounds. However, it’s worth noting that while McCallum served in the British Army in reality, Ducky was a member of the Royal Army Medical Corps.
3) He seldom uses nicknames for anyone, referring to Abby as “Abigail”, Ellie as “Eleanor”, and Kate as “Caitlin.”
4) Ducky, Timothy McGee, Jimmy Palmer & Leroy Jethro Gibbs, are the sole main characters who have encountered every other main character in the mothership.
5) In the episode Meat Puzzle (Season 2 Episode 13), Kate Todd inquires about Ducky’s appearance in his younger days. Gibbs responds with “Illya Kuryakin.” This alludes to David McCallum’s portrayal of Illya Kuryakin in the television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
6) Beginning with Season 19, David McCallum is now credited as “with David McCallum”, appearing before Rocky Carroll in the credits, rather than the typical “and David McCallum” where he was listed after Rocky.
7) Donald Mallard is affectionately called Ducky, a name derived from his last name, Mallard, which refers to a type of duck. This nickname may also allude to the famous cartoon character, Donald Duck.
8) David McCallum was the first main cast member of NCIS to pass away. He died in September 2023, only a few months prior to the commencement of filming for Season 21.
9) Ducky is the third character in the NCIS franchise and notably the first main character from the flagship series to pass away due to the death of an actor. Jackson Gibbs, another character from the flagship series, faced a similar fate when Ralph Waite passed away in 2014. Additionally, Owen Granger from NCIS Los Angeles also succumbed to this unfortunate circumstance following the death of the actor, Miguel Ferrer, in 2017.
Who Was David McCallum ?
David Keith McCallum was a Scottish actor and musician who made his mark in the United States. He became widely known in the 1960s for his portrayal of secret agent Illya Kuryakin in the TV Series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Additionally, he is remembered for his significant roles in television, including Simon Carter in Colditz and Steel in Sapphire & Steel.
David McCallum Date of Birth
David McCallum was born on 19th September 1933, in Glasgow, United Kingdom.
David McCallum Parents & Siblings
David McCallum’s father, David Fotheringham McCallum, was a distinguished Scottish orchestral violinist who led both the London Philharmonic and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras. His mother, Dorothy McCallum, was a talented cellist. Together, they were both accomplished musicians with classical training. David McCallum had a brother, Iain McCallum, who is well-known as an author.
David McCallum Nationality, Religion & Ethnicity
David McCallum is a Christian by religion with British Nationality. His ethnicity is mixed. He is of Scottish descent.
David McCallum Education
David McCallum received a scholarship to University College School, an independent boys’ school located in Hampstead, London. At the age of 13, in 1946, he started providing boy voices for the BBC radio repertory company. He departed from school at 18 and was drafted for National Service. In March 1954, he achieved the rank of lieutenant. Following his military service, he pursued studies at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
David McCallum Profession & Career
David McCallum made his Hollywood debut in 1957 with the movie III Met by Moonlight. 4 years ago, he stepped onto the television scene with the TV Mini Series The Rose and the Ring. He gained widespread recognition for his portrayal of Illya Kuryakin in the acclaimed TV Series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. His last TV Series NCIS NEW ORLEANS premiered in 2014. To date, David McCallum has appeared in over 100 Hollywood productions, including various TV Series.
David McCallum Movies & TV Series
| Year | Movies / TV Series |
| 1953 | The Rose and the Ring (TV Mini-Series) |
| 1956 | ITV Television Playhouse (TV Series) |
| 1957 | III Met by Moonlight |
| 1957 | The Secret Place |
| 1957 | These Dangerous Years |
| 1957 | Hell Drivers |
| 1957 | Robbery Under Arms |
| 1958 | Violent Playground |
| 1958 | Television World Theatre (TV Series) |
| 1958 | Saturday Playhouse (TV Series) |
| 1958 | A Night to Remember |
| 1958 | Our Mutual Friend (TV Mini-Series) |
| 1959 | The Eustace Diamonds (TV Series) |
| 1959 | BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (TV Series) |
| 1959 | Antigone |
| 1959 | Armchair Theatre (TV Series) |
| 1959 | ITV Play of the Week (TV Series) |
| 1960 | Emma (TV Mini-Series) |
| 1960 | BBC Sunday-Night Play (TV Series) |
| 1960 | Knight Errant Limited (TV Series) |
| 1961 | The Long and the Short and the Tall |
| 1961 | Karolina Rijecka |
| 1961 | Jungle Street |
| 1961 | Sir Francis Drake (TV Series) |
| 1962 | Wuthering Heights |
| 1962 | Billy Budd |
| 1962 | Freud |
| 1963 | The Great Escape |
| 1963 | The Outer Limits (TV Series) |
| 1964 | The Travel of Jaimie McPheeters (TV Series) |
| 1964 | Perry Mason (TV Series) |
| 1964 | The Great Adventure (TV Series) |
| 1964 | The Unknown |
| 1964 | Profiles in Courage (TV Series) |
| 1964 | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (TV Series) |
| 1965 | The Greatest Story Ever Told |
| 1965 | The Spy with My Face |
| 1966 | Please Don’t Eat the Daisies (TV Series) |
| 1966 | Around the World Under the Sea |
| 1967 | The Spy in the Green Hat |
| 1967 | Three Bites of the Apple |
| 1968 | The Heroin Gang |
| 1969 | Teacher, Teacher |
| 1969 | Mosquito Squadron |
| 1969 | The Ravine |
| 1969 | The File on Devlin |
| 1970 | Hauser’s Memory |
| 1971 | Night Gallery (TV Series) |
| 1971 | The Man and the City (TV Series) |
| 1972 | She Waits |
| 1972 | Marcus Welby, M.D. (TV Series) |
| 1972 | Norman Corwin Presents (TV Series) |
| 1972 | Colditz (TV Series) |
| 1973 | The Wide World of Mystery (TV Series) |
| 1973 | The Six Million Dollar Man – Wine, Women and War |
| 1973 | Frankenstein – The True Story |
| 1975 | The Kingfisher Caper |
| 1975 | The Invisible Man (TV Series) |
| 1976 | Bert D’Angelo/Superstar (TV Series) |
| 1977 | Dogs |
| 1978 | Kidnapped (TV Mini-Series) |
| 1979 | King Solomon’s Treasure |
| 1979 | Sapphire & Steel (TV Series) |
| 1980 | The Watcher in the Woods |
| 1982 | Strike Force (TV Series) |
| 1983 | Hart to Hart (TV Series) |
| 1983 | The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E. – The Fifteen Years Later Affair |
| 1983 | As the World Turns (TV Series) |
| 1984 | The Master (TV Series) |
| 1984 | Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense (TV Series) |
| 1985 | Terminal Choice |
| 1985 | Behind Enemy Lines |
| 1985 | Those Golden Years |
| 1986 | The A-Team (TV Series) |
| 1986 | Edge of Terror |
| 1987 | Az Aranyifju |
| 1987 | Matlock (TV Series) |
| 1988 | Wall of Tyranny |
| 1988 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) |
| 1988 | Monsters (TV Series) |
| 1988 | The Man Who Lived at the Ritz |
| 1989 | The Return of Sam McCloud |
| 1989 | Mother Love (TV Mini-Series) |
| 1989 | Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) |
| 1990 | The Haunting of Morella |
| 1990 | Father Dowling Investigates (TV Series) |
| 1990 | Lucky Chances (TV Mini-Series) |
| 1990 | Boon (TV Series) |
| 1990 | Mystery! (TV Series) |
| 1991 | Cluedo (TV Series) |
| 1991 | Hear My Song |
| 1991 | Trainer (TV Series) |
| 1993 | Dirty Weekend |
| 1993 | Seaquest DSV (TV Series) |
| 1993 | Fatal Inheritance |
| 1994 | Shattered Image |
| 1994 | Baylon 5 (TV Series) |
| 1994 | Healer |
| 1994 | Heartbeat (TV Series) |
| 1995 | VR. 5 (TV Series) |
| 1996 | Death Game |
| 1996 | Mr. & Mrs. Smith (TV Series) |
| 1997 | Law & Order (TV Series) |
| 1997 | The Outer Limits (TV Series) |
| 1997 | Team Knight Rider (TV Series) |
| 1998 | Three (TV Series) |
| 1998 | March in Windy City |
| 1998 | Coming Home (TV Mini-Series) |
| 1999 | S** and the City (TV Series) |
| 1999 | Cherry |
| 2000 | Deadline (TV Series) |
| 2001 | The Education of Max Bickford (TV Series) |
| 2002 | Jeremiah (TV Series) |
| 2003 | JAG (TV Series) |
| 2003 | NCIS (TV Series) |
| 2006 | The Replacements (TV Series) |
| 2008 | Ben 10 – Alien Force (TV Series) |
| 2009 | Batman – The Brave and The Bold (TV Series) |
| 2010 | Ben 10 – The Ultimate Alien (TV Series) |
| 2013 | Omniverse (TV Series) |
| 2014 | NCIS – New Orleans (TV Series) |
| 2014 | Son of Batman |
David McCallum Award
In 1966, David McCallum received the Laurel Award for Best New Male Face.
David McCallum Net Worth
The estimated net worth of actor David McCallum, who sadly passed away in 2023, was around $15 million. This wealth was accumulated over a remarkable seven-decade career in both acting and music. At the height of his career, he reportedly earned about $175,000 per episode for his iconic role as Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard on the hit TV series NCIS.
David McCallum Wives & Children
David McCallum was married two times. Initially to actress Jill Ireland and subsequently to model and interior designer Katherine Carpenter.
David McCallum and Jill Ireland tied the knot in 1957 after they crossed paths on the set of the film Hell Drivers. Together, they welcomed three sons – Paul, Valentine, and Jason (who was adopted). However, their marriage concluded in 1967. Following this, Ireland married actor Charles Bronson in 1968, whom she had met while filming The Great Escape alongside McCallum.
In 1965, David McCallum encountered Katherine Carpenter during a photo shoot for Glamour magazine. They exchanged vows on September 16, 1967, and enjoyed a partnership that lasted 56 years until McCallum’s passing in 2023. The couple was blessed with a son, Peter, and a daughter, Sophie.
David McCallum Death
Actor David McCallum passed away from natural causes at the age of 90 on September 25, 2023. He died at New York Presbyterian Hospital, with his family by his side. His death came just days following his 90th birthday, coinciding with CBS’s airing of an NCIS 20th anniversary mini-marathon.