By Kayla DeKraker
Former NCIS star Mark Harmon recently reflected on the beginnings of the show and his late friend and co-star David McCallum.
“In the early days of that show, that was a machine. I mean…we didn’t even have scripts. You didn’t have a full script to read when you started the show,” Harmon recalled in an episode of the “NCIS: Partners & Probies” podcast.
He continued, “There were times when you were on set in the beginning when you were getting the pages then. You’d never seen them. So aside from the fact that you’re an actor, with someone like Brian [Dietzen] who had, you know, three pages of medical dialog to not only commit to memory but also figure out how to walk around a set and be in the right place to do what he did, that’s how McCallum did it.”
Related: David McCallum’s Lasting NCIS Legacy
Harmon, who played Leroy Gibbs for many years on NCIS, explained how McCallum’s confidence affected other actors on the show.
“We all learned from David, but David would also walk over and say, ‘This is where I’m going to be. This is what I’m going to do.’ So people like DPs had no say in where they were going to put the camera,” he said.
McCallum, who played medical examiner Donald “Ducky” Mallard, died in 2023 at age 90.
“He was a true renaissance man — he was fascinated by science and culture and would turn those passions into knowledge,” his son Peter said after his death. “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.”
McCallum remained a series regular up until his death, the last remaining original NCIS cast member.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of David McCallum and privileged that CBS was his home for so many years,” CBS said in a statement at the time. “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. Our hearts go out to his wife Katherine and his entire family, and all those who knew and loved David.”
Though actors have come and gone, NCIS continues to be one of the top-running dramas on air.
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