The Deep Cut David McCallum Reference You Missed On NCIS
Long-running crime procedural NCIS has seen plenty of well-regarded industry veterans join its cast. The series is headlined by former St. Elsewhere and Chicago Hope star Mark Harmon and has counted actors such as Golden Globe nominee Maria Bello and That ’70s Show star Wilmer Valderrama among its series regular ranks. However, none of them quite compare to Scottish actor David McCallum. Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard is but one of many roles in McCallum’s career, which has spanned for over 60 years.
Along with Agent Gibbs (Harmon), Ducky is one of the longest surviving characters in NCIS history. The wise and affable medical examiner has been known throughout the series to dispense invaluable life advice, provide expert opinions that are honed by decades of experience, and, on more than one occasion, thrill viewers with flashbacks to various events from his storied past. In later seasons, Ducky retired as medical examiner and took over the role of NCIS historian, a fitting position given his longevity.
Ducky takes to the role of NCIS historian like a, well, duck to water. In many ways, Ducky himself is a living history of both the show and the investigatory team at its center. Similarly, McCallum’s mere presence on the series has provided the opportunity to make some fun allusions to the actor’s real-life history.
One episode in particular features a cheeky callback to what is arguably McCallum’s best-known role. It’s a reference that only serious McCallum stans (Lil’ Quakers?) or fans of 1960s TV would have picked up on.
NCIS’ Ducky meta-moment
