Personal Info
Known For:
Acting
Birthday:
September 19, 1933
Place of Birth:
Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Social Media
David McCallum
Biography
David McCallum (September 19, 1933 - September 25, 2023) was a Scottish actor and musician. He gained wide recognition in the 1960s for playing secret agent Illya Kuryakin in the television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. His other notable television roles include Carter in Colditz (1972–1974) and Steel in Sapphire & Steel (1979–1982). Beginning in 2003, McCallum gained renewed international popularity for his role as NCIS medical examiner Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard in the American television series NCIS. On film, McCallum notably appeared in The Great Escape (1963).
He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, to David McCallum Sr., an orchestral violinist, and Dorothy (née Dorman), a cellist. He began his acting career in the early 1950s, appearing in British television shows and films. In 1957, he moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in American cinema.
His breakthrough role came in 1964 when he was cast as Illya Kuryakin in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. The show was a huge success, and he became an international star. After the show ended in 1968, he continued to act in films and television shows, but he never achieved the same level of success.
In 2003, he was cast as Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard in NCIS. The show was a critical and commercial success, and McCallum became one of the most popular members of the cast. He remained with the show for a 20-year run, and became the longest-serving cast member.
In addition to his acting career, he was also a musician. He has released several albums of folk and pop music, and he also toured extensively.
Known For
Filmography
| Year | Movie | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | NCISverse: The First 1,000 | Self |
| 2020 | Charles Bronson: The Spirit of Masculinity | Self (archive footage) |
| 2015 | Batman vs. Robin | Alfred Pennyworth (voice) |
| 2014 | Son of Batman | Alfred Pennyworth (voice) |
| 2009 | Wonder Woman | Zeus (voice) |
| 2008 | Batman: Gotham Knight | Alfred Pennyworth (voice) |
| 2006 | Doctor Who: Origins | Self (archive footage) |
| 2002 | Swindle | Eddie |
| 1999 | Cherry | Mammy |
| 1999 | Television: The First Fifty Years | Illya Kuryakin (archive footage) |
| 1999 | The Titanic Chronicles | Host |
| 1998 | March in Windy City | Daniel Paterson / Dimitri Petrovsky |
| 1998 | Beyond Titanic | Self |
| 1996 | Death Game | Malius |
| 1994 | Ancient Prophecies II: Countdown to Doomsday | Self |
| 1994 | Ancient Prophecies | Self |
| 1994 | Titanic: The Complete Story | Narrator (voice) |
| 1994 | Healer | The Jackal |
| 1993 | Dirty Weekend | Reggie |
| 1993 | Return to 'The Great Escape' | Self |
| 1991 | Hear My Song | Jim Abbott |
| 1991 | Fatal Inheritance | Brandon Murphy |
| 1990 | The Haunting of Morella | Gideon Locke |
| 1989 | The Return of Sam McCloud | Inspector Craig |
| 1988 | The Man Who Lived at the Ritz | Charlie Ritz |
| 1988 | Wall of Tyranny | Sgt. Kemper |
| 1986 | The Wind | John |
| 1985 | Terminal Choice | Dr. Giles Dodson |
| 1985 | 92 Grosvenor Street | |
| 1984 | Master Ninja II | Castile |
| 1984 | The Corvini Inheritance | Frank Lane |
| 1983 | The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.: The Fifteen Years Later Affair | Illya Kuryakin |
| 1980 | The Watcher in the Woods | Paul Curtis |
| 1979 | King Solomon's Treasure | Sir Henry Curtis |
| 1976 | Dogs | Harlan Thompson |
| 1975 | The Kingfisher Caper | Benedict Van Der Byl |
| 1975 | The Invisible Man | Dr. Daniel Westin |
| 1974 | Frankenstein: The True Story | Dr. Clervall |
| 1973 | The Screaming Skull | Luke |
| 1973 | The Six Million Dollar Man: Wine, Women and War | Alexi Kaslov |
| 1972 | She Waits | Mark Wilson |
| 1970 | Hauser's Memory | Hillel Mondoro |
| 1969 | Mosquito Squadron | Quint Monroe |
| 1969 | The File on Devlin | Kenneth Canfield |
| 1969 | Teacher, Teacher | Hamilton Cade |
| 1969 | The Ravine | Sergeant Stephen Holmann |
| 1968 | How to Steal the World | Illya Kuryakin |
| 1968 | The Helicopter Spies | Illya Kuryakin |
| 1968 | Sol Madrid | Sol Madrid |
| 1967 | The Karate Killers | Illya Kuryakin |
| 1967 | Three Bites of the Apple | Stanley Thrumm |
| 1967 | The Spy in the Green Hat | Illya Kuryakin |
| 1967 | Italy's in Season | Self |
| 1966 | Around the World Under the Sea | Dr. Philip Volker |
| 1966 | One Spy Too Many | Illya Kuryakin |
| 1966 | One of Our Spies Is Missing | Illya Kuryakin |
| 1965 | The Greatest Story Ever Told | Judas Iskarioth |
| 1965 | The Spy with My Face | Illya Kuryakin |
| 1965 | The Big T.N.T. Show | Self - Host |
| 1964 | To Trap a Spy | Illya Kuryakin |
| 1964 | The Unknown | Tone Hobart |
| 1963 | The Great Escape | Ashley-Pitt 'Dispersal' |
| 1962 | Billy Budd | Steven Wyatt, Gunnery Officer |
| 1962 | Freud: The Secret Passion | Carl von Schlossen |
| 1962 | Wuthering Heights | Edgar |
| 1961 | The Long and the Short and the Tall | Pvt. Sammy Whitaker |
| 1961 | Caroline of Rijeka | Mr. George |
| 1960 | Jungle Street | Terry Collins |
| 1959 | The Skin of Our Teeth | Henry |
| 1958 | A Night to Remember | Assistant Wireless Operator Harold Bride |
| 1958 | Violent Playground | Johnnie Murphy |
| 1957 | Hell Drivers | Jimmy Yately, Tom's brother |
| 1957 | The Secret Place | Mike Wilson |
| 1957 | Ill Met by Moonlight | Sailor on Pick Up Ship (uncredited bit) |
| 1957 | Robbery Under Arms | Jim Marston |
| 1957 | These Dangerous Years | |
| Ancient Prophecies III: New Visions of the Future | Self |
| Year | TV Show | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | NCIS: New Orleans | Donald Mallard |
| 2011 | The Problem Solverz | |
| 2010 | Ben 10: Ultimate Alien | Professor Paradox (voice) |
| 2008 | Batman: The Brave and the Bold | Merlin (voice) |
| 2006 | The One Show | Self |
| 2006 | The Replacements | C.A.R. (voice) |
| 2003 | NCIS | Dr. Donald 'Ducky' Mallard |
| 2001 | The Education of Max Bickford | |
| 2000 | Deadline | |
| 1998 | Sex and the City | Duncan |
| 1998 | Coming Home | Billy Fawcett |
| 1995 | VR.5 | Dr. Joseph Bloom |
| 1995 | JAG | Donald Mallard |
| 1995 | The Outer Limits | Joshua Hayward |
| 1994 | Babylon 5 | Dr. Vance Hendricks |
| 1994 | Titanic | Narrator |
| 1993 | seaQuest DSV | Frank Cobb |
| 1992 | Heartbeat | Cooper |
| 1990 | Lucky Chances | Bernard Dimes |
| 1990 | Law & Order | Craig Holland |
| 1990 | Cluedo | Professor Plum |
| 1989 | Mother Love | Alex Vesey |
| 1989 | Father Dowling Mysteries | Sir Robert |
| 1988 | Monsters | The Feverman |
| 1986 | Matlock | Philip Dudley |
| 1985 | The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Lieutenant Cavanaugh |
| 1984 | Murder, She Wrote | Cyril Grantham |
| 1984 | Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense | Frank Lane |
| 1984 | Murder, She Wrote | Drew Garrison |
| 1983 | The A-Team | Ivan Tregorin |
| 1982 | Wogan | Self |
| 1979 | Sapphire & Steel | Steel |
| 1979 | Hart to Hart | Geoffrey Atterton |
| 1979 | Kidnapped | Alan Breck Stewart |
| 1975 | The Invisible Man | Dr. Daniel Westin |
| 1973 | Frankenstein: The True Story | Dr. Henri Clerval |
| 1972 | Colditz | Flt. Lt. Simon Carter |
| 1970 | Night Gallery | Dr. Joel Winter |
| 1969 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | Brian Kenny |
| 1965 | Please Don't Eat the Daisies | Illya Kuryakin |
| 1964 | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. | Illya Kuryakin |
| 1964 | Profiles in Courage | John Adams |
| 1964 | Vergißmeinnicht | Self |
| 1963 | The Great Adventure | Capt. Hanning |
| 1963 | The Outer Limits | Gwyllm Griffiths |
| 1963 | The Outer Limits | Tone Hobart |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Self |
| 1961 | Sir Francis Drake | Lord Oakeshott |
| 1961 | The Mike Douglas Show | Self |
| 1960 | Emma | Frank Churchill |
| 1958 | Our Mutual Friend | Eugene Wrayburn |
| 1957 | Perry Mason | Phillipe Bertain |
| 1956 | Armchair Theatre | Narrator |
| 1956 | Armchair Theatre | Jimmy MacGrath |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall of Fame | Hamilton Cade |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall of Fame | Kenneth Canfield |
| 1944 | Golden Globe Awards | Self - Nominee |