Mark Harmon left “NCIS” in Season 19, meaning he and David McCallum worked together for 19 years. That’s a long time to get to know someone, and it seems they developed a genuine friendship. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight in 2019, later transcribed by the Man from UNCLE Canteen, Harmon said, “I’ll always remember David McCallum. And I thought that from day one here, because I thought how fortunate this entire cast, whoever it is, is lucky enough to work with him and watch his work ethic every day. And take from his experience, what he’s had in this industry, for a number of years, in different shows.”
McCallum had acted for decades in dozens of projects, but it’s safe to say modern audiences knew him most as Ducky on “NCIS.” Following news of his death, many of his “NCIS” co-stars posted their condolences on social media. Harmon also released a statement to TV Line, detailing how much working with McCallum meant to him: “David lived a great, full, long life. I was in awe when I first met him and all of us on the show were honored to have toed a mark opposite him. My condolences go out to [McCallum’s wife] Katherine and his family.”
It’s clear from these messages that McCallum’s work impacted more than audiences. He touched the lives of all those who worked with him.
