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ACTOR DAVID MCCALLUM, who became a teen heartthrob in the hit series The Man From U.N.C.L.E. in the 1960s and was the eccentric medical examiner in the popular NCIS 40 years later, has died aged 90.
He died yesterday of natural causes surrounded by family at New York Presbyterian Hospital, CBS said in a statement.
“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,” said a statement from CBS.
Scottish-born McCallum had been doing well appearing in such films as A Night To Remember (about the Titanic), The Great Escape and The Greatest Story Ever Told (as Judas).
But it was The Man From U.N.C.L.E. that made the blond actor with the Beatles’ haircut a household name in the mid 1960s.
The success of the James Bond books and films had set off a chain reaction, with secret agents proliferating on both large and small screens.
Indeed, Bond creator Ian Fleming contributed some ideas as The Man From U.N.C.L.E. was being developed, according to Jon Heitland’s The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Book.
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Loved him as the Invisible Man. RIP.
@Declan Gibney: I never saw him in the Invisible Man. Great actor though. Will be missed.
@Declan Gibney: very fond memories of that series and the Gemini man as a kid.
@: that’s because he was invisible! :)
@Declan Gibney: Oh yeah, I remember that from when I was really young. That was great, and spooky.
@Declan Gibney:
I never saw him on that.
RIP David, watched him for years on NCIS, going strong in current S20.
Remember The Man from UNCLE fondly.
A great age.
May he rest in eternal peace.
RIP David
I loved him in Sapphire & Steel
@Bruno: That was fun even if the intro annoyed me… They’re not elements…
@Bruno: I was flabbergasted they hadn’t mentioned Sapphire & Steel. Anyways, mee too, loved him in that one.
R.I.P AND WHAT AN ACTOR FOR HIS DAY
Man from U.N.C.L.E – I was a club member as a kid. RIP David.
@Jimmy Wallace: Badge & ID
@Jimmy Wallace: All of the above! They put coded messages in one of the evening papers and you had to use the code breaker to decode them. He was great as Dr. “Ducky” Mallard in NCIS. RIP.
He was great in Sapphire and Steel. R.I.P David.
Aww loved him in The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
@Anne Collins: His favourite dessert was Strawberries and Cream !!! RIP
David’s song from Kidnapped was v popular in the 70s and he was brilliant as Alan Breck Stewart. He was in so many good shows and made a great hero.
RIP David.
Brings back wonderful memories of the theme to the weekly series “Kidnapped” and the song David’s Theme. The uillean pipes in the series was played by another legend Liam O’Flynn. Well worth a listen to.
RIP Ducky
Illya Kuryakin, a name that has stuck in my head.
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