26-09-23 | Actor David McCallum has died aged 90. He was best known as the second lead in sixties spy series The Man from UNCLE, which premiered in 1964 and ran for four seasons. As Russian spy Illya Kuryakin, McCallum’s popularity rivalled that of series lead Robert Vaughn. The show, which James Bond creator Ian Fleming helped develop, was one of the highlights of the 1960s spy craze.
Following The Man from UNCLE, David McCallum became a reliable character actor in film and television. He played the lead in several cult series of his own: The Invisible Man from 1975 to 1976 and Sapphire & Steel from 1979 to 1982. He also appeared in the notable war series Colditz and the classic film The Great Escape.
McCallum was born in Scotland in 1933 as part of a musical family. He briefly pursued music, before being bitten by the acting bug. His background led to him recording several albums in the 1960s. McCallum’s fruitful career culminated in American crime drama NCIS, in which he has appeared for a staggering 20 years! Pathologist Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard brought McCallum to the attention of a whole new generation of fans. He died peacefully in New York of natural cause.