David McCallum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David McCallum
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McCallum in 1968
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David Keith McCallum
19 September 1933 Lennoxtown, Scotland
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| Died | 25 September 2023 (aged 90) New York City, New York, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Royal Academy of Dramatic Art |
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| Years active | 1946–2023 |
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| Children | 5; including Val McCallum |
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David Keith McCallum (born September 19, 1933 – died September 25, 2023) was a Scottish actor and musician. He became very famous in the 1960s for playing the cool secret agent Illya Kuryakin in the TV show The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Later, he became popular again as Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard in the American TV series NCIS, starting in 2003. He also appeared in the well-known movie The Great Escape in 1963.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
David Keith McCallum was born in Maryhill, Glasgow, Scotland, on September 19, 1933. His father, David McCallum Sr., was an orchestra violinist, and his mother, Dorothy, was a cellist. When David was three, his family moved to London. His father became the leader of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. During World War II, David and his mother moved back to Scotland for safety.
David won a scholarship to University College School in London. His parents wanted him to have a music career, so he played the oboe. At 13, he started doing boy voices for BBC radio. When he was 17, he acted in a play called A Midsummer Night's Dream. After school, he joined the British Army for a short time. Later, he studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
Acting Career Highlights
David McCallum started his acting career with small parts in British films in the late 1950s. One of his first roles was in Whom the Gods Love, Die Young. He also played a radio operator on the RMS Titanic in the film A Night to Remember (1958).
His first American movie was Freud: The Secret Passion (1962). Then he appeared in Billy Budd. In 1963, he played Lt. Cmdr. Eric Ashley-Pitt in the famous war movie The Great Escape. He also played Judas Iscariot in the 1965 film The Greatest Story Ever Told.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Fame
The TV show The Man from U.N.C.L.E. made David McCallum a huge star. He played the mysterious Russian agent Illya Kuryakin. His character was originally a small part. But David made Kuryakin a complex and interesting person. People loved him, and his chemistry with co-star Robert Vaughn was clear. Soon, David became a co-star.
Even though the show was during the Cold War, David's Russian character became a pop culture hit. He received more fan mail than any other actor in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's history. Fans were so excited about him, it was like "Beatlemania." There was even a song called "Love Ya, Illya." A rock-rap group from Argentina later named themselves Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas after his character.
David was nominated for two Emmy Awards for playing Illya Kuryakin. He and Robert Vaughn played their characters again in a 1983 TV movie. They also reunited in an episode of The A-Team in 1986.
A funny story: a Secret Service agent once told David at the White House, "You're the reason I got this job."
Other Notable Roles
After The Man from U.N.C.L.E., David McCallum kept acting in many British TV shows. These included Colditz (1972–74) and the science-fiction series Sapphire & Steel (1979–82). In 1975, he starred in a short-lived American version of The Invisible Man.
He also appeared in plays in Australia. David played supporting roles in several movies. He was the main character in the 1968 thriller Sol Madrid. He guest-starred in shows like Murder, She Wrote and Babylon 5.
In 1994, David narrated a documentary called Titanic: The Complete Story. This was his second project about the Titanic. He had a small role in the 1958 film A Night to Remember.
NCIS Success
In 2003, David McCallum began starring in the CBS TV series NCIS. He played Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard, the team's chief medical examiner. Ducky became one of the show's most loved characters. In one episode, another character joked that a younger Ducky looked like Illya Kuryakin.
To play Ducky, David became very knowledgeable about forensics. He even went to medical examiner conventions. The show's creator, Donald P. Bellisario, said David's knowledge was so great that he thought about making him a technical adviser for the show.
David signed new contracts to stay on NCIS for many years. He continued to be a regular on the show even past his 80th birthday. When the main star, Mark Harmon, left in 2021, David McCallum became the last original cast member still on NCIS.
Music and Writing
In the 1960s, David McCallum recorded four music albums. He was a classically trained musician. He didn't sing on these albums. Instead, he created instrumental music using instruments like the oboe and strings, mixed with guitar and drums. One of his most famous pieces is "The Edge." This song was later used by the rapper Dr. Dre in his song "The Next Episode." "The Edge" also appeared in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV and the movie Baby Driver.
David also played instruments and sang in some episodes of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. In the 1970s, he recorded audio versions of three scary stories by H. P. Lovecraft.
In 2016, David McCallum published a crime novel called Once a Crooked Man. The story takes place in New York and London. He said he was working on a second novel.
Personal Life
On May 11, 1957, David married English actress Jill Ireland. They had three sons: Paul, Jason, and Valentine (Val). Their son Val McCallum is a guitar player who has worked with famous musicians like Jackson Browne. David and Jill were married for ten years.
In 1967, David married Katherine Carpenter. They had a son, Peter, and a daughter, Sophie. David and Katherine supported charities that help the United States Marine Corps. On August 27, 1999, David became a citizen of the United States. He had six grandchildren.
Death
David McCallum passed away in New York City on September 25, 2023. He was 90 years old, having just celebrated his birthday a week earlier.
Images for kids
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McCallum in 2015
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McCallum in 1969
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McCallum as Illya Kuryakin
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McCallum in October 2012
See also
In Spanish: David McCallum para niños
