David Keith McCallum Jr.

David Keith McCallum Jr. was born in Glasgow, Scotland, to classical violinist and cellist parents. He studied oboe at the Royal Academy of Music in London before training at RADA. In 1963, he appeared in John Sturges' classic World War II escape epic The Great Escape as Lt. Cmdr. Eric Ashley-Pitt ("Dispersal").

In 1964, McCallum was cast as enigmatic Soviet secret agent Illya Kuryakin opposite Robert Vaughn in the espionage TV series The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. His brooding charm, blond mop-top haircut, and turtleneck sweaters sparked a Beatlemania-like frenzy, generating record fan mail and two Emmy nominations. He was also a talented composer whose instrumental tracks like "The Edge" were heavily sampled by hip-hop producers, including Dr. Dre for "The Next Episode." In 2003, at age 70, McCallum was cast as eccentric medical examiner Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard in CBS's NCIS, playing the beloved character for twenty consecutive seasons.