Biography for
David McCallum (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

19 September 1933, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Birth Name

David Keith McCallum

Height

5' 7" (1.70 m)

Mini Biography

Since David McCallum's father, David McCallum Sr., was first violinist for the London Philharmonic and his mother, Dorothy Dorman, was a cellist, it's not surprising that David was originally headed for a career in music, playing oboe. He studied briefly at the Royal Academy of Music. He left that, however, for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He made nearly a dozen movies in the United Kingdom before his critically acclaimed work as Lt. Wyatt in Billy Budd (1962). To the older generation, he is perhaps best known for his portrayal of U.N.C.L.E. agent Ilya Kuryakin in the hit TV series "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." (1964). To younger audience, he is best known for his superlative portrayal of Dr. Donald "Duckie" Mallard on the hit CBS series, "NCIS" (2003).

IMDb Mini Biography By: Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu>;corrected by: Susan Rice<ricesu@aol.com> (qv's & corrections by A. Nonymous)

Spouse

Katherine Eaton Carpenter	(16 September 1967 - present) 2 children
Jill Ireland	(11 May 1957 - 8 February 1967) (divorced) 3 children

Trivia

He has a daughter, Sophie, and son, Peter, from his marriage to Katherine Carpenter. Jill Ireland and he had three children, Paul McCallum, Valentine McCallum, and an adopted son, Jason, who died on 7th November 1989 from an accidental drug overdose.

Father was concertmaster and violinist David McCallum Sr.; a black & white photograph from the mid-1960's of David, Sr. and David, Jr. was used during one episode of "NCIS" (2003). The photo can be seen in Victoria's (Ducky's mother's) bedroom in "NCIS: The Meat Puzzle (#2.13)" (2005).

One of the first Brit actors to study the Method style of acting.

His hobbies include golf and computing.

Lives on Long Island, New York

Of the three original stars of "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." (1964), he is the only one who never appeared on the spin-off series "The Girl from U.N.C.L.E." (1966).

His first wife, Jill Ireland, met her second husband, Charles Bronson, during the filming of The Great Escape (1963).

Has appeared in episodes of three different series with Robert Vaughn: "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." (1964), "Please Don't Eat the Daisies" (1965) and "The A-Team" (1983).

Was stricken with rheumatic fever as a child.

Son, Valentine McCallum, is a respected guitarist and session musician, recording and performing with artists Jonatha Brooke, Vonda Shepard and Sheryl Crow.

According to McCallum himself in a 2009 interview in Monte Carlo, at the time of the interview he had 5 grandchildren and one on the way.

Along with Leonard Nimoy, Cliff Robertson, Barbara Rush and Peter Breck, he is one of only five actors to appear in both "The Outer Limits" (1963) and "The Outer Limits" (1995).

He was diagnosed with Dupuytren's contracture (a common benign condition which involves the thickening and contracture of the fibrous connective tissue beneath the skin of the palm). He underwent surgery in mid-2009 to alleviate the condition. Other sufferers of the condition are Bill Nighy and Ronald Reagan.

Became close friends with Donald Pleasence and James Garner, while filming The Great Escape (1963).

Best known by the public for his starring roles as secret agent Illya Kuryakin on "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." (1964) and as head medical examiner Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard on "NCIS" (2003).

Personal Quotes

I feel it's a person's duty to participate in the governing of the country in which he lives.

But so far as countries are concerned, I don't go to a place to see what's there, but who is there.

I didn't want to be famous. I just wanted to earn enough money to have a nice life and enjoy acting.

Fear, conformity, immorality: these are heavy burdens. They drain us of creative energy. And when we are drained of creative energy, we do not create. We procreate, but we do not create.

Sid James was a great actor and a funny man.

Where Are They Now

(December 2006) Official residence is Manhattan. Lives part time in California while filming NCIS