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‘Illya Kuryakin’ Signs Up for More ‘NCIS’

May 1, 2012  •  Post A Comment

The actor who made his name in U.S. television playing Illya Kuryakin in the 1960s spy series “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” has signed up to remain on “NCIS” for two more years. David McCallum will stay with the top-ranked CBS drama in his role as medical examiner Donald "Ducky" Mallard, Deadline.com reports.

The Scottish-born McCallum is one of the original four original “NCIS” cast members whose contracts were due to be up at the end of this season, along with Michael Weatherly, Pauley Perrette and Sean Murray, who joined “NCIS” during season one.

When the contracts for all four came up two years ago, McCallum was the first to sign, as he was again this year, the story notes. Last time around, negotiations with the other three actors dragged into June — and there’s some sign it could happen again, the piece reports.

Since the iconic 1964-1968 NBC series “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” where McCallum played Kuryakin opposite Robert Vaughn’s Napoleon Solo, McCallum has kept busy with series work including “Colditz” (1972-1974), “The Invisible Man” (1975-1976), “Sapphire & Steel” (1979-1982) and “The Replacements” (2006-2009). He has been a regular on “NCIS” since 2003.

“NCIS” was recently renewed for a 10th season.

Robert-Vaughn-David-McCallum-Man-from-UNCLE.jpgDavid McCallum, right, with Robert Vaughn in ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’

6 Comments

  1. Wow, to refer to David McCallum as Illya Kuryakin in the headline is pretty sad given how long ago that was. I wouldn’t be surprised if he took out his pen and asked to “open channel D” so he could complain.

  2. Maybe David’s other castmates should discuss the period 1982 – 2006 with David. That may help them understand that what they have here is a great thing that isn’t easily replicated. They should be smart and not screw a good thing up.

  3. He did have a role in one of the very first episodes of Babylon 5 in 1993.

  4. He was also in the TV series VR.5 with Lori Singer, Louise Fletcher, Will Patton, and Anthony Stewart Head.

  5. you are so wrong! Just reading the name Illya Kuryakin name put a huge smile on my face! While he is great in his current role he will always be Illya to me, and I bet he is still proud of that character!

  6. Just because he wasn’t a regular in any series between 1982 & 2003 doesn’t mean he wasn’t working. I wish somebody would broadcast SAPPHIRE & STEEL over here – that was a really good series. The shot-on-video budget does date it somewhat but the scripts, for the most part, are so good you don’t notice. With McCallum and Joanna Lumley headlining it, you’d think SOMEONE would program it here! At least it finally came out on DVD in the US.

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