NCIS star Brian Dietzen recently shared a heartfelt story about his late co-star, David McCallum, who famously portrayed Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard.
As NCIS prepares for its 23rd season, Dietzen—who now plays Chief Medical Examiner Jimmy Palmer—reflected on a special memory involving McCallum.
In a recent Instagram post, the 47-year-old actor revealed that while moving house, he rediscovered a unique fan gift: an original Man From U.N.C.L.E. action figure from McCallum’s early acting career in the 1960s.
Dietzen explained that a fan had sent him the collectible along with a handwritten letter, sharing that they had even sewn tiny scrubs for the figure to create a creative crossover between Jimmy Palmer and McCallum’s character Illya Kuryakin.
The thoughtful gesture left a lasting impression on both actors. Dietzen shared that when he showed the gift to McCallum, the late star simply laughed and reacted warmly with a joyful “Ha!”
“Thank you to the creative person behind this one-of-a-kind piece,” Dietzen wrote, expressing his appreciation for the heartfelt tribute.
McCallum passed away on September 25, 2023, at the age of 90. NCIS later honored him with the emotional Season 21 episode “The Stories We Leave Behind,” which aired in 2024. Co-written by Dietzen, the episode featured the team completing one of Ducky’s final cases and included a surprise return of Michael Weatherly as Tony DiNozzo to pay tribute.