Pauley Perrette Pays Emotional Tribute to ‘NCIS’ Co-Star David McCallum

Pauley Perrette is paying tribute to her late NCIS co-star David McCallum. After the actor, who played Dr. Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard on the CBS procedural for two decades, died Monday due to natural causes at the age of 90, Perrette took to Instagram to share some of her favorite moments with her former colleague. 

“Oh David. What a life. What a legend. What a journey,” Perrette wrote alongside photos of her time playing Abby Sciuto alongside McCallum on NCIS throughout their 15 seasons together. And your legacy will always be the love you have for your family.” Perrette concluded, “Love to Katherine and the kids and the grandkids, your absolutely very favorite things.”

Perrette isn’t the only NCIS alum to pay tribute to McCallum. “David lived a great, full, long life,” Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs actor Mar Harmon told TVLine. “I was in awe when I first met him and all of us on the show were honored to have toed a mark opposite him. My condolences go out to Katherine and his family.” Michael Weatherly, who played Anthony “Tony” DiNozzo on the naval procedural, took to social media with a message of his own. 

“David McCallum made every moment count, in life and on set. Let’s raise a jug and celebrate a funny fantastic authentic man,” he wrote, noting that he made sure to get an autograph from his former co-star – and honor he only shares with Tony Bennett and Sean Connery. “No one did it better,” Weatherly continued. “We were lucky to have him bring us Ducky. Let’s send all the love in the world to his beautiful family. Rest In Peace David.”

McCallum was also remembered by NCIS‘ current executive producers, Steven D. Binder and David North. “For over 20 years, David McCallum endeared himself to audiences around the world playing the wise, quirky, and sometimes enigmatic, Dr. Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard,” they said in a statement. “But as much as his fans may have loved him, those who worked side by side with David loved him that much more. He was a scholar and a gentleman, always gracious, a consummate professional, and never one to pass up a joke. From day one, it was an honor to work with him and he never let us down. He was, quite simply, a legend. He was also family and will be deeply missed.”

A CBS spokesperson added, “We are deeply saddened by the passing of David McCallum and privileged that CBS was his home for so many years. David was a gifted actor and author, and beloved by many around the world. He led an incredible life, and his legacy will forever live on through his family and the countless hours on film and television that will never go away. We will miss his warmth and endearing sense of humor that lit up any room or soundstage he stepped onto, as well as the brilliant stories he often shared from a life well-lived.”