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In the world of entertainment, casting is one of the most crucial decisions that the production has to make and it is just as challenging of a job to find the perfect actor. When it comes to a show likeNCIS, there have been several iconic characters made iconic thanks to the actors behind these roles. Apart from Mark Harmon’s standout role as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, one such pivotal role was of Dr. Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard.
Portrayed by David McCallum till his death in 2023, Ducky is one of the most beloved characters in theNCISuniverse. However, what many fans do not know is that there is one Marvel star who almost stole the role from the late McCallum.
The Marvel star who almost starred as Ducky inNCIS
Often in the world of television and movies, we come across situations that make up for an interesting ‘what if’ scenarios. And we have one such situation here regarding the character of Ducky, who was portrayed byDavid McCallumin over 20 seasons of the beloved military police procedural drama,NCIS.
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Throughout his years being part of the series,McCallum did an impeccable job as the chief medical examinerand quickly became a fan favorite. Such was his love for the role that he continued portraying it till his unfortunate passing in 2023. Now that we look back at his legacy, what many people do not know is that he almost lost the role to one Marvel star: Scott Glenn.
In the oral history of the show, viaThe Hollywood Reporter, Charles Floyd Johnson, the executive producer of the show, revealed how Scott Glenn was the race for both the role of Gibbs and Ducky and thathe was considered very strongly. However, after a lot of discussions with him, he ultimately passed the role and eventually McCallum was cast in the role that would become one of his career’s most famous ones.
Harrison Ford was also considered for the role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs inNCIS
Back in the day whenNCISwas still in production, there were a lot of names being thrown for the central character of NCIS Supervisory Special Agent and Special Agent in Charge Leroy Jethro Gibbs. While the role ultimately went toMark Harmon, there was once a time when evenHarrison Fordwas being considered.
Even though he rarely did any TV and was more famous for his work in films, Peter Golden, the former head of CBS casting revealed that it did not mean that any name was off the table. Meanwhile, Charles Floyd Johnson stated to THR that everyone thought Ford was the perfect actor to play Gibbs. Well, unfortunately, it never went further than that.
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Apart from Ford, actors like Alec Baldwin, Clive Owen, Kevin Bacon, Val Kilmer, Charlie Sheen, Patrick Swayze, and many more were also considered but not offered the role. It wasn’t until theNCIScasting director Susan Bluestein recommended Harmon that they started considering him.
However, since Harmon was a pretty big deal, they decided to take a leap of faith and made an offer, thinking they probably wouldn’t have him. Well, as luck would have it Harmon agreed to the role andhis character of Leroy Jethro Gibbs is nowone of the most iconic characters ever created in the genre and the world ofNCIS.
NCISis available to be streamed on Paramount Plus.
Maria Sultan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2703
Maria Sultan is a dedicated News Content Writer at FandomWire. With over five years of professional experience and hundreds of published articles, she brings a wealth of expertise to her coverage of Marvel, K-dramas, and the latest on streaming platforms.Her work is not just about reporting news; it’s about providing insightful perspectives on the entertainment trends that matter most.
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David McCallumHarrison FordMark Harmon
