Although it wasn’t a topic he spoke about regularly, the late David McCallum, who played coroner Ducky on the series NCIS and recently passed away, had confided in him the terrible illness that had afflicted him.
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On September 25, NCIS fans were shocked to hear the sad news. It was a spokesman for CBS, the broadcaster of the series in the United States, who was responsible for announcing the disappearance of David McCallum. The one who played the famous coroner of the saga throughout the twenty seasons and 450 episodes, SHe died of natural causes at the Presbyterian Hospital in New York at the age of 90. The news came as a real blow not only to fans of the man who gave “Ducky” his features, but also to the artists who crossed his path. Joan Collins, a central character in the Dynasty saga, wrote: “It is so sad that David McCallum, my first friend at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, has died… (He was) a good actor, a great talent and a real one.” Sir!”
David McCallum: What illness did he suffer from?
If David McCallum was an iconic figure on both the big screen (Intelligence Service, The Great Escape, The Spy in the Green Hat) and the small screen (The A-Team, Arabesque, Very Special Agents, NCIS), then he was it the actor also musician. However, he almost gave up his passion when the doctors told him sohe suffered from Dupuytren’s disease, which paralyzed his right hand. On this subject, the man who starred in the 1960s television series The Man from Uncle admitted: “I couldn’t take all the notes. […] Tightening my hand was slow and more uncomfortable than painful. I had reached a point where two fingers on my right hand were curling so far toward my palm that I could no longer stretch them far enough to play the notes. […] I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to play anymore.“
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A disease that has also affected other public figures
Affected by Dupuytren’s disease at the age of 76, LThe actor was fortunate to receive timely care and be able to continue practicing his art. But other public figures are also affected by this disease. They include Lady Thatcher, Ronald Reagan, actor Bill Nighy and famous playwright Samuel Beckett.
Article written in collaboration with 6Medias.