David McCallum, the actor who played Donald "Ducky" Mallard on NCIS, passed away on September 25, 2023, at the age of 90. McCallum had been a part of the show since its launch in 2003, playing the role of the Naval Criminal Investigative Services chief medical examiner. In season 15, Ducky retired from the role of M.E. to become NCIS historian, with his autopsy colleague Jimmy Palmer taking his place. In the shows 20th season, McCallum appeared remotely in the final two episodes. There is no information available on what happened to Duckys character in the show after McCallums passing.