‘Ducky’ had Five Towns ties

Actor David McCallum, famed for his roles in the television shows “Man from U.N.C.L.E.” and “NCIS” had long-term Five Towns ties as he was married to Katherine Carpenter, daughter of Margaret Carpenter, a nearly lifelong resident of Lawrence.

McCallum died on Sept. 25. He was 90.

Known as Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard on the long-running CBS TV show “NCIS,” McCallum met model and actress Katherine at a photo shoot for Glamour magazine in 1966.

Through a word-of-mouth network that journalists would be proud of, neighbors in Valley Stream and surrounding communities learned that McCallum and Katherine were going to be married at a local church.

Nearly 2,000 people, mostly teenagers, packed Rockaway and Dubois avenues by Lutheran Church of Our Savior in Valley Stream for the 1967 wedding. There was a small incident where the teens surrounded the bride and groom’s limousine, but police kept everyone safe, including McCallum’s “Man from U.N.C.L.E.” co-star Robert Vaughn who needed police to safeguard him and his girlfriend.  

McCallum was married to Katherine for 56 years. He also married to actress Jill Ireland from 1957 to 1967. He starred in many movies, including “The Great Escape,” “Billy Budd” and “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” on the stage and television.

Katherine and McCallum lived in Atlantic Beach when McCallum was taping “NCIS.”