DAVID MCCALLUM R.I.P.

Actor David McCallum died today. McCallum grew up between Scotland and London, where his father became a prominent figure in the London Philharmonic Orchestra (he played on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band!). Young David studied the oboe and, later in his career, recorded a number of albums for Capitol Records as an arranger interpreting hits of the mid-to-late Sixties. Major acting projects included Hell Drivers (with Sean Connery and Patrick McGoohan), The Great Escape (with James Coburn and Charles Bronson), The Outer Limits, Sapphire & Steel (with Joanna Lumley), The Invisible Man (with Craig Stevens), NCIS, and stints as the voice of Alfred Pennyworth for some Batman animated features. For Spy Vibers, however, McCallum's enduring role will always be Illya Kuryakin in The Man From U.N.C.L.E., where he developed his character from an initial limited appearance (described as a Russian U.N.C.L.E. agent with a collection of jazz records under his bed) into one of the most popular TV pin-up idols of the generation. His character was enigmatic, a dry wit to Napoleon Solo's romantic leading-man swagger (played by Robert Vaughn), and his accent and Beatle-like haircut linked the series to the British Invasion sweeping the culture at the time. The actor kept busy with creative projects throughout his life. In 2016 he penned a crime novel called Once a Crooked Man. McCallum also very graciously contributed to my upcoming Spy Vibe book by signing a number of book plates for a limited edition. David McCallum just celebrated his birthday on September 19th. He was 90 years old. Read more at Variety and The Guardian. 

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