NCIS has been on long enough that it feels less like one show and more like its own world.

The original CBS show started in 2003. Since then, it has grown through spinoffs, guest stars, and recurring characters. Some were central to the series. Others appeared in the bullpen or morgue for just one episode and still left an impression.

Over the years, a number of actors from NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles have sadly passed away. Some were longtime cast members. Some were character actors with decades of work behind them. Some appeared early on, back when the show hadn’t yet become the huge TV hit it is today.

Here are some of the NCIS actors fans have lost.

David McCallum

For NCIS fans, David McCallum will always be Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard.

McCallum was there from the first episode, bringing warmth, dry humor, and intelligence to the medical examiner who could turn almost any case into a story. Ducky did more than just explain evidence. He gave the show history, patience, and an old-world quality that became impossible to replace.

McCallum died on September 25, 2023. He was 90. CBS said he died of natural causes at New York Presbyterian Hospital, with his family by his side. Most people knew him before NCIS as Illya Kuryakin on The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Ralph Waite

Ralph Waite played Jackson Gibbs, the father of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, in several NCIS episodes.

His appearances mattered because they revealed a side of Gibbs the show usually kept hidden. Jackson was tied to Gibbs’ childhood, his grief, and the small-town life he left behind. Each time Waite appeared, the series slowed down and gave Gibbs something more personal to deal with.

Waite died on February 13, 2014, at age 85. NCIS later honored him in the Season 11 episode “Honor Thy Father,” which also addressed Jackson Gibbs’ death on the show. Waite was also beloved for playing John Walton Sr. on The Waltons.

Annie Wersching

Annie Wersching appeared in the NCIS Season 8 episode “False Witness,” playing Deputy District Attorney Gail Walsh.

Her NCIS role was one part of a busy TV career that also included 24, The Vampire Diaries, Bosch, Runaways, The Rookie, and Star Trek: Picard. She also voiced Tess in the video game The Last of Us.

Wersching died in January 2023 at age 45 after battling cancer.

Miguel Ferrer

Miguel Ferrer was one of the most familiar faces on NCIS: Los Angeles, where he played Assistant Director Owen Granger.

Granger was sharp, guarded, and hard to read, but Ferrer gave him enough depth that he never felt like just another boss. His illness was eventually written into the show as he kept working after his cancer diagnosis.

Ferrer died on January 19, 2017, at age 61 from complications of throat cancer. He was also known for RoboCop, Crossing Jordan, and Twin Peaks.

Ravil Isyanov

Ravil Isyanov appeared on NCIS: Los Angeles as Anatoli Kirkin, a recurring character who became one of the spinoff’s more memorable guest roles.

Kirkin could have been played as a generic criminal, but Isyanov brought personality and unpredictability to him. He appeared on the show from 2013 until shortly before his death.

Isyanov died on September 29, 2021, at age 59 after a battle with cancer.

René Auberjonois

René Auberjonois appeared in the NCIS Season 10 episode “Phoenix,” playing Dr. Felix Blackwell.

His NCIS appearance was only one stop in a long career, but Auberjonois was instantly familiar to many TV fans. He was best known for playing Odo on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and he also had major roles in Benson, Boston Legal, and many other projects.

Auberjonois died in December 2019 at age 79 after lung cancer.

Vachik Mangassarian

Vachik Mangassarian had roles on both NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles.

He was a veteran character actor whose credits also included Curb Your Enthusiasm, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and other TV work. On NCIS: Los Angeles, he appeared in episodes including “LD50” and “False Flag.”

Mangassarian died in January 2022 at age 78 from COVID-19 complications.

Gregory Itzin

Gregory Itzin appeared on NCIS in more than one role, including Spencer Downing in the show’s early years and Director Charlie later in the series.
Gregory Itzin showed up on NCIS in more than one role, including Spencer Downing in the early years and Director Charlie later in the run.

Itzin was the kind of actor viewers recognized immediately, even if they could not place the name. He had a long career in TV and theater, with one of his best-known roles coming as President Charles Logan on 24.

Itzin died in July 2022 at age 74 from complications during emergency surgery.

Heath Freeman

Heath Freeman appeared on NCIS as Benjamin Frank, but many TV fans also remember him as Howard Epps on Bones.

His career included a lot of crime dramas and network TV, where he often played intense, unsettling characters. Freeman died in November 2021 at age 41. His death was later ruled an accidental overdose.

Peter Navy Tuiasosopo

Peter Navy Tuiasosopo appeared in the NCIS Season 10 episode “Hereafter” as Charles “Chucky Bang” Kang.

Outside NCIS, he was known for roles in Street Fighter, The Fast and the Furious, BASEketball, New Girl, and Magnum P.I. His screen presence often stood out even in smaller roles.

Tuiasosopo died on February 10, 2025, at age 61 from heart complications in Phoenix, Arizona.

Sam Sarpong

Sam Sarpong appeared in the NCIS Season 1 episode “Seadog.”

He went on to build a career that covered acting, modeling, music, and hosting. He appeared in shows including ER, Everybody Hates Chris, 24, and American Crime Story, and he was well known as a host on MTV’s Yo Momma.

Sarpong died in 2015 at age 40.

Chaney Kley

Chaney Kley appeared in “Hung Out to Dry,” the second episode of NCIS, playing Corporal Paul Brinkman.

Because his appearance came so early, he was part of the show before NCIS had fully settled into the rhythm fans later came to know. Kley was also known for playing Officer Asher on The Shield and for starring in the horror film Darkness Falls.

Kley died in July 2007 at age 34.

NCIS has been around long enough that its history now includes real loss alongside all the familiar cases and character exits.

For fans, some of these names bring back major memories. Others may send viewers back to early episodes they have not watched in years. Either way, each actor left a piece of work behind inside one of the longest-running crime franchises on television.