Why Mark Harmon Didn’t Appear in the David McCallum Tribute Episode?

The Monday (February 19) episode of NCIS was particularly remarkable because it paid tribute to the late David McCallum (aka Ducky). David died in September, at the age of 90. Brian Dietzen, the actor who plays Jimmy Palmer, wrote the episode. This post will contain episode spoilers, so if you haven’t seen it yet, be warned. Michael Weatherly’s Tony DiNozzo made a guest appearance, leaving many wondering why Mark Harmon’s Gibbs was not featured as well.

Brian told The Wrap, “I believe everyone would like to see Gibbs make an appearance at some time. That is such a beloved character in television history. I’m pretty pleased with how [the scene] turned out. The way it works for Jimmy and Tony. There’s a closeness and familiarity to it.
Brian also mentioned that Mark had been in talks to return but was ultimately unable to appear due to scheduling issues.