“I am utterly devastated. Robert and I worked together for many years and losing him is like losing a part of me. My deepest sympathies go out to Linda and the Vaughn family.”
David McCallum posted this to Facebook last night after the death of actor Robert Vaughn at age 83. He and Vaughn famously co-starred in the 1960s hit TV series “The Man from UNCLE” as respectively, Ilya Kuriyakin and Napoleon Solo. Each went on to very successful careers, with McCallum currrently doing just “Duckie” on the long running “NCIS.”
Vaughn just worked and worked and worked. His best known film role was in the original “Magnificent Seven.” He was nominated for an Oscar in 1959 for Supporting Actor in “The Young Philadelphians.” (Paul Newman was the lead.) But he also appeared constantly on TV, in limited series and regular series, and doing guest spots. His “Columbo” episodes are remembered fondly. From 2004 to 2012 he was the star of the TV series “Hustle,” where he acquired a whole new audience.
Vaughn died leukemia two weeks short of his 84th birthday.
And yes, he’s not the father of director Matthew Vaughn, but for a time it seemed like he was because Matthew’s mother let people believe it. Matthew got the Vaughn name, and maybe some of the panache.
Robert Vaughn in The Young Philadelphians:
forward to 1:58
Vaughn and McCallum in “The Man from UNCLE”
Columbo:
