Michael Weatherly Reveals His Favorite NCIS Guest Stars, Including One Legend Who Was Just ‘Hilarious’

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As a longtime viewer, I’ve been thinking about the good old days of *NCIS* with Tony and Ziva, especially with the new series bringing back those memories. It’s hard to believe *NCIS* started back in 2003, and Michael Weatherly was right there from the beginning – actually, he first played Tony DiNozzo in a couple of episodes of *JAG*! He stuck with the show for an impressive thirteen seasons, and he recently revealed who some of his favorite guest stars were over the years, singling out one actor who he found particularly funny.

At a screening of *NCIS: Tony & Ziva* in New York City, People magazine asked Michael Weatherly about his favorite guest stars on *NCIS*. He began by remembering two actors who have since passed away.

There are a lot of funny memories from that time. Charles Durning was a fantastic guest, and Bob Newhart was incredibly funny. I once saw Bob do something really memorable, but it’s a story for another time – I’ve shared it before, though.

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Charles Durning, known for his role in *Dog Day Afternoon*, made a guest appearance on *NCIS* Season 2 in the episode “Call of Silence.” He played a former Marine and Medal of Honor winner who turned himself in to NCIS, believing he had accidentally killed his close friend during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Durning, who passed away in 2012, received an Emmy nomination for this performance. Later, in Season 8, comedy legend Bob Newhart, who died last year, appeared in the episode “Recruited” as a forensic pathologist and mentor to Ducky Mallard, battling Alzheimer’s. Michael Weatherly’s reaction to Newhart’s performance isn’t surprising, given Newhart’s comedic talent.

Michael Weatherly continued by mentioning two more actors who are still alive and who both portrayed family members of leading characters on *NCIS*. He then shared his recollection:

Robert Wagner played my father on the show, and through that, I met a lot of famous actors. People like Lily Tomlin – it was amazing! It’s tough to choose just one favorite memory.

Robert Wagner first appeared as Tony DiNozzo Sr., Tony’s father, on *NCIS* in Season 7’s “Flesh and Blood.” He continued in the role for 12 more episodes, even after Michael Weatherly left the show, but he hasn’t been seen in *NCIS: Tony & Ziva*. Lily Tomlin played Timothy McGee’s grandmother, Penelope Langston, in a Season 9 episode of *NCIS* called “The Penelope Papers.”

Michael Weatherly brought some memorable guest stars to NCIS during his time on the show, and he’s just one example of the many talented actors who appeared over the years – including Sterling K. Brown before his breakout role in This is Us. While he made a brief appearance in last year’s episode honoring David McCallum, Weatherly is now back in a leading role alongside Cote de Pablo in the NCIS: Tony & Ziva series. New episodes are available to stream on Thursdays with a Paramount+ subscription.

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2025-09-16 17:21