NCIS Season 22 Pays Tribute to George Schenck: Who Was He?
As NCIS Season 22 kicked off, fans were met with a heartfelt tribute to George Schenck, a key figure in the show’s history. At the end of the season opener, a title card read: “In Memory of our Dear Friend and Colleague George Schenck,” accompanied by a photo of the man himself, leaving fans curious about his legacy.
George Schenck was an influential writer, showrunner, and former executive producer who made a lasting impact on NCIS. He joined the show in 2003 as a consulting producer and later became co-executive producer in Season 5. Schenck was integral to shaping pivotal storylines, such as the vendetta plot involving Jennifer Shepard (Lauren Holly) and Rene Benoit (Armand Assante).
He was promoted to executive producer in Season 9 and contributed to 48 episodes over the course of 16 seasons, with Tailing Angie in Season 16 being his final written episode.
Sadly, Schenck passed away on August 3, 2024, at the age of 82. Mark Harmon, who portrayed Gibbs on the show, paid tribute to Schenck, highlighting the profound influence he had on NCIS’ success. “The professionalism and tenacity of George and his producing partner Frank Cardea changed the face of the show,” Harmon said, expressing his gratitude for their contributions.
Though Schenck’s career was largely defined by NCIS, he also made notable contributions to Westerns like Bonanza, The Wild West, and the 1972 sci-fi film Superbeast.
NCIS Season 22 airs every Monday on CBS, continuing the legacy that Schenck helped build.
