Looper Reveals Fans’ Favorite NCIS Cameo

One thing “NCIS” has always been particularly famous for is the sheer uniqueness of its protagonist’s name. Leroy Jethro Gibbs — it doesn’t get any cooler than that. In fact, at one point, the show even went out of its way to do an episode that explained the backstory behind Gibbs’ name. The episode in question was Season 10’s appropriately titled “The Namesake,” and it features one very special guest star: Mr. Billy Dee Williams.

After earlier episodes had already established that Gibbs got his name from his father’s childhood friend and business partner, “The Namesake” introduced the friend in question — Leroy Jethro Moore, a World War II veteran who fought alongside Jackson Gibbs (Ralph Waite). The two men became close enough that Jackson even named his son after “LJ,” but they ultimately had a falling out after both fell in love with the same woman. In the present day, Gibbs finds Moore in a local retirement home by chance after learning he’s sold his Congressional Medal of Honor, and goes to great lengths to get his father and his self-professed childhood hero — the one who inspired him to join the Marine Corps, even — to reconcile.

The character was successful enough to return for another guest spot on the Season 11 finale, “Honor Thy Father” (via IMDb). Williams’ performance in the role was voted the third best “NCIS” cameo of all time by fans, with 17.46% of the vote.