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Some of NCIS’ most memorable guest appearances came from stars who dropped into a single episode, while others became part of the team’s story for an arc or a return visit. Here are notable examples—from Lily Tomlin as McGee’s grandmother to Jamie Lee Curtis’s multi-episode role as Gibbs’ girlfriend. “Biggest” is subjective, so this is a curated selection, not a complete ranking or census of the show’s guest cast.
Which famous actors guest-starred on NCIS?
The examples below stand out for different reasons: a recognizable performer in a family role, an early-season appearance, a recurring character, or a return for a milestone episode. Episode details and dates are attributed to the sources that establish them.
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| Performer | Character and episode context | Why the appearance stands out |
|---|---|---|
| Lily Tomlin | McGee’s grandmother in Season 9’s “The Penelope Papers.” TV Guide | A warm family connection for a familiar member of the team. |
| Jamie Lee Curtis | Samantha Ryan, Gibbs’ girlfriend, in a five-episode Season 9 arc, according to TV Guide. CBS confirms her return as Ryan in “Up In Smoke,” which aired May 8, 2012. CBS | A sustained story arc rather than a one-episode visit. |
| Richard Schiff | Harper Dearing in “Up In Smoke,” which aired May 8, 2012. CBS | A guest appearance tied to the same episode in which Curtis returned as Samantha Ryan. |
| Abigail Breslin | Appeared in the Season 2 premiere, according to TV Guide. | An early-season appearance by a performer many viewers may recognize from later work. |
| Danica McKellar | Appeared in Season 2, Episode 14, “Witness,” according to TV Guide. | A memorable name among the show’s earlier guest performers. |
Who played McGee’s grandmother?
Lily Tomlin played McGee’s grandmother in Season 9’s “The Penelope Papers,” as identified by TV Guide. It is an appealing example of NCIS using a guest star not just for a case, but to illuminate a character’s family life.
Which guest stars returned for the 200th episode?
CBS identifies “Life Before His Eyes” as the show’s 200th episode, Season 9, Episode 14, aired February 7, 2012. It brought back several familiar guest performers: Ralph Waite as Jackson Gibbs, Joe Spano as Senior FBI Agent T.C. Fornell, Muse Watson, Darby Stanchfield, and Rudolf Martin. CBS’s episode record supplies the episode context and returning cast.
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- Genre: TV Action & Adventure
- Number of Discs: 81
- Number of Tracks: 0
- Rating: NR
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The range of returning characters is part of the appeal: the episode revisits relationships and figures from Gibbs’ past, rather than introducing a collection of unrelated one-off roles. Waite also appeared as Jackson Gibbs in “Better Angels”; the Television Academy’s 2014 awards ballot lists his performance and gives a short episode synopsis. That ballot record is not evidence that he won an Emmy or received an Emmy nomination. Television Academy
How do these guest appearances differ?
There is no objective measure of “biggest” in these examples. Their appeal comes from contrasting kinds of appearances: an early-career surprise, a family connection, a multi-episode arc, an antagonist, or a return for a milestone story.
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| Appearance type | Example | Story context |
|---|---|---|
| Family-character appearance | Lily Tomlin as McGee’s grandmother | Season 9’s “The Penelope Papers”; identified by TV Guide. |
| Multi-episode arc | Jamie Lee Curtis as Samantha Ryan | A five-episode Season 9 arc, according to TV Guide; CBS confirms her return in “Up In Smoke.” |
| Single-episode guest role | Richard Schiff as Harper Dearing | “Up In Smoke,” aired May 8, 2012, according to CBS. |
| Milestone-episode return | Ralph Waite, Joe Spano, Muse Watson, Darby Stanchfield, and Rudolf Martin | Returning guest stars in the 200th episode, “Life Before His Eyes,” per CBS. |
| Earlier-season appearance | Abigail Breslin and Danica McKellar | Season 2 appearances described by TV Guide; episode details here are attributed to that guide. |
Why “biggest” is a matter of taste
A famous name, a character’s importance to the plot, and the number of episodes are different ways to judge a guest appearance. Curtis’s Samantha Ryan had a five-episode arc, while CBS’s record connects Schiff’s Harper Dearing to “Up In Smoke.” The 200th episode is notable for bringing back several established characters. Those distinctions are more informative than ranking the performers as though the show published an official list.
Guest performers remain part of NCIS casting. The official CBS press archive includes 2026 announcements naming Nancy Travis and LL Cool J, though those recent-season notices are context rather than entries in this nostalgia selection. CBS press archive
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