The NCIS Episode You Forgot Starred Billy Dee Williams

According to Showbiz Cheat Sheet, to date, the legendary Billy Dee Williams has appeared in two episodes of long-running procedural "NCIS." First up, he starred in a 2012 episode entitled "The Namesake." The "Star Wars" icon showed up again a couple years later, in 2014's "Honor Thy Father." Insider confirms Williams' character shares an unusual moniker with series stalwart Gibbs, since they're both called Leroy Jethro. As it turned out, Gibbs was named after his father's BFF, played by Williams.

Naturally, having the one and only Billy Dee on set was a major coup for "NCIS." However, as former star Mark Harmon clarified in an interview with CBS, via Showbiz Cheat Sheet, celebrities are lining up to take part in the show. According to Harmon, Williams "was on a very short list in the beginning when they were writing that episode" and getting him wasn't a problem. Producer Mark Horowitz confirmed that the iconic star was just as wonderful to work with as fans are probably imagining. 

"We needed someone with a certain charisma, a certain presence ... We had all this history built into this story, so you really needed somebody who needed to have a certain amount of gravitas," he explained. Naturally, Williams "was the perfect person for that role." He might even return to the fold someday, with Harmon pointing out other characters have come back after years-long absences. "He was real fun to have here," the actor acknowledged.