NCIS Season 23 Episode 19 paid a special tribute to Rif Hutton. The addition of the title card left fans curious about who the man was. So, as the new episode makes headlines, let’s take a look at who the late star was.
NCIS Season 23 Episode 19 pays tribute to late star, Rif Hutton
NCIS Season 23, Episode 19, began with a special tribute to the late actor Rif Hutton. The recent episode began with a line running on the screen: “In memory of our friend and colleague.” For the unversed, Rif had been a part of the NCIS universe for a long time. His involvement is not limited to the flagship series, NCIS. It also adds to the series of spin-offs created by Donald P. Bellisario, including JAG, the ultimate show that led to the creation of NCIS.
image credit: CBS
Rif Hutton passed away in April 2026
The much-loved actor, Rif Hutton, passed away on April 18, 2026, at the age of 73, after battling Glioblastoma for over a year, according to Deadline. The outlet revealed that the actor died at his home in Pasadena. The news was further confirmed by TMZ, as the family gave their statements to the outlet, and a friend, as well as co-worker, Steve Apostolina, confirmed the news via a Facebook post.
Rif Hutton’s stint in the NCIS and JAG franchise
It’s not been a full month since the actor passed away, and the place he made in the industry has become evident. NCIS Season 23 Episode 19 serves as a reminder of his contributions. While he may not have been a headline star of the series, his connection to the franchise from its earliest roots in JAG to later NCIS appearances made him an important part of its history. Speaking of the original NCIS show, Rif starred as ‘Marine General Phillip Braxton’.
Before that, Rif Hutton essayed the role of ‘Lt. Cmdr. Alan Mattoni’ in JAG. In that, he reportedly appeared in a recurring role in about 15 episodes that aired between 1997 and 2001. JAG played an important role in laying the foundation for the military and legal storytelling style that NCIS later built on. Being part of JAG automatically ties Rif to the origins of NCIS, which first spun off from that series.
NCIS turned out to be a major hit for CBS and a milestone for Rif Hutton. It led to the expansion of multiple spin-offs, titled NCISVverse: NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, NCIS: Hawai’i, NCIS: Sydney, NCIS: Origins, and NCIS: Tony & Ziva. A new upcoming spin-off is in the making: NCIS: New York. Recently, CBS has slashed episode counts for the new seasons of ORIGINS and Sydney and Rif even became a crucial part of the spin-offs. However, he starred in different roles altogether rather than reprising his role from his flagship series.
More about Rif Hutton’s career
NCIS was not the only show Rif Hutton has been a part of. He has appeared in nearly 200 shows over the years, including popular titles like Doogie Howser, M.D., where he played ‘Dr Ron Welch’ in 17 episodes, alongside Neil Patrick Harris as ‘Dr Douglas’. He also worked on General Hospital, where he appeared in around 30 episodes in recent years. Deadline reports he worked on a total of 32 episodes of the soap series. In addition to live-action roles, he was also a successful voice actor. He contributed to major animated films like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and worked on well-known franchises such as Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and Ice Age.
image credit: GlamToNow/YT
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