The 'NCIS' Quiz

The television series "NCIS" premiered on Sept. 23, 2003.

NCIS is an acronym for Naval Criminal Investigative Service. The real NCIS traces its roots back to the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) and officially became a separate branch called the Naval Investigative Service (NIS) within the ONI in 1966.

"NCIS" is a spinoff of the television series "JAG." The pilot for "NCIS" aired in two episodes of "JAG" during the 2003 season.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs is the full name of the "NCIS" character Agent Gibbs, played by actor Mark Harmon.

Actress Pauley Perrette, who plays forensic scientist Abby Sciuto in the series "NCIS," graduated from Valdosta State College with a degree in criminology.

In the series "NCIS," Agent McGee is nicknamed "Probie." Agent Tim McGee is played by actor Sean Murray, who is the stepson of series creator Donald P. Bellisario.

In the series "NCIS" the character Agent Gibbs leads the Major Case Response Team or MCRT.

Before joining NCIS, Agent Gibbs was a gunnery sergeant in the Marine Corps.

The CBS television network airs the series "NCIS."

Caitlin Todd was a Secret Service agent before joining the team in the second episode.

Ralph Waite plays Jackson Gibbs, the father of Agent Gibbs.

Tim McGee graduated from M.I.T. with a degree in computers. The actor Sean Murray, who plays McGee, enjoys building his own computers in real life.

"NCIS" characters Tony and Ziva go undercover as married assassins in the season 3 episode "Under Covers."

Actress Lauren Holly joins the series "NCIS" as the new director of the agency in season 3.

Mark Harmon's son, Sean, plays the young Jethro Gibbs in the series "NCIS."

The "NCIS" character Tony DiNozzo worked for the Baltimore Police Department before joining the NCIS team. Actor Michael Weatherly plays Agent DiNozzo in the series.

Hebrew is the native language of the "NCIS" character Ziva David.

The character Dr. Donald Mallard is nicknamed "Ducky." The character is played by veteran actor David McCallum.

Agent Caitlin Todd dies taking a bullet for Agent Gibbs in season 2 finale. Actress Sasha Alexander plays Agent Todd in the first two seasons of the series.

Ziva David, played by actress Cote de Pablo, is an officer with the Mossad and joins the "NCIS" team in season 3. The Mossad is the real-world intelligence agency of Israel.

Tim McGee is the only left-handed character in the series "NCIS."

Actor David McCallum played Illya Kuryakin in the 1960s television series "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." As a child, McCallum was a World War II London evacuee.

"NCIS" actors Rocky Carroll, Lauren Holly and Mark Harmon have all appeared in the medical drama "Chicago Hope."

Throughout the "NCIS" series, the character Jethro Gibbs is seen building a boat in his basement. The boat Gibbs is working on is an Amigo kit sailboat by Glen-L Marine Design.

Washington D.C. is the setting for the series "NCIS."

Pauley Perrette was the lead singer in an all-female punk band named "Lo-Ball." The band performed a song titled "Can't Get Me Down" on the "Legally Blonde" soundtrack.

The "NCIS" series has inspired two spinoff shows: "NCIS: Los Angeles" and "NCIS: New Orleans."

"NCIS: Los Angeles" was the first spinoff to air. It debuted on Sept. 22, 2009. "NCIS: New Orleans" premiered Sept. 23, 2014.

From 1955 to 1959 Donald Bellisario served in the Marine Corps, reaching the rank of sergeant. In 1959 Bellisario met Lee Harvey Oswald, who was also enlisted in the Corps at the time.

Scott Bakula, who plays the character Dwayne Pride in "NCIS: New Orleans," also starred in the Donald Bellisario series "Quantum Leap."