Who is Mark Harmon's wife? Here's why he and Pam Dawber shy away from the spotlight
American actor, producer, director, voice actor, and former football quarterback Mark Harmon, who played Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs in ‘NCIS’ for 18 seasons, has said goodbye to the show. Monday, October 11’s episode of ‘NCIS’ served as the lead star's final moments on the show.
During episode four of season 19 of 'NCIS', Harmon's character said goodbye to his job, deciding to stay in Alaska indefinitely after solving a case. "I'm not going back, Tim," he told Special Agent Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) while fishing. "I'm not going back home." Gibbs then told McGee that he "could not have hoped for anyone better" to work with over the past 18 years before the partners hugged.
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Though Harmon is leaving the series, 'NCIS' executive producer and showrunner Steven D. Binder left the door open for Gibbs to return sometime in the future. “As an executive producer and dear friend, Mark continues to be an integral part of the fabric of the show,” Binder said in a statement. “Our north star has always been staying true to our characters, and that truth has always guided the stories we tell and where those characters go. So regarding the future of Gibbs, as long-time fans of the show may have noticed over the years… never count Leroy Jethro Gibbs out.”
Who is Mark Harmon’s wife?
Harmon and Pam Dawber have been married since 1987. The couple have two sons. Dawber too is an actor, best known for her lead television sitcom roles as Mindy McConnell in ‘Mork & Mindy’, and as Samantha Russell in ‘My Sister Sam’. Earlier this year, she even appeared on ‘NCIS’ in a small arc as Marcie Warren, an investigative journalist.
Dawber in an interview said that she had "been asked to do ‘NCIS’ before over the years," but always turned it down because "it just wasn't the right character or the right time." She said, "With Marcie, it was so funny because when they were casting, Mark goes, 'Who you're really looking for is my wife.' They said, 'But she's always turned us down!'"
While she was initially hesitant to say yes, she eventually agreed. She said of her character, "There's a lot of humor — character humor, not joking humor. We play against each other. That comes naturally. It's fun. We've had a blast."
As per reports, the two were introduced by a mutual friend in the mid-80s. On March 21, 1987, they got married in a school chapel in the Studio City area of San Fernando Valley, California. The newlyweds then jetted off together to Vancouver, British Columbia for their honeymoon. On April 25, 1988, the two welcomed their first son, Sean. Their second son, Ty Christian, was born on June 25, 1992.
But aside from some news here and there, Harmon and Dawber have largely managed to keep their lives away from the spotlight. In a 2017 interview, Harmon said of this: "It’s not even a choice. It’s who we are. We stay home. A lot. I’m not a Twitter guy or a Facebook guy. Our sons aren’t into that either. Pam and I have both made a living in this business, and still, there’s a part of that that’s just not natural."
In March 1987, right before their marriage, Dawber was on the cover of People magazine. The cover story noted, “Since Dawber and Harmon met last March at a party given by a mutual friend, neither has discussed their relationship. But even the most discreet lady can slip once in a while, and a woman in love can be forgiven.” The silence, Dawber said in the interview, was a protective strategy.
“We’re not trying to keep something secret, but if you don’t want it totally exploited by the press, you have to.” She also added in the same interview that silence had a price — since she and Harmon were one of Hollywood’s most reclusive couples, rumors about them were rife and they have had to deal with many of them over the years.