Life and career of Mark Harmon
Mark Harmon, born on Sept. 2, 1951, is no doubt the most well-known NCIS agent on television—and perhaps even off-screen. But before he was taking down bad guys, Harmon was a budding football star. The son of Tom “Old 98” Harmon, a Heisman Trophy-winning halfback, and Elyse Knox, an actress, Harmon had a chance to go pro like his father after his years as a quarterback at UCLA before pivoting to follow in his mother’s footsteps . In addition to his ‘NCIS’ fame, Harmon had roles in ‘West Wing’—which earned him his second Emmy nomination—’Freaky Friday,’ ‘St. Elsewhere,’ and ‘Chicago Hope.’ Explore his life in pictures here.
In this photo, Tom Harmon’s family walks in front of their house holding hands. Pictured from left to right, Tom Harmon, his wife Elyse Knox, his daughters Kristen and Kelley, and his son, Mark Harmon in 1963.
In his office, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, center, in suit, poses with ABC sportscaster Tom Harmon, left, his daughter, actress and model Kelly Jean Harmon, his wife, actress Elyse Knox, and son, 13-year-old future actor Mark Harmon, and ABC writer Robert Sizer, right, and his wife in Washington, D.C., on June 18, 1964.
Mark Harmon, 13, is the son of football great Tom Harmon, who is now an ABC-TV and radio sportscaster. Football buffs knew his father as “Old 98,” for the number he wore both as an All-American at the University of Michigan and as a professional football player. His son now wears the same number on the football team at St. Paul the Apostle school in Westwood, Calif., on April 2, 1965.
Former Michigan football superstar Tom Harmon, left, posing with his son Mark, who is UCLA’s quarterback, in 1972.
UCLA quarterback Mark Harmon eyes Nebraska defenders on Sept. 13, 1972, in Los Angeles.
Mark Harmon slips into his jersey before practice session at UCLA on Sept. 13, 1972, in Los Angeles. The rookie college quarterback said with confidence that the future will take care of itself after leading the Bruins to a 20-17 upset of defending national champion Nebraska.
Mark Harmon, the UCLA quarterback who made his varsity debut against Nebraska last week, walks across campus to afternoon practice in Los Angeles on Sept. 13, 1972. Mark is the junior college transfer who ran for one touchdown and passed for another against the Cornhuskers.
Mark Harmon had a bright future on the football field, but after his time at UCLA, he turned down offers to go pro in favor of an acting career. In this photo, Harmon is pictured in 1973. Mark Harmon, Vincent Gardenia, and Kaye Ballard portray an illogical triumvirate whose vision, energy and love combine to find a motion picture dynasty in a scene from the television movie ‘The Dream Merchants’ in 1980.
Mark Harmon during the opening night of the “All Celebrity Art Show” at Kamikaze Club in New York City on June 23, 1984.
Mark Harmon, the star of NBC’s ‘St. Elsewhere’ television series, enjoys working on the show because, as he says, “It revolves very nicely around a team concept.” Harmon is pictured here on pictured on July 2, 1984. Harmon should know about team concepts, his dad is former football star Tom Harmon and he was a top quarterback at UCLA before getting into show business. Michael J. Fox, left, and Mark Harmon, right, at the taping of the ‘Battle of the Network Stars’ on Sept. 29, 1984. Mark Harmon was considered People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” in 1986. In this photo, Harmon smiles while posing for a portrait in a swimsuit in Beverly Hills, Calif., in 1984. Mark Harmon, pictured on Dec. 16, 1985, will be leaving the television show ‘St. Elsewhere’ on February 5. Harmon plays surgeon Bobby Caldwell on the popular TV show.
Mark Harmon and Michael Schoeffling in a scene from the film, ‘Let’s Get Harry,’ in 1986. Mark Harmon has four Golden Globe nominations to his name; he was nominated twice for Best Television Actor in a Drama Series for ‘Reasonable Doubts,’ with two more Best Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Motion Picture nominations for ‘After the Promise’ and ‘The Deliberate Stranger.’ In this photo, Harmon and Pam Dawber are photographed at the Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 31, 1987.
Elizabeth Taylor and Mark Harmon in a promotional portrait for the TV movie, ‘Sweet Bird Of Youth,’ in 1989. Before his days playing as an NCIS agent, Mark Harmon spent some time playing characters on the other side of the law. In ‘Dillinger,’ Harmon plays the infamous John Dillinger, a gangster with a penchant for bank robberies. In this photo, Harmon holds a machine gun in a scene from the TV movie, ‘Dillinger,’ in 1991. From left to right, Sarah Wayne, Mark Harmon, and Joshua Jackson standing together in a scene from the film, ‘Magic In The Water,’ in 1994. Mark Harmon and his wife, Pam Dawber, approach the news media gathered for a briefing on Jan. April 1996, near his home in the Brentwood district of Los Angeles. Harmon used a sledge hammer to rescue two teenagers from a flaming car that had crashed near his home.
Mark Harmon gestures as he describes how he rescued two teenagers from the flaming wreckage of their car that crashed near his house, as his wife, Pam Dawber, right, listens, at a news briefing on Jan. April 1996, in the Brentwood district of Los Angeles.
Mark Harmon, who plays special agent Leroy Gibbs, pauses on the set of the CBS crime series ‘NCIS’ on Dec. July 2005, in the San Pedro section of Los Angeles. David McCallum, Lauren Holly, Pauley Perrette, Sean Murray, Cote de Pablo, Brian Dietzen, Mark Harmon and Michael Weatherly attend the ‘NCIS’ 100th episode celebration at the Valencia Studios on Sept. April 2007, in Valencia, Calif.
