Mark Harmon, who plays special agent Leroy Gibbs, pauses on the set of the CBS crime series ‘NCIS’ on Dec. 7, 2005, in the San Pedro section of Los Angeles.
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, center, with wife Elyse Knox Harmon and son Mark, UCLA’s quarterback, sit together as they watch reruns of Mark’s football game in 1972.
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 found 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 known 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 deemed 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. 4, 1996, near his home in the Brentwood district of Los Angeles. Harmon used a sledge hammer 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. 4, 1996, in the Brentwood district of Los Angeles.
Mark Harmon plays third base during the 43rd annual Hollywood Stars Game at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 4, 2001, in Los Angeles, Calif.
Mark Harmon walks on the sand at Point Dune during the filming of ‘Local Boys’ on Sept. 18, 2001, in Malibu, Calif.
Mark Harmon and Mandy Moore pose offstage during the 30th annual People’s Choice Awards at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Jan. 11, 2004, in Pasadena, Calif.
Mark Harmon, who plays special agent Leroy Gibbs, pauses on the set of the CBS crime series ‘NCIS’ on Dec. 7, 2005, in the San Pedro section of Los Angeles.
From left to right, 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. 4, 2007, in Valencia, Calif.
This photo released by CBS shows a scene from ‘NCIS’ with Mark Harmon, center, and other cast members, from left, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Michael Weatherly, and David McCallum in 2007.
In this photo released by CBS, ‘NCIS’ star Mark Harmon, left, laughs while host David Letterman holds up an old photo of him as a college football player, on the set of ‘The Late Show with David Letterman’ on May 10, 2011, in New York.
Castmates, from left, Michael Weatherly, Brian Dietzen, Pauley Perrette, Mark Harmon, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Rocky Caroll and David McCallum attend a ceremony awarding Harmon with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Oct. 1, 2012, in Los Angeles.
From left to right, Brian Dietzen, David McCallum, Pauley Perrette, Mark Harmon, Sean Murray, Cote de Pablo and Michael Weatherly pose at CBS’ ‘NCIS’ celebration of their 200th episode on Jan. 3, 2012, in Valencia, Calif.
Mark Harmon, left, and Cote de Pablo of the television show ‘NCIS’ speak during the CBS portion of the 2012 Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington Hotel and Spa on Jan. 11, 2012, in Pasadena, Calif.
This publicity image released by CBS shows Mark Harmon in a scene from ‘NCIS’ in 2013. Last season 18.5 million viewers tuned into ‘NCIS’ to certify it as one of TV’s highest-rated shows and, even more impressively, make it a series whose audience after 10 seasons has expanded, not shriveled, with age.
From left to right, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Mark Harmon, Pauley Perrette and Brian Dietzen attend the CBS Upfront on May 15, 2013, in New York.
Michigan Athletic Director David Brandon, left, stands with Mark Harmon as the university honors Harmon’s father, Tom Harmon, the Wolverines’ first Heisman Trophy winner during a pregame ceremony before a college football game between Michigan and Notre Dame in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Sept. 7, 2013.
From left to right, David McCallum, Michael Weatherly, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, Rocky Carroll, Emily Wickersham, Mark Harmon, and David Stapf celebrate ‘NCIS’ being named the most-watched drama in the world on Aug. 7, 2014, in Valencia, Calif.
Mark Harmon has earned two Emmy nominations throughout his career, and surprisingly, neither were for ‘NCIS.’ One was for Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Special for ‘Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years’ in 1977, and again 25 years later for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for ‘West Wing.’ In this photo, Harmon, star of the long running television series ‘NCIS,’ walks past the White House in Washington on April 11, 2016.
Mark Harmon arrives at the 2018 Stand Up To Cancer event at the Barker Hangar at the Santa Monica airport on Sept. 7, 2018, in Santa Monica, Calif.
