Born:
September 02, 1951
in
Burbank, California
Best Known For:
His lead role in NCIS.
Early-life:
Thomas Mark Harmon was born on September 2, 1951, in Burbank, California. His father, Tom, was an American football player and sports broadcaster, and his mother, Elyse, an actress. His maternal grandparents came from Austria. Mark has two older sisters: one is an artist, the other an actress. He enjoyed sport as a youngster, and had a distinguished college career as an American football star while at UCLA. He worked as a carpenter and considered careers in advertising or law before concentrating on acting.
Career:
Harmon's first TV appearance came as a child in an advert alongside his father. His break into came via a 1975 episode of Police Woman. His CV includes everything from glossy soaps such as Flamingo Road, to big-screen offerings, including Beyond the Poseidon Adventure and The Presidio. He gained much acclaim for his role in medical drama St Elsewhere, playing a doctor who contracted HIV; he was named People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive while appearing on the show. He also featured in the films Freaky Friday, Chasing Liberty and TV series The West Wing and JAG. These days he's best known for his role as agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs in NCIS, a part he's played since 2003.
Quote:
"I'm in the business to push it. I have to be almost frightened by the possibility of taking it on."
Trivia:
Married Pam Dawber of Mork & Mindy fame in 1987. They have two sons, Sean and Ty.