I’ve always liked Mark Harmon. I can actually remember when he was named Sexiest Man Alive, my mom bought that issue. The main reason I liked Mark was because my parents like him. They liked that he was Ricky Nelson’s brother in law and my mother was all swoony over the fact that he graduated cum laude from UCLA. Personally, I thought he was cool because he was Mindy from Mork & Mindy’s husband. FWIW, I still think it’s cool that he’s Pam Dawber’s husband and has been for 31 years. My father’s main attraction to Mark was his father, Tom Harmon, who was a Heisman Trophy winning halfback at Michigan and served as a pilot in World War II before playing for the LA Rams. According to Mark’s latest cover interview in People, my father was right to hold Tom in such high regard because Mark does as well, and most of his life’s philosophy comes from his dad.
After four decades in the spotlight, Mark Harmon has mastered the keys to his successful career — and credits them to one of the most influential people in his life: his father.
“My dad taught me, if it’s not true, don’t worry about it,” the NCIS star tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story.
“I come from working stock, and I’m proud of that. You have to get up every day and just try hard,” says Harmon, 67. “That’s what I still wake up willing to do: try my hardest.”
Although Harmon’s dad died suddenly at age 70 when the star was just 38, the longtime actor continues to follow the profound advice that Tom imparted.
“Work your ass off, and don’t let the effort show,” he says. “Also: Treat people the same, not based on who they are or what they are. Show them common kindness. Don’t be colored by their fame or profession. I don’t get all excited by people blowing smoke up my ass. You have to stay honest.”
And while some may be struck by luck alone and propelled to stardom, Harmon believes his long-lasting career in Hollywood required more.
“I’m a lucky guy,” he says, “but you earn luck.”
As I said, Tom Harmon played in the NFL but did not have the career his college days promised. So he went into broadcasting and became a very successful and popular broadcaster. It sounds like he lived by all the Dadisms he doled out to Mark. I wholly support the notion of treating people the same. This is probably the best advice Mark received. Not just because it’s the right thing to do but because living in LA, you definitely see it go the other way. It’s kind of gross and I’ve changed my opinion on many acquaintances because of it. But it’s the last bit that I like the best, the one about luck. Mark was always handsome and his mother was actress Elyse Knox so his ‘luck’ came with a healthy dose of genetics and nepotism but I love the idea that you can earn luck. It gives me hope for those I know who are genuinely good people, like they will get their lucky break because they are earning their luck now. It’s a nice thought in a dire time.
I alluded to the fact that Mark’s oldest sister, Kristin, was married to Ricky Nelson for almost 20 years, which makes him uncle to the rock group Nelson, but I didn’t know that Mark’s other sister, Kelly, was married to John DeLorean for five years. I’m having so many childhood flashbacks writing this story. Ultimately, though, I get the sense that Mark is a good guy and I’d probably like to hang out with him and Pam and hear all this fatherly advice in person… and maybe stare at him dreamily while doing so.
Photo credit: Instagram, People, Getty Images and WENN Photos
His grandfather was Secretary of the Navy as well. Quite the accomplished family.
Thank god ONE of the male stars on NCIS is lovely, after the garbage fire that was Michael Weatherly. I also note that Harmon very pointedly didn’t defend him at all in the wake of that clusterf*ck.
Yeah, you know, speaking of Weatherly, I keep waiting for something to happen but nothing does. So that’s it? He just goes on like nothing happened and everyone keeps watching the show and CBS continues paying him millions?
Yeah I just saw a commercial for that dumb show. Gross.
THANK YOU Darla!! Every dang time I see a Bull ad I yell “WHY DOES HE STILL HAVE A JOB?” Eliza wrote that horrible account, CBS has video proof of his harassment and had to shell out millions of dollars for it. But Weatherly still has a job. WTF CBS?
Omg nooo what did Weatherly do I always loved Tony on the show =(
Eliza Dushku (goddess) shared her account of the verbal abuse and harrassment she suffered on the set of Bull, both in moments between the two of them and in front of other cast and crew. I don’t think he ever touched her, but he sexually harassed her by making comments about her body and requesting that they have sex repeatedly. When she didn’t respond to him, he doubled down on the abuse, often wrapping others into his “jokes”, and by the time she went to producers, her character — which was supposed to become the show’s female lead — had been downsized. In the end, the character was written off the show, and she was able to settle with the studio for being forced out of the show by his abuse and mistreatment of her.
As Osito said CBS had to pay out $10m to Eliza for constructive dismissal after he had her fired . There was also the time when he was on Dark Angel (and as a close to 30 years old man seduced Jessica Alba who was 18 and a virgin at the time) and tried to have Jensen Ackles fired for no other reason that he was taking some of his screen time with Jessica away .
He got away with the stuff on Bull because he is besties with Les Moonves which pretty much says it all
TEN MILLION DOLLARS. That isn’t “just make this go away” hush money. That’s “our chances of winning are slim and this will be ugly” money. That’s “Oh shoot, she has the videotapes?” money.
Smh wow. Thanks for all the info @osito and @Humbugged. What a disgusting man
BRB gotta download some Nelson songs- that brought me back most of all. But “Summer School” was one of my most-watched movies growing up thanks to Harmon’s gorgeous face!
I loved Summer School!!
“Summer School” is one of my happy movies too…he and Kristie had GREAT chemistry!!!!!
I had a Nelson poster in high school
I loved that movie when I was a kid. Its a shame that Kirstie Alley became so brainwashed by Scientology.
i think there are rumors of him being a total douche on set of NCIS. i really hope they aren’t true b/c i am a closet NCIS fan.
Yeah I hate to be a horrible cynic but everything that’s happened/been rumoured in the past year (and his status as a CBS golden star all through Les Moonves reign of terror) makes this out of the blue People feature….convenient.
I’ve loved him for years and watched him in anything he did, including NCIS. However, after Pauley quit, I was done with the show…and Mark. I think this People article is a fluff piece to clean up those rumors and the ones about that jerk Weatherly.
‘The harder I work , the luckier I get’ ……… Joan Collins
He always seemed a nice fellow. But that other gossip makes me just wonder if his keeping quiet was to protect the show.
Weatherly makes my skin crawl, always did.
His portrayal of Ted Bundy still haunts me and that was 30-some-odd years ago! I really hope he’s as nice as he seems, and I’ve always loved that he’s married to Pam Dawber (M & M was one of my favorite shows as a kid).
Ha! Beat me to it!
Lol I’m rarely the one to get a common thought out first 😉
HBO just did a documentary on Bundy. We found that old movie where Mark Harmon portrayed him. He was a better actor way back then as opposed to Gibbs who is so one note. It was a chilling performance indeed.
Does anyone remember him playing Ted Bundy in the 1980s TV movie? That’s been on my mind because of the Netflix doc and the Zac Efron thing. I know I watched it, but I was probably too young to watch it.
YES. I think he was also named sexiest man the year the movie came out. I know a lot people have said they couldn’t look at him the same after that role.
The last of the decent old white men! xoxo
Not only is he uncle to the Nelson twins, but when Kristen’s personal problems became too overwhelming Mark and Pam stepped in, took the boys into their home and raised them.
No, that was the Nelson Twins’ younger brother Sam. Mark actually fought for custody at one point and lost.
I stand corrected. It was a mess all around. Ricky and Kristen started out so beautifully, ended so tragically.
By all accounts from people I know who have worked for/with him over the years (men and women) he’s a kind, decent, streighforward, no drama guy. And remember when one of his sisters (I think the one married to DeLorean) was the TicTac spokesperson? Showing my age for sure!p, lol!
I know someone who has a family member who works on the show, and I haven’t heard any bad gossip yet either.
I’m so glad to hear that. I really like him, and yes I know NCIS is a cheeseball show but I love it
I always associate Kelly with Tic Tac commercials!
That’s exactly what I was thinking about Kelly! LOL
” The main reason I liked Mark was because my parents like him. ”
Same here. My mother and I watch it together whenever I visit here and we get a chance. It’s a beautiful family tradition, and probably the only man we will ever agree on regarding hotness 😀
I loved him in Summer School and others, and for being Mr. Mindy – and then last year I finally watched the West Wing. His half season as Agent Donovan, Secret Service agent assigned to protect CJ, was magic. He was so effortlessly charming. Their romance was beautiful. Sadly for TWW, he was *so* good that the performance was a big part of how he got NCIS, and they wrote him out with (SPOILER) an absolute heartbreaker of an ending that made me cry, yell and have to turn off the TV for a good long while.
That was a shocker of an ending, yes.
Yeah, I refused to watch NCIS after that, just because.
I have always loved him based on watching Stealing Home approximately 100 times when I was younger. I hope he’s nice, but have heard those behind the scenes rumours too.
He’s a nice guy, but NCIS needs to end pronto lolllllllllllllll. It’s reaching Supernatural (the show levels of dragging at this point.
Mr. Rice and & still watch NCIS but as a binge-watching event.
Fun fact: his real-life son plays a younger version of Gibbs in flashbacks.
I had a relative who attended Michigan with Tom Harmon and actually dated him briefly there. They remained close friends for many years afterward until his death, often re-connecting at college reunions with their spouses and families. It was a lovely bunch of people.
Several years ago my family contacted Mark’s reps to see about sending some kind of birthday message for my relative, who was turning 90 (she has since passed). Naturally she was a big NCIS fan. Not only did they get a friendly and personal response from the rep, Mark sent photos with personal messages and autographs as well as other NCIS-related gear (hats, etc). Class act all the way.
Mark Harmon is a sweetheart. Before he met/married Pam I had an “interlude” with him right after Flamingo Road ended (yep, I’m getting up there.) I was just beginning my acting career and he was moving up the “hot as hell” ladder. I think the shyness on both our parts did us in. The nasty rumors I’ve heard about him on the set don’t make sense to me. He’s a really good guy.
“Treat people the same, not based on who they are or what they are. Show them common kindness”
Unless they complain about a co-worker being bit by your pit bull while they’re at work.
But other than that, he seems like a good, hard working guy.