How Mark Harmon Met His Wife Pam Dawber

Actor Mark Harmon and his wife, Pam Dawber, are the kind of couple that makes you believe in true love. The two met each other in 1986 and have been together ever since. As it turns out, the secret to their long-lasting marriage is that they've stayed away from the Hollywood scene.

"Mark preferred to shun the spotlight and concentrate on what's most important to him — his wife and their family," a close friend of his told Entertainment Times. Dawber felt the same about it and chose to focus on family life. "I did everything you can do in this business, and then I had children, and it's like, 'I'm not going to chase this fame thing,'" the actress told ET. Their bond was special from the moment they met, and it only got stronger over time.

Most fans know Harmon for his role as Special Agent Leroy Gibbs on the CBS series "NCIS." The actor left the series in 2021, though he continued working behind the scenes. During his last appearances in the series, Harmon starred alongside his wife. After all, she's an actress herself, with a career spanning over four decades. But despite being in the spotlight, Harmon and Dawber have somehow managed to keep their personal lives private — and, until recently, little was known about their relationship and how it started. 

In 1986, People Magazine named Mark Harmon the "Sexiest Man Alive." "Married and unmarried women, strangers on the street, will hit me up for introductions to my brother," his sister, Kristin Nelson, told the magazine. However, the actor was determined to find that special someone and wouldn't have settled for anything less. "When I marry, I want it to be everything this town says it can't be. I'm not into catting around," Harmon confessed in his interview with People.

That same year, a friend offered to introduce him to actress Pam Dawber via a group date, but Harmon said he'd rather call her. What he didn't know was that his life would change forever following that phone call. Dawber didn't pick up, so the "Dillinger" star decided to leave a voice message. He suggested they could go out for a coffee and exchange a few words. She picked up the phone, accepted his invitation, and met him later that day.

The two walked down the aisle in 1987, keeping a low profile about their marriage. They welcomed two sons, Sean Thomas Harmon in 1988 and Ty Christian Harmon in 1992, which led Dawber to walk away from fame and focus on raising her children. Although she didn't quit acting, she put her family first and supported her husband through his career.

Mark Harmon and Pam Dawber have been together for over three decades. "They are a truly solid, no-drama couple. They are best friends who respect each other and are truly devoted to each other," a mutual friend told Closer Weekly in 2019. The source also revealed that Dawber is more outgoing than her spouse, but they have a lot in common and value pretty much the same things in life. 

Their home lives are surprisingly normal, despite Mark Harmon having a net worth of $120 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. In an interview with ET, Dawber said she decided to quit acting full-time so she could drive her children to school and do all the things a mother should be doing. "I wanted to be there for their birthdays and bring cupcakes and donuts and do the school festivals and all that, and I did." The "Mork & Mindy" star has an art studio at home, while her partner spends a lot of time in the garage.

Apart from that, the two value their privacy and enjoy spending time together at home. Unlike other celebrities, Harmon isn't into social media and prefers to maintain a low profile. The same goes for Dawber, who rarely makes public appearances. As far as their future plans go, the "NCIS" alum and his wife bought a trailer so they can escape the city more often.