Why Mark Harmon Is Glad He Waited Until His 30s To Get Married

Even with the immense fame that comes with starring on a hit series like "NCIS," Mark Harmon has never lost sight of a major personal value: his family. Harmon is celebrating over three decades with his wife, fellow actress Pam Dawber, which may sound like a unique story for two people in Hollywood, but Harmon insists that family is more vital than anything. "It was important to be able to make pancakes on Saturday morning," Harmon told People in 2023. He and Dawber share two adult sons, Sean and Ty. He recalled many occasions where he skipped sleep because he would want enough quality time with his wife and kids after work. "And yet I look back at it and I don't miss the sleep," he told the outlet.

Harmon played Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs on "NCIS" from the show's premiere in 2003 until his departure in 2021. His celebrity status has strictly stayed on the red carpets, however, because the actor refuses to share his personal life on the internet. Harmon told TV Insider that no one in his family, including his sons, has social media. "Pam and I have both made a living in this business, and still, there's a part of that that's just not natural," he confessed to the outlet. After many decades of juggling their work and home lives, Harmon and Dawber spilled the secrets of keeping a strong relationship between the two of them.

Per Mark Harmon, maturity is the key to his unbreakable bond with his wife, Pam Dawber. That's why the "NCIS" alum thinks marrying her in his mid-30s was the best decision he could've made. He felt their age was a factor in keeping what he called "the stupid stuff" out of their marriage. When People asked him about the eagle-head ring on his left ring finger, Harmon said: "I wear it or a few others I have because when I'm not shooting, I like to make sure I have something on my ring finger, because I'm proud to be married, and I'm proud of who I'm married to. I'm just so proud of her."

Harmon and Dawber — known for portraying Mindy alongside Robin Williams' Mork in the '80s sitcom "Mork & Mindy" — had kept their personal life far from their industry until Dawber made a special guest appearance on "NCIS" in 2021. Dawber revealed to TV Insider that she had been turning down offers to be on the show for years, but when her husband finally came to her with the character, investigative journalist Marcie Warren, she felt she couldn't turn it down this time. "I haven't acted in so long," she told the outlet. "It's also, at my age, do you really want to be on a big screen? I finally thought I'd feel worse if I chickened out." While she thought it was fun to run lines with her husband at home, Dawber says she will most likely not be back on screen. "There's too much social media negativity. And I have passed the point of wanting to sit in the makeup chair at six o'clock in the morning!" she quipped.