Mark Harmon
Mark Harmon dürft vielen Zuschauern noch aus
"Chicago Hope" bekannt sein, wo er den Arzt Jack McNeil gespielt hat. Weitere
Serien, in denen er mitgespielt hat waren u.a. Chefarzt Dr. Wesphall, Flamingo Road, West
Wing. Seine letzten Kinofilme waren Freaky Friday und Chasing Liberty. Mark war schon
mehrfach für den Emmy, Golden Globe sowie den SAG Award nominiert. People magazine hat
ihn 1986 zum "sexiest man alive" gekürt. Aufgewachsen ist er in
Süd-Kalifornien. Seine Mutter war Schauspielerin, sein Vater ein Football Star. Er
besuchte die Univesity of California in LA, für deren Football Team er sehr erfolgreich
als Quarterback tätig war (er hat von der National Collegiate Football Foundation den
Award for All-Around Excellence bekommen) Dort machte er auch seinen Abschluss in
Kommunikationswissenschaften cum laude, bevor er sich der Schauspielerei widmete. Er ist
mit Pam Dabwer (Mindy aus "Mork von Ork") verheiratet und hat zwei Söhne
Real American
hero
The long and winding
career of Mark Harmon
The Insider: Mark Marmon:
Hot Hunk
Sexy Harmon still cuts
it
American Profile:
Mark Harmon
Entertainment
Weekly-Naval Gazing
ET: Secrets From the Set of 'NCIS'
Sat.1
Interview mit Mark Harmon zum Start von Navy CIS
Malysia Star: Fact
machine on Mark Harmon
Parade Magazin: In Step
With...Mark Harmon
Mark Harmon on "The
Early Show"
Chicago Tribune: Most
compelling characters on television
Ladies Home Journal:
Charmin' Harmon
WASHINGTON WIRE 19.1.2004
Early Rising for SAG Award
Announcements
Real American hero
Whether solving crimes on NCIS, being a devoted family man, or saving
lives in real life, Mark Harmon is a man of principle
Article by Kyra Kirkwood and photography by Julie Dennis Brothers
Mark Harmon may have a disgruntled airplane passenger to thank for his fruitful career.
Just a few years out of college, Harmon toiled away at a thankless job while striving for
a way to act full time. On the flight home from a business trip, Harmon sat next to a man
who hated his job—a man not much older than himself, but decades more bitter, sucking
down highballs at 10:30 in the morning and complaining up a blue streak.
Although he saw similarities in their situations, Harmon remembers how he also found some
inspiration, and a way out. “I think I know what I want to try to do, but I’m
scared to do it,” he recalls thinkingduring that flight.
By the time the plane landed, Harmon’s fear was gone. He quickly quit his job as a
sales representative, and then sold his car, home, and just about everything he had of
value. Then he began searching for acting jobs.
“There was nobody who thought that was a good idea,” recalls Harmon, 54, during
a break in the filming of his popular weekly television drama, NCIS: Naval Criminal
Investigative Service. “I look back on that [flight] and go, ‘You know what,
that was fateful. That was important.’ I might have still been [messing] around,
trying to think if this was the right time to do it.”
It’s hard to imagine that this boyishly handsome actor didn’t have agents
beating down his door. With his blue eyes and playboy grin, Harmon looks every inch the
all-star athlete he was in college. But underneath it all, Harmon is a regular family guy
who is dedicated to his wife of 19 years, Pam Dawber(perhaps best remembered from the
television sitcom Mork & Mindy), as well as his two teen sons, and his job.
Yet his road to success wasn’t an easy trip. There were stints in forgettable
television shows, auditions for classes where he didn’t have a clue what to do, minor
roles in films, and some stage work in Canada. But he tackled each obstacle just as he did
the gridiron when he was a quarterback for UCLA in the 1970s: He took risks, and he
learned from his struggles and losses.
“The edge of the razor blade is where you learn the most,” says Harmon. Sure,
it’s where you’re most likely to fail, he says, “but that’s also where
you have the opportunity to gain the most.”
Harmon patterned his career path after his first mentors, people like Karl Malden and
Michael Caine. Back in the late 1970s, Harmon played a bit part on the 1979 movie Beyond
the Poseidon Adventure, and endured the wrath of a fiery-tempered director who
couldn’t find any bigger players at whom to vent. After a few days of this, someone
stepped between Harmon and the director.
Harmon recalls: “He put his hand right in the chest of the director, and he said,
‘From now on, if you have anything to say to the kid, you say it to me first. You
understand?’ ”
The director huffed away, and the man turned around. It was Malden.
“He said, ‘I’ve been watching you. You look like you like to learn … I
like to teach. How about if I’m your teacher?’ So Karl Malden was my master
class for 16 weeks every day from that point on,” he says. “What a lesson!”
Even though this Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated actor has an impressive résumé laden
with hit shows like Chicago Hope and St. Elsewhere, as well as films such as Summer
School, The Presidio, and the 2003 version of Freaky Friday (starring his old pal Jamie
Lee Curtis), Harmon still finds it hard to admit he’s “made it” in this
business. Not even being named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1986 convinced
Harmon of his stardom.
“I just thought it was silly,” he says of the title, adding with a chuckle,
“and I can’t imagine taking it seriously.” Instead of holding on to past
glories, he focuses on how much more he can learn in the industry.
“I’ve never gone on any set without taking something from it,” he says.
“I’m there to find out something I don’t know today that I will know
tomorrow. From the very, very beginning, it’s always been trying to maintain some
sort of longevity. That’s the idea, to try and keep learning, to try and keep growing
and adding to your bag of tricks.”
His most recent gig, NCIS, is nothing short of a CBS gem, ranking in the top tier of
prime-time shows last fall. Harmon, who stars as Leroy Jethro Gibbs, acts like a proud
father, pleased that a series so close to his heart is making an impression on viewers.
The show centers on special agents who investigate any crime that could be connected to
Navy and Marine Corps personnel. Comparisons to JAG and CSI once fluttered around, but
today the drama can stand on its own. “I think we’re doing it better now than we
were doing it last year or the year before,” Harmon says. “There’s no one
on this crew or cast who doesn’t want to be there. This is as talented of an ensemble
group as I’ve ever been around.”
Also starring Lauren Holly and Michael Weatherly, NCIS was created as a character-driven,
humor-laced series by JAG executive producer Donald P. Bellisario. The premise originally
drew Harmon into the fold, and it’s kept him excited ever since. Having a tight-knit
group of actors to spend 16 hours a day with, starting at 6:30 a.m., doesn’t hurt,
either.
“Listen, if we’re going to spend that kind of time [together], we better like
each other,” he says. “And [we] better have some fun doing it. … But from
the very first day, it’s always been about the work. The style of what we do is
different and unusual. Actors want to work this show. They’ve heard about this show.
The reputation precedes this
show.”
Harmon’s ever-present attitude of gratitude could come from his years spent as a
heralded collegiate football star, or from his close-knit upbringing in Los Angeles by his
All-American running back father, Tom Harmon, and his mother, Hollywood beauty Elyse Knox.
Harmon says he treasures the memories of helping his father with his weekly football
broadcasts from the Los Angeles Coliseum, running copy to the press box, and then sneaking
off to the field down below.
“I’d run down some tunnel—I used to love to get out of the other end of it,
where there was nobody else in the stadium, and you could just look at the beauty of the
field,” he recalls. “All the colors and the smell of the grass, all of it. I
used to say, ‘Wow! Someday, wouldn’t that be something to come out of there as a
player?’ ”
When he was 19, he stood, clad in UCLA gold and blue, right there in that same tunnel, in
front of 90,000 screaming fans during a 1972 game against Nebraska.
“In many ways, playing at UCLA was, for me, a complete dream come true. A fantasy.
[It also brought] my dad and I extremely close together,” says Harmon. “I just
appreciate having had him as long as we did here, and me having the opportunity to be his
son as long as I had that opportunity. … I’ll always be appreciative of
that—win, loss, doesn’t matter.”
Harmon’s athletic background continues to help him focus on a game plan during his
jobs on the set or on the stage. He says he aims for perfection, learns from his errors,
and takes notes on how to improve his game. But he’s also big on living in the
moment.
As a father of two teenage sons, Harmon keeps an unobtrusive yet constant boundary between
his work andfamily life.
“I don’t know if either [my wife or I] confuses what is the work part of what we
do and what is the family part of what we do. And that’s been from the
beginning,” Harmon says. “This is a job, and I try to do it well. And it’s
important that there’s a perspective kept on that. I don’t think what I do or
what my wife does is any different from any other job. There are different ways that
people look at it. But the work ethic is the same.”
Inevitably, people ask Harmon if he and Dawber will work together, perhaps on NCIS. That
decision, he says, is up to her.
“The truth is, if you line 10 scripts up on the table and said, ‘Which ones do
you want to do,’ 9.999 out of 10, we would choose different material,” he says.
“When the day is done, she’s from the Midwest and I’m from Burbank.”
They’ve shared the stage before, though, as well as credits on 1999’s Remember
April. Adds Harmon with a laugh, “I don’t think either one of us are looking
forward to visiting that again any time soon.”
But they must know something many other Hollywood couples don’t because after nearly
two decades together they’re still going strong. The couple knew of each other before
they met through a friend, and Harmon had also seen Dawber in an off-Broadway production
of The Pirates of Penzance. So what’s the secret to their marital success?
“I think you’ve got to be lucky,” he says. “You don’t always make
strong choices, you don’t always make right choices. You do your best.”
Harmon and Dawber prioritize their family time and try to keep it as normal as possible.
Although NCIS shoots for 10 months of the year, Harmon isn’t always keen to jump
right into another project during the show’s hiatus. At times, he’ll try to
fulfill his love of stage acting by joining a production, but other times, he’ll
schedule a three-week family vacation.
“When you’re a parent, everything from school conferences, to plays, to first
Little League games, to what you’re doing on Saturday, those are moments,” he
says. “And it’s a collection of moments. How many did you see? How many did you
witness?”
A few years ago, Harmon learned how important those moments can be when he witnessed a
near-fatal moment for two young drivers.
It all began with a shattering crunch that Harmon and Dawber heard from inside their Los
Angeles-area house. Harmon checked on their sons to make sure they were safe, and Dawber
went outside to investigate. She found that two boys had crashed their car. Flames
threatened to overtake the vehicle and trap the boys inside. Dawber called 911, and Harmon
ran for his sledgehammer in the garage. He smashed out the windows, yanked the boys from
the burning wreckage, and pulled them to safety just before the car exploded.
“During those moments in the middle of that, it was like everything slowed down. I
had an inordinate amount of time,” he recalls. “In reality, I didn’t. There
was no time to spare in any of this. There was not three seconds on either side to
spare.”
The next morning, as he left to take his boys to school, a swarm of reporters converged on
his house, looking for the story about Harmon’s heroics. What was important to him
was finding out how the boys were doing. He had no idea if they were dead or alive.
As it turns out, they both survived, though they suffered burns. Harmon still keeps in
touch with them, he says. “We were lucky to help,” Harmon adds. “We stepped
up, and we helped. Which is different than most people. Some people don’t do that.
And you know what? That’s fine. That’s their thing. Not my thing. We reacted. We
did it. And these two kids have a life because of that.
“It changed people. That experience that night changed anyone who was involved.”
—Kyra Kirkwood is a freelance writer based in Fullerton.
Quelle: OrangeCoast
Entertainment Weekly: Tall, Mark &
Handsome
The long and winding career of Mark Harmon -- The grizzled ''NCIS'' veteran actor talks
about the '80s, ''St. Elsewhere,'' and airing opposite ''American Idol'' by Lynette Rice
Pretty boy. Those were the two words that came to Don Bellisario's mind when he first
considered hiring Mark Harmon as the star of his naval-themed CBS crime drama NCIS. How on
earth, he wondered, could the six-foot-tall, salt-and-pepper-haired sex symbol who'd
stolen hearts as a scamp in St. Elsewhere and Chicago Hope play tough-as-nails agent Leroy
Jethro Gibbs from the Navy's elite crime investigative unit?
The answer came when Bellisario saw Harmon's Emmy-nominated 2002 arc as Agent Simon
Donovan on The West Wing. ''What I saw was a very controlled presence, a quiet strength,''
says Bellisario. ''That's what I was looking for. Leroy is Mark's kind of guy. Mark has
that jock mentality — you tough it out no matter how tough it is.'' And thanks in no
small part to the 54-year-old Harmon's charismatic performance, NCIS — written off as
just another CBS procedural when it premiered in 2003 — is now one of TV's
fastest-growing dramas. It also may be the only American Idol-proof show on TV: Even
though it faces Fox's unstoppable hit for five months every season, NCIS' ratings are up
10 percent from last year, with a weekly average of 15.6 million viewers.
Because Harmon's 31-year TV career has been populated by just as many failures (anyone
remember 240-Robert?) as it has hits, the actor maintains a humble attitude. ''I have a
bit of a 'play me, trade me' attitude [with roles],'' he says. ''I've never done any job
for the security or the money. I believe in trying to find an area to get better, to learn
more about why I'm here.'' We asked Harmon to look back on his varied TV projects, from
enduring a celebrity-studded obstacle course from hell to reporting for duty on NCIS.
ST. ELSEWHERE NBC, 1983-1986
Harmon was acting in plays and roofing houses to make ends meet when his agent suggested
he read for the Steven Bochco drama Bay City Blues. Fortuitously, the audition took place
in the same building where St. Elsewhere executive producer Bruce Paltrow was casting the
new role of Dr. Bobby Caldwell for the drama's second season. Harmon moseyed down the hall
and wound up nabbing the part. Caldwell, a plastic surgeon, later contracted HIV.
''The character changed dramatically in the third season. He went from caring surgeon to
womanizing sleazeball. Originally, I was going to get Lou Gehrig's disease. But Paltrow
changed it to AIDS. Bill Daniels' character said to Bobby, 'I didn't even know you
preferred guys.' And I said, 'I don't.' That was an important piece of information to get
out because there was a consensus at the time that AIDS was the result of a certain
lifestyle, and that was dead wrong. If NBC hadn't been in such rough shape, I don't think
St. Elsewhere would have survived. Everybody knew that if [NBC's then chairman] Grant
Tinker had something better, he would have put it on.''
BATTLE OF THE NETWORK STARS ABC, 1984
Harmon had just finished his first season on St. Elsewhere when he was asked to appear on
the popular Howard Cosell-hosted sweatfest for the third time (the first two were in 1981
and 1982). In all, he appeared four times on the long-running special, competing against
the likes of Joan Collins and Heather Locklear.
''I remember [St. Elsewhere costar] Denzel Washington and I getting a call on a Friday,
which means two people bailed out on a Thursday. We were both building our own houses, and
I said, 'Well, I can build a wall in front of my house or they can give me $10,000 just
for showing up.' So I went. The bizarre thing is that [the NBC team] ended up winning the
whole thing, which was $20,000 for a day and a half of work. You had to be in pretty good
shape to survive. The first day we did lame stuff like paddling a boat in the pool and a
dunk booth, but the next day they tried to kill us with an obstacle course and a bike
race. It was bizarre, but I don't find it embarrassing.''
THE DELIBERATE STRANGER NBC, 1986
It was the year that PEOPLE magazine dubbed him the Sexiest Man Alive, but Harmon still
jumped at the chance to play serial killer Ted Bundy for this TV movie, a role that earned
him his first Golden Globe nomination.
''I made plans to go meet Ted when he was on death row. I wanted to look into his eyes.
The director told me to think about it. He was right: The person I would have met would
have been charming. Instead, [the director] sent me to Utah to meet Carol DaRonch, the
only woman to [escape] Ted's attack. There was a lot of responsibility attached to that
role. I'd be on set and notice two people off to the side — they were parents of
victims looking for closure. I thought the dark stuff would be the hardest stuff and the
charming stuff would come easier, but sometime during filming it switched, and the
charming stuff became harder.''
CHICAGO HOPE CBS, 1996-2000
After toiling in two short-lived detective series (Charlie Grace and Reasonable Doubts),
Harmon regained momentum when he joined David E. Kelley's Emmy winner in its third season
as Dr. Jack McNeil, an orthopedic surgeon with a nasty gambling addiction.
''[Exec producer] John Tinker initially told me that he wasn't sure what kind of surgeon
I'd be, but he knew I'd wear clogs and be complicated. I said, 'Great!' Sometimes we'd
come in days earlier to rehearse full surgeries and how to pass instruments — that
is, when we had a script. It was more usual to shoot something and a change would come
down to reshoot. It was a fun place to be. I learned never to eat an Altoid before putting
on a surgical mask. You'll go blind from the vapors.''
NCIS CBS 2003-present
During the long-running drama JAG's eighth season, Bellisario penned two April 2003
episodes (starring Harmon) that focused on the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which
would be at the center of Navy NCIS, a spin-off premiering that September. Though his film
career was healthy — that summer's Freaky Friday would become a hit — Harmon
signed on in part because it would allow him to work near the L.A. home he shares with his
wife, actress Pam Dawber, and their two children, Sean, 17, and Ty, 13. It was a smart
move — the offbeat drama quietly became one of CBS' most reliable and popular shows.
''Jethro doesn't think of himself as a hero, which is maybe what I like best about him.
He's an old-school leader. People perceived this show to be one thing but it has proven to
be something else. To me, what made the show different was how these characters were not
predictable and there was humor. The real NCIS is a worldwide authority that was redefined
by 9/11, so [the show] is terribly current. But Don will never let this get too serious.
We're not surprised by the ratings — we know what we've been doing — but it
feels really good.''
Making His Mark
NCIS'' star Mark Harmon reminisces about working with Jodie Foster, Kirstie Alley, Rob Reiner, and others
Television isn't the only medium where Mark Harmon has left a strong impression. The 54-year-old NCIS star shared with Entertainment Weekly some thoughts on his three favorite big-screen roles:
Comes a Horseman (1978)
Harmon had a relatively small role in Alan J. Pakula's quiet, romantic western about
three Wyoming cattle ranchers. It featured an all-star cast that included James Caan, Jane
Fonda, Richard Farnsworth, and Jason Robards. ''I'm dead before the titles stop, but I
was there forever and I got to be on the set with Pakula every day. Farnsworth and Robards
took me under their wing. It was like a masters class.''
Summer School (1987)
Director Carl Reiner cast Harmon — whom he first discovered while the actor was
promoting NBC's The Deliberate Stranger — in the role of a high school teacher
who teaches a remedial English class for misfits over the summer break and tries to woo a
snooty fellow teacher played by Kirstie Alley. ''That script was originally developed
for Joan Rivers, so it's pretty amazing to end up in that role with that director. It was
a terribly risky thing to do, but Carl made it what it is and what it became. No one was
making a lot of money. It was all about going out there and having a fun time doing this
little film. And it became very successful. Carl kept saying we needed something at the
end. I told him I had something: I had gone to a wedding at the Beverly Hills Hotel and
while waiting for my car at valet, I started putting Chap Stick on because it was hot and
windy. Then I heard this voice behind me say, 'Can I have some of that?' I turn around and
there's this very pretty brunet there so [I hand it to her]. I told Carl that and he made
it the end of the movie. I'm walking on the beach with Kirstie Alley, who asks me if I
have Chap Stick. She knocks it out of my hand, kisses me, and we roll down on the sand.''
Stealing Home (1988)
In this sentimental drama costarring Jodie Foster, Harmon played an ex-baseball player
who returns home to bury his first love and old friend (Jodie Foster, in a critically
acclaimed performance) who recently committed suicide. ''That was about a bunch of
actors loving a script, going there and burning it on both ends for five weeks just to get
it done. That was a fun one to make. I hear a lot about that role. People really found
that movie on video.''
Quelle: Entertainment Weekly
September 13, 2005
It's the second day of Hot Hunks week and LARA SPENCER is going one on one with
"NCIS" hottie, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, better known as blue-eyed
darlin' MARK HARMON.
"Wow, okay, thanks, that's nice to know," the modest CBS leading man says about
being complimented. Did we mention he's also the nicest guy in Hollywood? Or that he likes
antiques? And remodeling?
"I do! I grew up on a workshop on my dad's yard and that's what I understand. I think
if I hadn't been able to make my living as a carpenter, which I couldn't, that's what I
would be doing instead of what I'm doing now."
Lucky for us he is working on "NCIS" (8 p.m. Tuesdays on CBS), after playing
docs on hospital dramas like "St. Elsewhere" and "Chicago Hope," and
goofball roles on the big screen such as 'Summer School' and the 'Freaky Friday' remake.
On the show, he's the guy charged with investigating any crime connected to Navy and
Marine Corp personnel. We found him outside his vintage 1970s Airstream trailer, which,
incidentally, the 54-year-old father of two decorated himself.
"My agent thought I was out of my mind and so does every producer here," he
confesses. "But in some ways it just makes terrible sense to me. It's practical, it's
keen and people go, 'Wow, you got an Airstream!'"
Mark is gearing up for the arrival of an old friend from "Chicago Hope" to
"NCIS," actress LAUREN HOLLY. She'll be playing the team's new director, Jenny
Shepard -- and Gibbs' former flame.
"It's a shock to Gibbs that the regular director is moving into another job and that
the new director is not only female but someone that he knows and knows well on different
levels."
Mark says he's looking forward to Lauren's appearance, and the chance to pull pranks on a
new recruit.
"We do have fun and we'll play jokes on each other," he says.
For more hot hunks, keep watching "The Insider" all this week!
Quelle: : Insider
Sexy Harmon still cuts it
The West Australian Today Section
Sep 7, 2005 Page 5
Article by Sue Yeap
Mark Harmon loves playing special agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs on Ten’s navel crime drama
NCIS but one thing he could live without is his characters dodgy haircut.
Its hardly the style of choice for Harmon, who was voted Sexiest Man Alive by People
magazine in 19986, the year he ended his role as heart-throb Dr Bobby Caldwell in
acclaimed hospital drama St Elsewhere and received an Emmy nomination for portraying
serial killer Ted Bundy in the telemovie The Deliberate Stranger.
“He’s a marine, that high and tight look, that’s all part of who Gibbs
is,” Harmon laughed on the phone from the L.A set.
“Look, when we’re not shooting, my hair grows out and I’m pretty shaggy.
The thing about the haircut though – Gibbs doesn’t care about it but Mark’s
with that haircut 11 months of the year. Every Monday my hair gets cut whether I want it
or not.”
But Harmon’s not complaining. In fact, throughout our interview he has nothing but
praise for cast mates and series creator Donald P. Bellisario, whose previous writing and
direction credits include JAG, Quantum Leap and Magnum PI.
“I have worked with Aaron Sorkin, David E. Kelley, Bruce Paltrow, all creative
individuals exceptional in ability to create hour-format drama,” says Harmon.
“I have never worked with someone who does as many things as Bellisario does –
he creates, he produces, he edits, he’d make the coffee if you let him.”
Harmon also likes the humour in NCIS, which sets it apart from other crime shows like the
similarly named CSI franchise.
Gibbs is the senor special agent of an elite team working for NCIS – the Navel
Criminal Investigative Service – charged with investigating ant crime connected to
Navy and Marine Corp personnel.
He’s addicted to coffee, has three ex-wives and poor interpersonal skills but somehow
maintains the loyalty of his team, forensic specialist Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette),
medical examiner Donald “Ducky” mallard (David McCallum), former homicide
detective Anthony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) and former Secret Service agent Caitlin Todd
(Sasha Alexander).
Harmon believes Gibbs is based on a real NCIS agent but many of his traits actually belong
to Bellisario.
“Don Bellisario is the one with four ex-wives, not Mark Harmon,” he said (Harmon
has been married to former Mork and Mindy star Pam Dawber since 1987). “The coffee
addiction, driving fast everywhere, his inability to be in any way computer savvy. He
still uses a notepad and a pencil.
“I find the quirks of this character entertaining and fun and natural and real, and I
think that’s Don’s forte for all the characters.
“Gibbs is a complex character to play, he continues to be interesting to me. I keep
learning things about him and Don keeps throwing these kernels out at all of us.”
Bellisario dropped a bombshell for the season two finale, which screen on Ten in a
fortnight, by killing off one of the cast.
“There where a multitude of endings,” said Harmon. “I think right up until
the show aired or just before, I don’t think any of us even knew what ending he was
gong to use. I think it’s more important to realise Don was willing to take a lead
character and put them out the door in an effort to make the show have continued
growth.”
“In this day of actors sometimes being a little bit out of control, Don, I think,
puts a shot across the bow, basically saying to the actor and the audience, you can’t
tune in here every week and know people are going to be here. “
Lauren Holly joins the cast next season as the new director of NCIS, Jenny Shepherd,
replacing Aussie ex-pat actor Alan Dale. She has a history with Gibbs, so romance may
finally be in the air for agent grumpy.
Although Gibbs seems to be perpetually disgruntled, not even working 16 to 18-hour days,
sometimes at night in the rain, can bother Harmon, whose last major series aside from a
recurring role in the West Wing, was Chicago Hope from 1996 to 2000.
“This doesn’t happen very often. I think this entire cast and crew has worked
enough in this business to realise this is special,” he said. “This is a fun set
to be on. This is a set people look forward to coming to work on. We all like each other
as people and I think that’s a part of what you’re seeing on the show as
well.”
Quelle. The West Australian Today
American Profile 17.5.05
I would like to know where I can reach Mark Harmon. Our family enjoys his productions and
acting.
—Ardyth T., Utah
Actor Mark Harmon, 53, stars on NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service), which is the
best place to write to him: c/o NCIS, 28343 Avenue Crocker, Valencia, CA 91355. He’s
pleased to be on a show that keeps him in Los Angeles, where he resides with wife Pam
Dawber (Mindy of TV’s Mork & Mindy) and their two children Sean, 17, and Ty, 12.
“I have weekends, breakfast and an occasional dinner with my family, so it’s
definitely something I appreciate,” Harmon says. Married since 1987, Harmon’s
marriage is one of the lengthier “Hollywood” unions. “I think it’s
about a perspective and priority,” he says. “Neither one of us confuses the
family life with the job we go off to do each day.” The Burbank, Calif., native holds
a communication degree from UCLA and worked in advertising and carpentry before attempting
the acting profession where “for years I played people who didn’t have a
name.” Harmon finally landed a starring role in the 1986 TV movie Deliberate
Stranger. “That I’m here this many years later talking about it, I feel very
fortunate that my career has had longevity. I’m always trying to get better at what I
do.”
Quelle: American Profile
Naval Gazing - Best performances in shows that aren't being
praised.
Check out the latest Ask the Critic question and post your own by Gillian Flynn
Who do you think are providing the best performances in good shows that aren't being
praised by all the cool critics? — Ward Kay
If you wanna talk about underbuzzed shows, let's add to your list NCIS: a solid series of
rhythm and wit, thanks in large part to dependable, charismatic lead Mark Harmon, as naval
agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/commentary/0,6115,1024625_3_0_,00.html
Secrets From the Set of 'NCIS'
ET, November 9, 2004
In its second season "NCIS" is ranked in the Top 20 shows -- coming in at No. 16
-- and its star MARK HARMON credits the great writing, the strong characters and the fact
that there is a tremendous amount of humor in the scripts as the reason why.
On tonight's ET, our MARY HART is on the "NCIS" set with Mark to get the inside
story on the popular military drama.
"I had to kiss a lot of frogs to get here," Mark tells Mary of the great
environment in which he works. "This is one of those lucky groupings of actors. It is
a terrifically talented ensemble and they make it look easy."
"NCIS," CBS' drama about a team of special agents whose mission is to
investigate any crime that has evidence connected to Navy and Marine Corps personnel, also
stars MICHAEL WEATHERLY, SASHA ALEXANDER, PAULEY PERRETTE, DAVID McCALLUM and SEAN MURRAY.
Harmon, whose TV credits also include "Chicago Hope," "Reasonable
Doubts" and "The White Shadow," knew "NCIS" was a winner as soon
as he read his character's name: Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
"Sometimes it is just in a name," he says. "Leroy Jethro was (creator/exec
producer) DON BELLISARIO's dad's best friend growing up in Pennsylvania. I read that name
and it stopped me."
The stories on "NCIS," airing Tuesdays at 8 p.m., are based on real-life
incidents, many of which just recently have been declassified, so the show is very
topical, and Mark has an actual NCIS agent as a point of contact to keep it real.
"It is an extremely dangerous job," he tells Mary. "It is not extremely
well-paying for the danger. I am proud to be representing these people. It is a job I
couldn't do for real. It takes a very rare individual." http://et.tv.yahoo.com/tv/2004/11/09/ncis_maryhartvisit/
Exklusives Interview mit Hauptdarsteller
Mark Harmon
15.03.2005 - 16:47 Uhr, SAT.1. [Pressemappe]
Berlin (ots) - Am Donnerstag, 17. März 2005, um 21.15 Uhr startet "Navy CIS",
die action- und spannungsreiche US-Hitserie um eine Eliteeinheit, die Verbrechen im Umfeld
der US Navy aufklärt. Die Hauptrolle spielt Mark Harmon alias Special Agent Leroy Jethro
Gibbs, Leiter des NCIS-Teams. Hier das exklusive Interview, frisch vom NCIS-Set der
zweiten Staffel, die zurzeit in Los Angeles gedreht
wird:
Sat.1: Wer ist der ehemalige Marineoffizier, NCIS-Special Agent LeroyGibbs?
MH: Es gibt keine ehemaligen Marineoffiziere. Einmal Marine, immer Marine. Gibbs ist
mittlerweile seit 20 Jahren bei der NCIS-Spezialeinheit, die nicht nur in den USA, sondern
weltweit eingesetzt wird. Die NCIS existiert seit dem 2. Weltkrieg und arbeitet extrem
verdeckt. Es gibt nur ca. 2500 NCIS-Offiziere, davon nur 18 Prozent Frauen. Seit dem 11.
September kommt die NCIS verschärft zum Einsatz. Das Besondere dabei ist, dass die
Öffentlichkeit davon im Gegensatz zu CIA oder FBI nichts mitbekommt. Unsere Serie hat die
NCIS überhaupt erst bekannt gemacht, und ich empfinde es als große Verantwortung, so
direkt daran beteiligt zu sein.
Sat.1: Was bedeutet es für Sie, diesen Gibbs zu spielen? Was mögen Sie an ihm?
MH Special Agent Gibbs ist ein echter "Teamleader" und ein guter Jagdhund. Ich
bin nicht Gibbs, aber ich liebe seine Schwächen. Ich habe kein Interesse daran, einen
Superhelden zu spielen, sondern bevorzuge die echte Person. Das Besondere an NCIS ist vor
allem auch die Arbeit im Ensemble, jede Figur steht für sich, jeder von uns hat seine
eigene Identität, die sich perfekt ins Team einpasst.
Als Produzent Donald P. Bellisario mir vor zwei Jahren das erste Drehbuch gab,
begeisterten mich als erstes die Figur, der trockene Humor dieses Menschen. Der Name Leroy
Jethro Gibbs ist übrigens ein echter Name, nämlich der eines sehr guten Freundes von
Donald. Für ihn hat jeder Name eine besondere Bedeutung, eine reale Quelle. Es ist schon
eine Ehre, mit dem legendären Donald P. Bellisario (ist u.a. Schöpfer von
"Magnum" und "J.A.G.") zusammenzuarbeiten.
Sat.1: Wie haben Sie sich auf die Rolle vorbereitet?
MH Wir alle haben spezielle Berater. Ich hatte einen echten NCIS-Agenten an der Seite, dem
ich auf Schritt und Tritt folgen und dem ich ständig Fragen stellen konnte. Jede Facette
seiner Arbeit, seiner Herangehensweise und seiner Persönlichkeit habe ich aufgesogen und
bringe sie in die Rolle mit ein. Am Set haben wir dauerhaft auch einen Offizier, der 30
Jahre NCIS-Erfahrung mitbringt und den wir jederzeit fragen können. Auch für die anderen
Figuren gibt es am Set Fachberater.
Sat.1: Wie anstrengend sind die Dreharbeiten?
MH Wir verbringen hier an den Sets mehr Zeit als mit unseren Familien, was uns sehr
schnell zu einer eigenen Familie
zusammengeschweißt hat. Wir leben hier in unserem eigenen Familien- Mikrokosmos, in dem
wir täglich Freud und Leid teilen. Wir drehen rund zehn Monate im Jahr, sind zurzeit
gerade bei Folge 20 der zweiten Staffel und drehen noch bis April. Da verbringt man sehr
viel Zeit miteinander, lernt die anderen von ihren verschiedenen Seiten kennen. Dann geht
jeder seines Weges, entspannt oder arbeitet woanders und im Juli treffen wir uns alle
wieder zur dritten Staffel. Klar schlaucht das schon und alle sind müde. Aber wir sind
trotzdem immer gut drauf, denn es ist einfach klasse, an dieser Serie arbeiten zu können.
Die Locations sind echt, die Fälle basieren auf echten Fällen, das macht die ganze Sache
noch spannender...
Sat.1: Sie haben in "Chicago Hope" und auch bei anderen Gelegenheiten
Regie geführt. Ist das auch für NCIS geplant?
MH Auch wenn ich sehr gerne Regie führe und Donald mich bestimmt gerne ließe: Meine
Rolle als Schauspieler ist hier definitiv ein absoluter Fulltimejob. Da bleibt keine Zeit
und Energie für anderes. Ich will es für die Zukunft nicht ausschließen, aber vorerst
konzentriere ich mich voll und ganz auf Gibbs...
Sat.1: Wie sind Sie eigentlich zur Schauspielerei gekommen?
MH Ich bin da so reingerutscht. Eigentlich war ich der totale Sportfan und Sportler. Meine
Eltern hätten sich gewünscht, dass ich nach der Highschool Jura studiere. Dann habe ich
in einer Werbeagentur gejobbt und ein Praktikum an einem Filmset gemacht. Tja, und
irgendwie hat mich das Schauspielen dann am meisten gereizt. Ich bin froh, so
unterschiedliche Rollen spielen zu dürfen, habe im Laufe der Jahre ja schon einiges
erlebt - alle Höhen und Tiefen der Schauspielerei. Klar ist es auch nicht immer leicht,
die eigene Familie zu verlassen und zu arbeiten. Es gab Zeiten, als meine beiden Söhne
noch klein waren, da wollte ich einfach mehr für sie da sein - was ich dann auch getan
habe. Jetzt sind sie älter und brauchen mich nicht mehr so nötig... Mein Ziel ist es,
die Balance zu halten, und ich bin echt glücklich, Teil einer so stimmigen Produktion wie
NCIS zu sein...
Sat.1: Vor einiger Zeit wurden Sie mit dem Titel "sexiest man alive"
geehrt. Wie fühlt man sich damit?
MH So ein Titel bedeutet mir wirklich gar nichts, hat nichts mit meinem Job zu tun und
sagt auch nichts darüber aus, wie gut oder schlecht ich bin. Es gibt gewiss viele Leute,
denen so etwas wichtig ist. Ich gehöre jedenfalls nicht dazu.
http://www.presseportal.de/story_rss.htx?nr=658693
Malysia Star: Fact machine on Mark
Harmon
Compiled by MUMTAJ BEGUM
Name: Mark Harmon; full name Thomas Mark Harmon
We know him as: Many characters, really. Among them Dr Robert “Bobby” Caldwell
in St. Elsewhere, Dr Jack McNeil in Chicago Hope and now, Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs in Navy
NCIS (8TV, Mondays, 10.45pm).
Date and place of birth: Sept 2, 1951, in Burbank, California.
Height: 1.82m
Education: Graduated cum laude from UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) in 1974
with a degree in communications. Also played quarterback for UCLA Bruins, 1972-73, winning
US National Football Foundation Award for all-round excellence.
Marital status: He has been married to Pam Dawber, the lead actress of Mork & Mindy
(the American TV sitcom from 1978 to 1982), since 1987. They have two sons.
Parents: His father, Tom Harmon, was a former all-star football player at the University
of Michigan. The elder Harmon also played halfback/defensive back for the US National
Football League in Los Angeles for a year. His mother is actress Elyse Knox.
Career paths: His first movie was Comes a Horseman back in 1978. Harmon is best known for
his work on 1980s TV: he has co-starred in Flamingo Road and Moonlighting, and played the
lead role of AIDS-stricken Dr Bob Caldwell on St. Elsewhere.
Did you know that: He worked as a carpenter before he made it in the entertainment
industry. And Ricky Nelson, the late rocker and 1950s teen idol, was his brother-in-law.
That makes him the uncle of pop duo Gunnar and Matthew Nelson of The Nelsons.
Interesting titbit: A baseball fan, Harmon was once part-owner of the minor-league San
Bernardino Spirit, a team which figured prominently in his 1988 film Stealing Home.
Chew on this: Risked his life to save two teenage boys who were involved in a car accident
outside his home. Harmon used a shovel from his garage to break the window of their car,
then pulled them to safety while his wife called 911. He made every effort to downplay his
role in saving the boys’ lives.
http://www.star-ecentral.com/news/story.asp?file=/2004/10/24/movies/8905989&sec=movies
Parade Magazin: In Step With...Mark Harmon
By James Brady
Published: May 16, 2004
Actor Mark Harmon was late calling me on a Saturday morning because,
as he said apologetically, “We worked all night, and I just got in the door.”
Harmon is on CBS’s Tuesday-night hit Navy NCIS, and he told me he works an average of
18 hours a day.
“It’s OK,” he said. “I didn’t take this job for the days off. The
series is doing well, and we’re proud of it. And with CBS extending it to a full
season, we may not even get a hiatus.”
That last part may be a joke. But the series—created by Don Bellisario, a former
Marine who’s also the idea guy behind the TV show JAG—is anything but a joke. It
deals with a maverick criminal-investigating unit within the Navy. Harmon is Special Agent
Leroy Jethro Gibbs, the chief investigator—also a former Marine. David McCallum
(remember him?) is the unit’s medical examiner, “Ducky” Mallard.
I asked about McCallum, who played Illya Kuryakin on the hit ’60s series The Man From
U.N.C.L.E. “He’s the best,” Mark said. “When we first met on the set,
I greeted him as ‘Illya,’ and he just laughed. ‘Man, that was 39 years
ago!’ he said. He’s a gift of a professional.”
Harmon hasn’t been around quite as long as McCallum, but he’s got an impressive
résumé. He’s been nominated for four Golden Globes, he was on Chicago Hope, St.
Elsewhere and Moonlighting, and in 2002 he received his second Emmy nomination for his
role as Secret Service Agent Simon Donovan on NBC’s The West Wing. Harmon also has
done stage work, and this winter he portrayed the President in the film Chasing Liberty.
In 2001, Mark played the “heavy” in a fine TV Western of a Louis L’Amour
story called Crossfire Trail, starring Tom Selleck. “I didn’t know you could be
that nasty,” I told the affable Harmon.
“It was just fun to do,” he said. “We need more great Westerns.”
Brady's Bits
Mark Harmon lives in the mountains high above Santa Monica with his wife, actress Pam Dawber (Mork & Mindy), and their two sons. Is Pam acting these days? “She gets offered stuff all the time,” Harmon told me, “but she turns it down. She does a lot of concerts, singing Sondheim songs with a full orchestra behind her. And she’s teaching art.” Harmon’s bloodlines are impressive: His mother is the former Hollywood beauty Elyse Knox, and his father was the All-American running back Tom Harmon of Michigan. Before Mark went into showbiz, he too played college football. “My father was broadcasting UCLA games at the Coliseum,” he recalled, “and I ran copy for him when he was on the air. I used to look down at the field and fantasize about coming out onto the grass from the players’ tunnel.” So when Mark was 21, he did just that. “I was standing with the team in that tunnel,” he said, “waiting to take the field, with 97,000 people watching.” How many Americans have a story like that?
Personal
Born Sept. 2, 1951, in Burbank, Calif. Married to Pam Dawber since 1987. Two sons: Sean, 16, and Ty, 11.
Television
Includes Ozzie’s Girls, 1974; 240-Robert, 1979-80; St. Elsewhere, 1983-86; Moonlighting, 1987; Sweet Bird of Youth, 1989; Chicago Hope, 1996-2000; Crossfire Trail, 2001; The West Wing, 2002; Navy NCIS, 2003–.
Films
Include Comes a Horseman, 1978; Beyond the Poseidon Adventure, 1979; Tuareg, 1984; Summer School, 1987; Worth Winning, 1989; Wyatt Earp, 1994; Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, 1998; The Amati Girls, 2000; Freaky Friday, 2003; Chasing Liberty, 2004.
Bonus Online Content
In this week’s issue, James Brady chats with actor Mark Harmon,
star of the CBS series Navy NCIS. While Harmon has enjoyed a fantastic career and been
nominated several times for major acting awards, he’s never taken home a statuette.
Following are his major award nominations:
Emmy Awards
2002
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
The West Wing
1977
Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Special
Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years
Golden Globes
1993
Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series—Drama
Reasonable Doubts
1992
Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series—Drama
Reasonable Doubts
1988
Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV
After the Promise
1987
Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV
The Deliberate Stranger
Mark Harmon on "The early Show" CBS News 25.5.2004
Mark Harmons "NCIS"
(CBS) Actor Mark Harmon returned to prime-time TV last fall,
starring in the CBS drama " Navy NCIS." The series follows Navy NCIS Special
Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs and his team as they investigate crimes that are connected to
Navy and Marine Corps personnel. On Tuesday night, the show wraps up its first season at 8
p.m./ET.
A former sportscaster, Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm says she was thrilled to
interview Harmon, who was a famous UCLA quarterback and winner of the National Collegiate
Football Foundation Award for All Around Excellence.
You may also remember Harmon from the early days of medical drama in "St.
Elsewhere," in which he played lady’s man and surgeon Bobby Caldwell for three
years. The role made him a national sex symbol. He was voted People magazine’s
Sexiest Man Alive in 1986. He also played Dr. Jack McNeil on CBS's Emmy-winning
“Chicago Hope.”
Today, he tells Storm he is happy not to be in scrubs. Instead, he sports
the Marine haircut and notes he is very proud of being part of the show and what it
represents. NCIS stands for Navy Criminal Investigative Service, a unit that has existed
since World War II.
“What they do is pretty fascinating work,” Harmon says about the real unit.
“They’ve been since Sept. 11 at the very tip of counterterrorism work in the
world. Their jurisdiction is the world. They’re a civilization agency, federal. What
they have done, they’ve done underneath the bar of public scrutiny for many, many
years.
"The show changes some of that for the field agents, but it’s remarkable job.
I’m proud to be involved with them and trying to portray the stories and who they are
in a way. And the show’s done as well as it has in the first year.”
The show has been described as "Jag" meets "CSI." But Harmon does not
believe that is accurate.
He says, “From the very beginning, I came to this show because of Don Bellisario who
created it and he is involved with us every day, which is how he wanted it and I wanted
it. And we worked very hard this last year, and now people are watching it and enjoying
it. But I think what I admired about him from the very beginning is his shows are
character driven. They’re strong, a lot of humor in this show.”
Bellisario has done “Quantum Leap,” “Magnum PI,” and “Rockford
Files." And, Harmon notes, the content of the show is ripped from the headlines.
“Some of the stuff that we put out there each week is stuff that people should be
thinking about,” he says.
An average workday for Harmon is 17 to 18 hours long, but says he really enjoys spending
that time with the cast and crew. “We all like each other and we all work hard and
sometimes a good laugh is as important as anything,” he says.
When he gets home to his wife, he says, sometimes he gets to make breakfast and take his
two teenage boys to school. Harmon is married to actress Pam Dawber from "Mork and
Mindy.”
About his children, he says, “They’re very busy and that’s a full-time
thing, keeping up with that schedule. But she’s done a great job. And a lot of this
now, with this schedule that I have, is now kind of gone on her shoulders and she’s
teaching art three times a day and doing a bunch of other things and doing them really
well.”
On the big screen, Harmon recently played the president of the United States in the Warner
Brothers' film "Chasing Liberty" with Mandy Moore. He also was seen opposite
Jamie Lee Curtis in the Disney hit remake of "Freaky Friday." He made his
feature film debut in Alan Pakula's "Comes a Horseman."
Additional credits include Lawrence Kasdan's "Wyatt Earp," "Stealing
Home," with Jodie Foster, "The Presidio," and Carl Reiner's smash hit,
"Summer School." He also made memorable cameo appearances in "Fear and
Loathing in Las Vegas," "Natural Born Killers," and "The Last
Supper." Clip unter: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/25/earlyshow/leisure/celebspot/main619459.shtml
Chicago Tribune: Most compelling characters on television 15.4.04
::snip::
That said, we found plenty of watchable characters on TV screens of late -- on reality
shows and on scripted fare, on basic cable, on HBO and, yes, even on network television.
Here, in order of the obsessive devotion they inspire, are our nominees for the most
compelling characters on television:
::snip::
Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), "Navy NCIS." Now here's a macho, manly man for you. Smooth, confident, a touch arrogant, Gibbs (what's with the "Leroy Jethro"?) is the typical stoic cop. He's a gruff ex-Marine who isn't afraid to step on other people's toes while investigating criminal cases; he's hard to deal with when he hasn't had his morning cup of coffee; and he's got a mystery woman who picks him up from work in a sports car. So what if that sounds bit formulaic -- Harmon makes it all fun to watch.
Charmin' Harmon
With a new hit TV show, this handsome family man is back in our hearts
By Laura Brounstein
He's been a serial killer, a G-man, a doctor and a summer school
teacher - as an actor, of course. But whether he's playing tough or tender, there's an
easy, "aw, shucks," sexiness to Mark Harmon that comes through, whether he's
modestly talking about his new movie, Chasing Liberty (inspired by the classic Roman
Holiday), or his hit CBS show, Navy NCIS. "I'm only an actor,"
Harmon, 52, says. "What the real NCIS do is amazing. They're at the very tip of
counter-terrorism work. My fear is that a real agent in a cave somewhere will be
compromised by a fan asking, 'Do you know the stars of NCIS on TV?'"
Q. When you leave the NCIS set, you go home to your wife, Pam Dawber, of Mork
& Mindy fame. How did you two meet?
A. It was kind of a blind date. A gal I was working with at the time wanted me to meet
Pam, but I had taken the line that if I ever dated an actress again, someone should shoot
me in the forehead with a dull spear gun. So, it didn't work out for us right away, but
eventually we ran into each other, talked and ended up going out that same night. A year
later we got married.
Q. Did it feel different right away?
A. It just felt easy. If you haven't found that yet, hang on to your belief that it's out
there. It's not about lightning bolts and that stuff, it's about being comfortable.
Q. President Foster, your Chasing Libert character, spends a lot of time worrying
about his beginning-to-date teenage daughter, played by Mandy Moore. Your sons, Sean, 15,
and Ty, 10, are approaching dating age. Are you getting worried yet?
A. Oh, I expect both of our boys will treat women wonderfully. I have two older sisters,
and one way or another, they taught me. You know, I think moral structure is important.
And that's part of our job as parents. You have to make choices in your own life and in
your kids' lives.
Q. What kind of choices?
A. My family is from the Midwest, and I think there's a value system that goes with that.
Our expectations involve more responsibility and, to some degree, more discipline. You see
that when you kid goes, "Hey, I want to play with Billy," you say,
"Great." And you call the mom, and she drops Billy off, and Billy does things at
your house and you go, "Unbelievable." I mean, whatever he's doing is okay as
Billy's house, but not okay here.
Q. Were you always this responsible?
A. I didn't get married until I was in my 30s. It seemed to me that in growing up and
dating I was light years behind women. They're born more mature. I had lots of friends who
were married right out of college, and I could no more have done that than landed on the
moon! Then one day, you're married with two kids, and when you open your mouth what you
hear coming out is something your parents would have said!
Q. Any last thoughts on parenting?
A. There's no one rule, but when in doubt, you've got to just hug them!
Six months ago, Mark Harmon had no inkling that a federal agency called the Naval Criminal Investigative Service even existed. Now he knows that the small, low-profile organization was formed during World War I to investigate any alleged crime even remotely linked to the U.S. Navy or Marine Corps. As well he should, since he stars in CBS' new action-drama series "Navy NCIS," created and produced by Donald P. Bellasario - the very same person who created and produced such hit series as "JAG," "Quantum Leap" and "Magnum, P.I." In fact, "NCIS" was inspired by "JAG" and the title seems to borrow a little punch from the network's highest-rated show, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation." Harmon, 53, portrays special agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, a tough and intelligent investigator not afraid of unorthodox means to solve a case. Backing him up are Sasha Alexander as agent Katie Todd, a gorgeous and argumentative former Secret Service operative; Michael Weatherly as agent Anthony Dinozzo, an ex-homicide detective with basic instincts; Pauley Perrette as forensics specialist Abby Sciuto; and David McCallum as medical examiner Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard. "These guys are armed federal agents - usually with military or law enforcement backgrounds and about 20 percent female - not connected to the Navy or any other branch," Harmon explains. "They have no military careers to protect. "Relatively small in number, they are headquartered in Washington, D.C., and spread thinly in offices all over the world. Blue-collar types without egos, they fly coach. No private jets like the FBI, CIA and Secret Service. And since Sept. 11, their focus is on international anti-terrorism." A vast majority of the show is shot in and around a warehouse complex in Valencia, Calif., some 30 miles north of Los Angeles. The cast hung out with genuine NCIS people while shooting exteriors in Washington, D.C., six months ago and may be going to Greece for a crucial arc of episodes later this year. Harmon - who has already starred in seven previous series, including "Flamingo Road," "St. Elsewhere" and "Chicago Hope" - doesn't care where he works as long as it is with people he trusts and respects. His sons by actress Pam Dawber - Sean Thomas, 15, and Ty Christian, 11 - are now old enough to get along without him for short periods of time. "Pam is a full-time mother, of course, but does lots of things on the side, including voices for the cartoon show 'What's Cooking?"' he says. "And for the past couple of years, I've been able to take interesting roles and work with talented people anywhere they happen to shoot. My contract says I can't work with (jerks)." Ten days before reporting on the set of "Navy NCIS," Harmon returned from shooting a telefilm tentatively titled "First Daughter" in London, Prague and Venice. "It was a lot of fun and a nice change of pace, playing Mandy Moore's father, the president of the United States - it's a nice 'American in Paris' story," he explains. "Before that, I did the family feature film 'Freaky Friday' with Jamie Lee Curtis, whom I've known since we were teenagers. She is a wonderful, kind and talented person. I play Ryan, her fiance. And last season, I did a four-episode arc on 'The West Wing' as Sean Donovan, mostly working opposite Allison Janney and a few others in the brilliant cast. Saying words written by Aaron Sorkin is a rare opportunity." The son of strict disciplinarians - actress Elyse Knox and sportscaster/football legend Tom Harmon - was born in Burbank, Calif., and raised in upscale San Fernando Valley communities while attending a series of exclusive prep schools. His older sister, Kris, married the late singer/actor Ricky Nelson. A gifted athlete, he earned a football scholarship to UCLA, where he quarterbacked winning teams in the 1972 and 1973 seasons. Also very smart, the communications major graduated cum laude in 1974. Turning down several offers from pro-football teams, he went to work for an advertising agency for the princely sum of $102 per week. After three years of taking evening acting classes, Harmon elected to dump his dead-end job for a whirl in elusive Hollywood. About 40 bit parts later - usually as Cop No. One and the shirtless Boy Next Door - he caught an Emmy Award-nominated break in the telefilm "Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years." Although he's been working steadily from there on, some of his early starring roles included the going- nowhere "Sam" and "240-Robert." The 6-foot-1, slim, trim and graying actor appeared in a couple of dozen motion pictures, but failed to gain a foothold as a couple of good films ("The Presidio" and "Wyatt Earp") were overshadowed buy a string of box-office duds, including "Cold Heaven," "The Last Supper," "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and "Local Boys." Three seasons on "St. Elsewhere" as Dr. Robert Caldwell, a handsome plastic surgeon, with a light, delicate touch in breast augmentation and reduction procedures, finally made him a bona fide TV star. He was stunned by his character's immediate impact among women who were fans of the program and often elected to show their appreciation. Of all the women who exposed their breasts to Harmon in public, the most memorable was a young lady sitting next to him on an airplane who leaned over, unbuttoned her top and asked, "Bobby Caldwell, I'm thinking about getting implants. What's your opinion?" Momentarily tongue-tied, he finally managed to render his professional opinion: "They ... they look fine to me."
Early Rising for SAG Award Announcements
By Scott Huver, Special to Hollywood.com 20.1.2004
Even veteran actors who are used to early morning call times for hair, wardrobe and makeup can feel like they're sagging at 5 a.m. But when it comes to Thursday morning's kind of SAG-ing, most of Hollywood had no problem getting up in the wee hours to hear the 10th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards nominee announcements.
Screen Actors Guild President Melissa Gilbert and SAG members Andie MacDowell."and Mark Harmon joined the a small cadre of entertainment journalists and paparazzi in the SilverScreen Theater of the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood to make the announcements.
Gilbert admitted to being not so bright eyed and bushy-tailed despite the excitement surrounding the decade-old event, which also celebrates SAG's 70th anniversary. "The alarm clock went off so fast," said Gilbert. "It seemed like I just closed my eyes, and then I had to open them again. It's getting much more difficult to pull myself together at this hour as the years tick by."
Andie MacDowell." a bundle of energy who couldn't stop oohing and ahhing over Entertainment Tonight reporter Maria Menonous' bare midriff, bejeweled navel and tied-off Tommy Hilfiger top, said she had an easier time getting out of bed, while her co-presenter Harmon never bothered to go to sleep. "This poor man has pulled an all-nighter!" she exclaimed. Harmon took it all in stride: "It's not every morning you get to get up and see Andie MacDowell."
But despite the daunting daybreak hour, all three actors agreed they were perked up by the names that were announced among this year's nominees in five film and eight primetime television categories--and there were some major surprises.