Mark Harmon, who plays Leroy Jethro Gibbs on the hit show NCIS, talked to People about his secret to success and how his 31-year marriage to Mork and Mindy actress Pam Dawber has lasted so long. According to the interview with People , Harmon credits his late father for his success after all these years. Harmon quotes the advice his father gave him before he passed away when Harmon was just 38-years-old.
“If it’s not true, don’t worry about it. Work your ass off, and don’t let the effort show. 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.”
Harmon stays true to his dad’s awesome advice and says that is what he strives to do every day when he wakes up. Harmon says he earned his luck by working so hard everyday.
Mark also told People about how his marriage to Pam Dawber has lasted so long. According to Harmon, they are totally different, but that’s healthy for them. He says they have different likes and dislikes. He also said he is “proud to be married to her.”
Harmon also said that the couple waited until they were in their 30s to get married and were mature enough not to do anything stupid. They did the stupid stuff before they got married and got that out of the way. Harmon and Dawber have two son’s together, Sean, 30, and Ty, 26. Harmon and Dawber are both 67-years-old.
Mark Harmon also grew up with two older sisters. His oldest sister, Kristen, died last year at the age of 72. He stills has his other sister, Kelly, who is 70 and resides in Los Angeles. They were raised in Burbank, California by his late father, Tom Harmon and his wife, artist Elyse Knox. Tom was in the NFL after a successful college football career. Mark followed in his dad’s footsteps, playing quarterback and eventually starting for UCLA. After that, he went on to become the actor we’ve all known and loved since the 70s.
“I’m a practice guy, a repetition guy. You can tell me I can’t do something, but I’m likely to take that as incentive to prove you wrong.”
Mark Harmon has been in the spotlight for 40 years now and NCIS has been running for 16 years.
