History of Mark Harmon in Timeline

"Thomas Mark Harmon, a renowned American actor, and former football player, is best known for his role as Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the hit series NCIS. His illustrious career spans decades, with notable appearances in TV shows like St. Elsewhere, Reasonable Doubts, and Chicago Hope. Harmon's film credits include Summer School, Prince of Bel Air, Stealing Home, and Freaky Friday, showcasing his versatility as an actor."

September 2, 1951: Birth

Mark Harmon was born on September 2, 1951.

1970: High School Graduation

Mark Harmon graduated from Harvard-Westlake School in 1970.

1971: Junior College Football

After high school, Harmon attended Pierce College in Los Angeles, where he played football and received offers from major college programs.

1972: Starting Quarterback at UCLA

Mark Harmon began playing as the starting quarterback for the UCLA Bruins in 1972.

1973: Continued as Starting Quarterback

Mark Harmon continued his role as the starting quarterback for the UCLA Bruins in 1973.

1974: College Football Recognition and Undrafted

In 1974, Harmon received the National Football Foundation Award for All-Round Excellence. Despite his success in college, he was not picked in the NFL Draft.

1974: Graduation from UCLA

Mark Harmon graduated cum laude from UCLA with a B.A. in Communications in 1974.

1975: Early Acting Roles

Harmon secured guest roles on shows like "Adam-12," "Police Woman," and "Emergency!" in mid-1975.

1978: Emmy Nomination and Notable Roles

In 1978, Harmon received an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Robert Dunlap in the TV movie "Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years." He also appeared in the miniseries "Centennial" and the short-lived LAPD series "Sam".

1978: Film Appearances

Mark Harmon appeared in the films "Comes a Horseman" in 1978.

1979: Co-starring Role in "240-Robert"

Mark Harmon landed a co-starring role in the action series "240-Robert" in 1979, playing Deputy Dwayne Thibideaux.

1980: Role in "Flamingo Road"

Mark Harmon joined the primetime soap opera "Flamingo Road" in 1980, playing Fielding Carlisle.

1983: Breakthrough Role in "St. Elsewhere"

Mark Harmon's career saw a significant upturn when he landed the role of Dr. Robert Caldwell on the medical drama "St. Elsewhere" in 1983.

1986: "People" Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive and Film Roles

In 1986, Mark Harmon was named "People" magazine's Sexiest Man Alive. That same year, he starred in the TV movies "Prince of Bel Air" and "The Deliberate Stranger," where he portrayed serial killer Ted Bundy. He also had a role in the film "Let's Get Harry."

1986: Departure from "St. Elsewhere"

Mark Harmon left the series "St. Elsewhere" in early 1986 when his character contracted HIV.

March 21, 1987: Marriage to Pam Dawber

Mark Harmon and actress Pam Dawber were married on March 21, 1987.

1987: Custody Filing

In 1987, Mark Harmon filed for custody of his nephew, Sam, who was Kristin's son, due to concerns about Kristin's parenting abilities. He later withdrew the custody bid.

1987: Lead Role in "Summer School" and Other Roles

In 1987, Mark Harmon starred in the comedy film "Summer School." He also had a recurring role on the TV series "Moonlighting" and appeared in the TV movie "After the Promise."

1988: San Bernardino Spirit Ownership

During 1988, Mark Harmon became a part-owner of the minor league baseball team, the San Bernardino Spirit.

1988: Film Appearances

Mark Harmon appeared in the films "The Presidio" and "Stealing Home" in 1988.

1989: Return to Television

After starring in the 1989 comedy "Worth Winning," Mark Harmon returned to television and appeared in a variety of TV movies.

1991: Starring Role in "Reasonable Doubts"

Mark Harmon took on the role of Chicago police detective Dickie Cobb in the NBC series "Reasonable Doubts" in 1991.

1993: Guest Appearance in "Harts of the West"

Mark Harmon made a guest appearance as a rodeo clown in the CBS comedy/western series "Harts of the West" in 1993.

1995: Lead Role in "Charlie Grace"

Mark Harmon starred in the ABC series "Charlie Grace" as a private investigator in 1995.

1996: Car Accident Rescue

In a display of heroism in 1996, Mark Harmon saved a teenager from a burning car wreck that occurred near his Brentwood home.

1996: Return to Medical Drama in "Chicago Hope"

Mark Harmon returned to the medical drama genre with the series "Chicago Hope" in 1996, portraying Dr. Jack McNeil.

1998: Role in "From the Earth to the Moon"

Mark Harmon played astronaut Wally Schirra in the miniseries "From the Earth to the Moon" in 1998.

1999: Chicago Hope Direction

Mark Harmon directed two episodes of the medical drama "Chicago Hope", one in 1999 and the other in 2000.

2000: Chicago Hope Direction

Mark Harmon directed two episodes of the medical drama "Chicago Hope", one in 1999 and the other in 2000.

2000: Departure from "Chicago Hope"

Mark Harmon's run on "Chicago Hope" ended in 2000.

May 2002: Guest Role on "The West Wing"

In May 2002, Mark Harmon made a notable guest appearance as Secret Service special agent Simon Donovan on "The West Wing".

2002: Boston Public Direction

In 2002, Mark Harmon directed two episodes of the television series "Boston Public".

2002: Emmy Nomination for The West Wing

In 2002, Mark Harmon received an Emmy Award nomination for his role as Secret Service special agent Simon Donovan in the television series "The West Wing".

April 2003: Introduction as Leroy Jethro Gibbs

Mark Harmon was introduced as NCIS agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs during a guest appearance on two episodes of "JAG" in April 2003.

2003: Freaky Friday Release

In 2003, Mark Harmon took on a supporting role in the remake of the comedy "Freaky Friday".

2003: NCIS Debut

Mark Harmon debuted as NCIS special agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs in a guest starring role on two episodes of "JAG" in 2003. This led to him starring in the spinoff "NCIS" as the same character later that year.

2008: Producer for "NCIS"

In 2008, Mark Harmon took on the roles of producer and executive producer for "NCIS."

2010: Induction into Pierce College Athletic Hall of Fame

In 2010, Mark Harmon was inducted into the inaugural class of the Pierce College Athletic Hall of Fame.

October 1, 2012: Hollywood Walk of Fame

Mark Harmon received the 2,482nd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on October 1, 2012.

2014: Wings Productions

Mark Harmon established his production company, Wings Productions, in 2014 to produce "NCIS: New Orleans".

2017: People's Choice Award Win

Mark Harmon's performance in "NCIS" earned him the People's Choice Award for Favorite TV Crime Drama Actor in 2017.

April 27, 2018: Kristin Harmon's Passing

Kristin Harmon, Mark Harmon's sister, passed away from a heart attack on April 27, 2018.

2018: New CBS Series

In 2018, Harmon took on the role of producer for a new CBS series. The series is based on John Sandford's best-selling "Prey" novels.

2021: Departure from NCIS

In 2021, Mark Harmon departed from his starring role as Leroy Jethro Gibbs on the CBS drama "NCIS".

2023: Ghosts of Honolulu Release

In 2023, Mark Harmon, alongside retired NCIS Special Agent Leon Carroll Jr., released the book "Ghosts of Honolulu: A Japanese spy, a Japanese American spy hunter, and the untold story of Pearl Harbor". Harmon also provided the narration for the audiobook.