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Mark HarmonAmerican actor
Date of Birth: 02.09.1951
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Mark Harmon
Mark Harmon (full name Thomas Mark Harmon) is an American actor born on September 2, 1951, in Burbank, California. His father, Tom Harmon, was a football player for the University of Michigan and a recipient of the Heisman Trophy. His mother, Eliz Knox (real name Elsie Lillian Kornbrét), is an actress and artist. Mark has two older sisters: actress and artist, Kristin Nelson, who was previously married to singer Ricky Nelson, and actress Kelly Harmon, the wife of automotive magnate John DeLorean.
Early Life and Football Career
After graduating from Pierce College in Los Angeles, Mark Harmon continued his education at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he followed in his father's footsteps by pursuing a career in sports. From 1972 to 1973, Harmon played as a quarterback for the UCLA Bruins football team, winning 17 games and earning the National Football Organization Award for the university. In the following year, he graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor's degree in Communications.
Acting Career
While contemplating a career in advertising or law, Harmon was presented with an opportunity to pursue acting. He began with small roles in TV series such as "Adam-12" and "Emergency" in 1975. In 1978, he landed a role in the short-lived series "Sam," created by Jack Webb, the producer of "Adam-12" and "Emergency." A year later, Harmon appeared in the action series "240-Robert." He also made appearances in "Police Woman," "Laverne & Shirley," and "The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries."
After several years of minor and episodic roles, Harmon finally gained prominence in the 1980 soap opera "Flamingo Road," where he portrayed Fielding Carlyle, the husband of Morgan Fairchild's character. The show was soon canceled, but Harmon quickly found work in another project, playing Dr. Robert Caldwell in the critically acclaimed series "St. Elsewhere" (1983), which won an Emmy award.
In 1986, Harmon left "St. Elsewhere" and took on the role of Sam Crawford, the love interest of Cybill Shepherd's character, in the show "Moonlighting" (1987). He then portrayed Detective Dickie Cobb in the series "Reasonable Doubts" from 1991 to 1993. In 1996, Harmon took on the role of Dr. Jack McNeil in the medical drama "Chicago Hope," which lasted until 2000.
In May 2002, Harmon appeared in four episodes of "The West Wing" as Special Agent Simon Donovan. Later that year, he joined the cast of the TV series "JAG" in the central role of Lieutenant Colonel/Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. In the same year, he also began his long-running role as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the drama series "NCIS."
Outside of television, Harmon has appeared in several theatrical productions and TV movies. Some of his notable film roles include "Prince of Bel Air" (1986), "Summer School" (1987), and "The Presidio" (1988). He also portrayed serial killer Ted Bundy in the TV movie "The Deliberate Stranger" (1986).
Personal Life
On March 21, 1987, Mark Harmon married actress Pam Dawber. The couple has two sons: Sean Thomas Harmon (born in 1988), who appeared as a younger version of Gibbs in an episode of "NCIS," and Ty Christian Harmon (born in 1992). In addition to his acting career, Harmon is involved in various charitable causes and has been recognized as one of the sexiest men by "People" magazine in 1986.
