“NCIS” star Mark Harmon and his wife Pam Dawber have been happily married since 1987. But they also are very different people as well. For instance, Harmon believes he would be content living in a small town. But he believes his wife would have some trouble adjusting.
The two have considered it in the past. At some point, Harmon wants to escape the business and noise of Los Angeles for a little peace. In a 2019 interview with Parade Magazine, Harmon considered his eventual retirement from the industry.
“I think, in the end, I would probably do that better than she would, because she would need to go to the city to a play or to whatever,” he said, “where I could just get in the shop and be just fine. I can always find something to do.”
Much like his “NCIS” character Leroy Gibbs, Harmon has a passion for working with his hands. He even has his own workshop at his house. For instance, he once built a new shop table back in 2019. Harmon imagined he would spend most of his retirement working on new projects. He enjoyed the process of building something. Perhaps, like his character, he might build a boat one day?
‘NCIS’ Star Meets His Wife
Going back to the 1980s, Harmon connected with his future wife through a mutual friend. The two almost instantly became as thick as thieves. They shared a similar sense of humor which eventually led to wedding bells in 1987. According to the “NCIS” star, all those little moments together added up, and he fell in love.
“There’s no quick answer, no key. I just feel fortunate,” he says. “She’s a neat lady.”
But just because he loves his wife, doesn’t mean he can’t make a joke at her expense. Harmon, who played for UCLA, recounted a funny story from their early relationship. He thought that Dawber was a football fan, heralding from Michigan. But the opposite turned out to be true.
“Early on when Pam and I were dating, it was Thanksgiving, and I turned on the TV early in the morning,” he said. Dawber grew excited when she found out that Ohio State was playing Michigan that day. She sat down beside her future husband to watch the game. But Dawber didn’t have a clue about football.
“She was probably there for 10 minutes,” said Harmon. Dawber finally got the courage to ask Harmon about the game. “‘Which one’s Michigan?’”
That’s just one funny memory that Harmon shares. He said that the couple enjoys being together no matter what they’re doing. Sometimes that includes playing opposite of each other on shows like “NCIS” for instance. Dawber recently had a guest spot on Season 18.
