NCIS Star Mark Harmon Reveals The Surprising Reason He Played Gibbs

Being an actor isn't easy. There are long shoot days, and sometimes, an actor has to film far away from their family for weeks or even months on end. It's understandable when performers take jobs so that they can maintain healthier work/life balances, and that played a big role in Mark Harmon taking the role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs on "NCIS" for 19 seasons. 

When speaking with People, Harmon discussed what drew him to "NCIS," and it comes down to pancakes. "It was important to be able to make pancakes on Saturday morning," he explained. "And there were some times where that meant not sleeping. You just came home and took a shower and came back down. And yet I look back at it and I don't miss the sleep." Ultimately, Harmon wanted a steady job where he wasn't being pulled to different areas so that he could be there more for his wife and two kids.

Prior to "NCIS," he did movies and other television series, which meant not being around as much for his young children at the time. Harmon continued, "I still missed things. I was working, but I've been part of their lives." Not only did Harmon get the chance to raise his family, but Gibbs turned into one of his most recognizable roles.

In his interview with People, Mark Harmon admitted that even working on "NCIS" wasn't always easy. He mentioned how his first day on the show had him working 22 hours, and many days followed that pattern. "NCIS" has a notoriously tough shooting schedule. It was so rigorous it made Sasha Alexander quit in the middle of her six-year contract with the show, abruptly ending her tenure as Caitlin Todd. But Harmon stuck with the show for nearly two decades, only leaving during Season 19.

The consistent work allowed Harmon to devote ample time to his family, including his wife, Pam Dawber. His children are now adults, but they've followed in his footsteps into the entertainment industry. One son became an actor while the other got into screenwriting, and Harmon sounds glad to have been able to see them grow up. 

Harmon concluded, "In many ways we've had a great opportunity to grow as a family. For the most part, a decision made 20 years ago anchored me in Los Angeles. And again, that's the job part. That's very different from the family part and the personal part. And I don't mix the two, or I try not to." Harmon's still busy these days, as he has a new book coming out, "Ghosts of Honolulu: A Japanese Spy, a Japanese American Spy Hunter, and the Untold Story of Pearl Harbor," which gets released on November 14, 2023. However, "NCIS" definitely changed his life, giving him a great role to play for many years while being around to watch his sons grow into men.