Curious World Staff
NCIS star Mark Harmon rose to prominence after landing the role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the popular police drama, but he isn’t the only celebrity in his family. As it turns out, the late Tom Harmon, the TV star’s father, is also well-known due to his incredible career as an American football player and sports broadcaster. Continue reading to learn more about Mark’s famous father and the extremely close relationship he shared with him.
Who exactly is Tom Harmon?
Tom Harmon, also known as ‘Old 98,’ is best known for playing two seasons of professional football for the Los Angeles Rams. Before turning to sports broadcasting, he also had the longest run from scrimmage during the 1946 NFL season.
Tom Harmon was a football player and sportscaster from the United States.
Tom made history in the late 1940s as the play-by-play announcer for the first televised Rose Bowl. He later worked for CBS from 1950 to 1962 before landing his own 10-minute daily sports show on the ABC Radio Network. In the 1960s and 1970s, the sports star was tasked with handling play-by-play duties on UCLA football broadcasts.
Mark Harmon with his parents, Elyse and Tom, and sisters, Kelly and Kristin, in 1986.
In a sweet twist, it appears that acting runs in the Harmon family! Tom has appeared in major Hollywood films in addition to his illustrious sporting career. He signed a contract with Columbia Pictures in 1941 to star in Harmon of Michigan, and he also appeared in That’s My Boy (1951) and The Caddy (1952). (1953).
What did Mark Harmon have to say about his father, Tom Harmon?
Tom Harmon passed away in 1990 at the age of 70. While the loss was difficult for Mark, he frequently recalls his father’s invaluable advice. “My dad taught me, if it’s not true, don’t worry about it,” the NCIS star said in an interview with People.
He went on, “I’m a working-class kid, and I’m proud of it. You must get up every day and work hard. That’s what I still want to do when I wake up in the morning: try my hardest.”
When in doubt, Mark recalls his father’s advice to him.
Another piece of advice Mark recalls fondly is “work your a** off and don’t let the effort show.” He went on to say “Also, treat everyone the same, regardless of who or what they are. Show them common courtesy. Don’t let their celebrity or profession influence you. People blowing smoke up my a** don’t excite me. You must maintain your integrity.”
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