NCIS star Mark Harmon is almost synonymous with the TV show at this stage in his career. He’s been on the show since it first aired in 2003, and there’s little doubt he’s the star. In addition, he serves as an executive producer on the show, which implies he is involved in much more than what we see on the screen. However, you may have a different perspective of Harmon after seeing how he rose to such prominence on the show.
Before we get into the stunning method Mark Harmon took over NCIS, it’s important to understand how the show got started.
The TV program JAG eventually gave birth to NCIS, but CBS had to rush in and take over the show after it flopped at NBC. Aside from the fact that they are both hour-long dramas, JAG and NCIS have one thing in common: both were conceived by TV executive Donald Bellisario.
A few JAG cast members appear in NCIS and its spinoffs. Patrick Labyorteaux appears in a few NCIS episodes as Bud Roberts, Jr., and John M. Jackson reprises his role as A.J. Chegwidden on NCIS: Los Angeles. The parallels between the two shows lead to a future NCIS-JAG crossover show.
The surprising manner in which Mark Harmon took over the show
Donald Bellisario has a long track record of TV success aside from JAG and NCIS, which have broadcast for nearly 30 seasons combined. Long before the other shows, he brought us Battlestar Galactica, Magnum P.I., Airwolf, and Quantum Leap. His management approach, on the other hand, did not mesh well with Mark Harmon.
According to TV Guide, the lengthy days on set and last-minute rewrites resulted in 16-hour days. Harmon referred to it as a “chaotic management style” that wore on him and his co-stars.
Harmon complained to CBS executives about the workload, and Bellisario was forced to retire as the show’s executive producer. Nonetheless, he is credited with originating the show. Plus, Bellisario is still employed by CBS, where he is credited with writing for the network’s Magnum P.I. remake.
It was an acrimonious breakup
A celebrity shoving the inventor and manager off the stage sounds like something out of a TV show, but it actually occurred.
For what it’s worth, Harmon never backed down from his claim that Bellisario overworked his performers. During a Los Angeles Times profile, he stated that the cast and crew were used to working six-day weeks for months at a time. One of the reasons Sasha Alexander left NCIS was due to the demanding schedule. She sobbed as she informed Bellisario she couldn’t take it any longer.
Bellisario, on the other hand, was displeased with being forced to lose control of the show. According to D3adline, he filed a breach of contract lawsuit after leaving the NCIS set.
Bellisario may be irritated by the show’s sustained success for another reason. For Bellisario, Mark Harmon’s portrayal of Leroy Jethro Gibbs is quite personal. According to Fox News, his father and grandfather’s names are Leroy and Jethro.
Harmon is well-paid for his job on NCIS
Harmon doesn’t make as much as the rest of the Friends ensemble does in reruns, but he’s still doing well for himself. According to The Observer, he makes $525,000 per episode of NCIS. That is more than Emilia Clarke’s and her co-stars’ salaries for Game of Thrones’ eighth and final season.
However, when producing credits and syndication money are factored in, Harmon may earn considerably more for each show.
Related News – Be sure to get some more news when it comes to NCIS.