Curious World Staff
Mark Harmon is best known for his iconic portrayal of Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs on the long-running drama NCIS, a role he held for nearly 20 years from 2003 to 2021. At 71, Harmon has built a remarkable career with appearances in numerous major TV shows and films, including The West Wing and Freaky Friday.
However, many might not be aware that he made his television debut in the NBC sitcom Ozzie’s Girls back in 1973.
Harmon plays Mark Johnson, Susie’s college friend who competes with her for the class presidency, in this early film. The episode concludes with Mark winning the election and inviting Susie to be his advisor before they celebrate on the dance floor. The film below shows his debut appearance!
Harmon owes his first screen credit to his older sister Kristin, who was married to Ozzie Nelson’s son, Ricky, the show’s creator.
After his debut, Harmon played a variety of lesser roles on television before receiving his big break as Dr. Robert Caldwell in NBC’s medical drama St. Elsewhere in 1983. He played the character for three seasons before being diagnosed with HIV in 1986, making him one of the first recurring television characters to have such a diagnosis.
Harmon continued to build his career with several prominent roles, including in the police drama Reasonable Doubts and the cr1me mini-series The Deliberate Stranger, where he played notorious serial k1ller Ted Bundy.
Harmon, who has been married to actress Pam Dawber since 1987, rose to prominence on the big screen, co-starring with Sean Connery and Meg Ryan in The Presidio and Jodie Foster in Stealing Home.
After a four-episode arc on The West Wing, which earned him a second Emmy nomination, Harmon was invited by JAG and NCIS creator Donald P. Bellisario to guest star as Agent Gibbs in two episodes of JAG in 2003. Just a few months later, he reprised the role in the spin-off series NCIS, where he would remain a staple for nearly two decades until his departure in 2021.
Related News – Be sure to get some more news when it comes to NCIS.
