Like Father, Like Son: Mark Harmon Raves About Child’s Acting Role on NCIS: ‘I’m Proud of Him’

Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs doesn’t have many kids on NCIS. But in the actor’s personal life, he has a loving family with actress Pam Dawber. Who are Mark Harmon’s children? Keep reading to learn who they are and how old they are now.

NCIS is CBS’ police procedural drama following the special agents of the Naval Criminal Investigation Service’s Major Case Response Team, the United States Navy’s primary federal law enforcement agency, which investigates criminal activity involving the Navy, the United States Marine Corps and their families. Harmon played Leroy Jethro Gibbs, a Supervisory Special Agent at the NCIS, from Seasons 1 to 19.

After almost 20 years as a series regular on NCIS, Harmon left the series at the start of Season 19. In a special featurette for the NCIS Season 19 DVD, Harmon — who was also an executive producer — hinted that he exited the series “to keep it fresh in his career. “What has always drawn me here is the character I play and to keep it fresh and to keep it challenging,” he said. “Plot-wise, this character has taken the path that it did. I thought it was honest and OK with.”

armon explained to Entertainment Tonight in November 2020 that his age also played a part in him leaving NCIS. “I’ve always trusted the writers here… They’ve constantly been challenging here, the character continues to evolve, he’s getting older, and some of this I’m dealing with as an actor as well as playing the character,” Harmon said. Though he left in Season 19, Episode 4, Harmon remained in the opening credits of NCIS until the premiere of Season 20 in 2022.

Rocky Carroll, who plays NCIS Director Leon Vance, told TV Insider in January 2023, that Harmon could return one day. “I think as long as this show stays on the air, there will always be a little bit of a tease that we might see Gibbs again. First time I saw an episode of this show, I said, oh, it’s Gary Cooper from High Noon. Gibbs is the moral compass. He’s the moral compass that we all wish we had,” Carroll added.

In the actor’s personal life, the NCIS lead is married to fellow actress Pam Dawber. They tied the knot in March 1987 and have been married for 36 years. Pam, who starred in sitcoms like Mork & Mindy and My Sister Sam, has also appeared on NCIS in a guest role. For seven episodes back in 2021, she played Marcie Warren, an investigative journalist.

In an interview with TV Insider in April 2021, Dawber revealed after many attempts, she finally agreed to come on her husband’s show. “I’ve been asked to do NCIS before over the years. It just wasn’t the right character or the right time. With Marcie, it was so funny because when they were casting, Mark goes, ‘Who you’re really looking for is my wife.’ They said, ‘But she’s always turned us down!” I read the script and I’m going, ‘Oh no.’ My fear rockets flew off.”

Who are Mark Harmon’s children?

So, who are Mark Harmon and Pam Dawber’s children? Read on to learn about their two children (including which one appeared in a few episodes of NCIS).

Sean Harmon

Birthday: April 25, 1988 (Age 35)

The couple welcomed their first son, Sean Harmon, in April 25, 1988. In an interview with Closer Weekly in 2018, Harmon admitted that he wasn’t there to Sean take his first steps. “I was in the jungles of New Guinea making a not-very-good movie [Till There Was You] when my firstborn took his first steps,” he described. “No job is worth missing life’s most important moments.”

When Sean grew up, he decided to follow in his parent’s footsteps as an actor (he’s also a stuntman and producer, too). According to his IMBd page, Sean has appeared in NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, Major Crimes and CSI: NY. Sean portrayed a younger version of his father’s character, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, in a few flashback scenes in Season 13, Episode 1 of NCIS. 

In November 2022, Harmon gave Entertainment Tonight a detailed account of his son’s NCIS audition. “I always think back to the first time they talked about doing a young Gibbs thing here, and Sean was just out of school at that point. A director named Tony Wharmby said, ‘Can he come in and read?’ And on his own he did and I’m proud of him taking his work seriously and how he approaches being an actor — not just on this show, [but] just what he has chosen to try to do in his life’s work,” Harmon said. “I’m proud of both our boys, and they work hard at what they do and I’m proud that they get up in the morning and try to do that every day.”

The actor added that his wife, Pam, was also very proud of Sean’s NCIS appearance. “More than anything, she’s a mom, and there’s a pride there involved in that,” he explained. “Separate from anything as an actor, you hopefully take pride in who people are individually away from any camera just as people, as citizens. And both our boys have done well and hopefully made smart choices and are doing well daily, you know?” he praised. “Day by day, we have a lot of reasons to be proud of both of them, and this is part of that.”

For Father’s Day 2023, Sean posted a tribute to his dad on Instagram. “To all the things that change, and those that never do. Love you dad #montana #fathersday,” Harmon’s son wrote alongside a photo of the pair enjoying the scenery in Montana.

Ty Harmon

Birthday: June 25, 1992 (Age 31)

Four years later, Mark and Pam had their second son, Ty Harmon, on June 25, 1992. Ty has also dabbed in the entertainment business as a writer; he wrote the short film, Catholic Schoolgirl Chainsaw Showdown, in 2012.

In an interview with Closer Weekly in May 2018, Pam opened up about why she put her career aside to raise her and Mark’s kids. “I had children and it was like, ‘I’m not going to chase this fame thing,’” she said. “I wanted to drive my kids to school. I wanted to be there for their birthdays and bring cupcakes and doughnuts. And I was very happy to do it.”

In the same interview, Harmon explained why his family keeps a low profile, especially on social media. “It’s not even a choice. It’s who we are,” he said. “We stay home. A lot. I’m not a Twitter guy or a Facebook guy. Our sons aren’t into that, either.”

NCIS is available to stream on Paramount Plus.

For more on NCIS’ casts children, check out our gallery of photos below of the cast’s real-life kids and families.