Despite their 35 years of marriage, Mark Harmon’s wife Pam Dawber is rarely in the news like her husband. Let’s find out who she is.
While American actor Mark Harmon is one of those leading men in Hollywood known for their affinity for action movies, behind the scenes, the “NCIS” star is surprisingly a romantic man. In fact, the actor has been married to his wife, Pam Dawber, for over three decades. The duo is also one of Hollywood’s longest-married couples.
Mark and Pam’s romance started when they met at a party hosted by a mutual friend in the mid-80s. Because they were both well-known celebrities when they began dating, they decided to keep their relationship a secret. According to Dawber, the primary motivation was self-preservation. She told PEOPLE:
“We’re not trying to keep something secret, but if you don’t want it entirely exploited by the press, you have to.”
The pair got married in their thirties on march 21, 1987, in the studio city district of San Fernando Valley, California. The couple spent their honeymoon in Vancouver, British Columbia. The couple welcomed their first child on the 25th of April 1988, a son they named Sean Thomas Harmon. On June 25th, 1992 they expanded their family with the birth of their second child Ty Christian, born .
Over the years, they have managed to stay out of the public eye, only occasionally showing up together for red-carpet events. However, in 2017 Mark Harmon told TV Insider he wasn’t purposefully avoiding talking about his wife and their marriage. Instead, he declared that they’re just inherently private people.
Who is Mark Harmon’s Wife, Pam Dawber?
Pam Dawber is an American actress, singer, and producer. She was born in Detroit, Michigan, on the 18th of October,1951. While she was still a youngster, Pam suffered a terrible blow. Pam lost her younger sister Leslie during open-heart surgery in 1976. Leslie’s death affected Pam; she even had to attend therapy sessions to overcome the loss.
However, while at Oakland Community College, Pam started considering starting her entertainment career. Still, she decided to put off finishing her coursework at Oakland Community College before relocating to New York City to focus on her profession as a model.
She began her career as a fashion model before transitioning to acting in the 1970s. She then landed a part in the well-known ABC sitcom “Mork and Mindy,” which ran from 1978 to 1982. Pam succeeded as a model and appeared in several television advertisements for products like Fotomat, Neet, Noxzema, Underalls, etc. Pam also landed another title role in the CBS sitcom “My Sister Sam,” where she played Samantha Russell.
Despite being primarily recognized for her television work, Dawber has appeared in several films. The actress starred in the comedic picture “Stay Tuned” (1992) with John Ritter and the historical drama “I’ll Remember April” (1999). Pam Dawber also co-starred with her husband, Mark Harmon, in the seventh episode of CBS’s no.1 crime-rated drama “NCIS.” In the series Pam played the seasoned investigative journalist Marcie Warren.
Pam Dawber Gave Up Hollywood Fame To Be a Mom
For Pam and Mark to have remained married for more than three decades, the couple has had to sacrifice a lot. In an interview with ET’s Nischelle Turner, Pam stated that her relationship with husband Mark Harmon, whom she has been with for more than three decades, wouldn’t be as solid and secure if she had continued performing full-time. She said:
“I don’t think it’s possible for two people to work in the entertainment business full-time and keep their marriages together. I appeared in a top-rated show. I had a bargain of my own. I performed on Broadway. I got to perform in a musical. I got to do voices for cartoons. I did all you could do in this profession, and then I had children, and it’s like, ‘I’m not going to follow this fame thing.”
She remarked how rewarding it is for her to be a significant part of her children’s lives and how much she loved her job as a full-time mother. Pam noted that she just wanted to be a mom to her kids. The actress desired to drive her kids to school and be there when they most needed her.
Mark Is Proud of Being Married to Pam
Mark and Pam have been married for 35 years and counting since their wedding in 1987, and the actor noted that it could not have been possible without his lovely wife’s efforts. In an interview with PEOPLE, Mark stated that Pam’s maturity is the reason for their long-lasting relationship.
He also made it evident that he feels incredibly proud to be married and that his marriage is essential to him. He said, “I’m just so proud of her.” Mark explained that it makes him proud of the person he is married to and also added that he wears a band on his ring finger when he’s not filming.