MARK HARMON

Happy Birthday to the actor, producer and director MARK HARMON.

After college, Harmon considered pursuing a career in advertising or law.

Harmon started his career in business as a merchandising director, but soon decided to switch to acting.

He spent much of his career portraying law enforcement and medical personnel.

One of his first national TV appearances (other than as an athlete) was in a commercial for Kellogg's Product 19 cereal with his father, Tom Harmon, its longstanding TV spokesman.

Thanks to his sister Kristin's in-laws, Ozzie Nelson and Harriet Nelson, he landed his first job as an actor in an episode of OZZIE'S GIRLS.

This was followed by guest roles in episodes of ADAM-12, POLICE WOMAN, and EMERGENCY! in mid-1975.

During the mid to late 1970s, Harmon made guest appearances on TV series such as LAVERNE & SHIRLEY, DELVECCHIO, THE HARDY BOYS/NANCY DREW MYSTERIES and had supporting roles in the feature films COMES A HORSEMAN (1978) and BEYOND THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (1979).

In 1980, Harmon gained a regular role in the prime time soap opera FLAMINGO ROAD.

Despite initially good ratings, the series was canceled after two seasons.

Following its cancellation, he landed the role of Dr. Robert Caldwell on the series ST. ELSEWHERE in 1983.

Following his departure from St. Elsewhere in February 1986, he played the lead in the TV movies PRINCE OF BEL AIR, co-starring with Kirstie Alley, and THE DELIBERATE STRANGER, in which he portrayed the real-life serial killer Ted Bundy.

He played a role in the 1986 theatrical film LET'S GET HARRY and the lead role in the 1987 comedy SUMMER SCHOOL.

Returning briefly to episodic television in 1987, Harmon had a limited engagement on the series Moonlighting.

In 1988, he co-starred with Sean Connery and Meg Ryan in the 1988 feature film THE PRESIDIO, and also opposite Jodie Foster in the film STEALING HOME.

In 1995, Harmon starred in the ABC series CHARLIE GRACE, in which he portrayed a private investigator.

The series lasted only one season, after which he returned to ensemble medical shows on the series CHICAGO HOPE, in which he played Dr. Jack McNeil from 1996 to 2000.

In 2002, he portrayed Secret Service special agent Simon Donovan on THE WEST WING in a four-episode story arc.

The role gained him his second Emmy Award nomination, exactly 25 years after his first.

Starting always in 2002, Harmon has starred as Gibbs in the CBS drama NCIS, a role which has earned him six nominations at the People's Choice Awards including a win for Favorite TV Crime Drama Actor in 2017.

As of 2018, Harmon works as a producer for a new CBS series, based on author John Sandford's best-selling Prey novels,which have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide.

The last 10 have reached No. 1 on The New York Times best-seller list.

As director, Harmon directed two episodes of CHICAGO HOPE in 1999 and 2000.

He also directed two episodes of BOSTON PUBLIC in 2002.