His Departure Came Out of the Blue
When Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ boat blew up at the end of season eighteen, many fans wondered whether we’d seen the last of Mark Harmon on our screens. However, rumors of his departure were squashed when it was confirmed that the legendary actor would return for the 19th season of the show. And while viewers were excited to see Mark back on their screens, confusion arose when he suddenly disappeared once again.
Just as quickly as Gibbs had survived the boat explosion, he disappeared again out of the blue. It didn’t make sense, which made people wonder whether something had happened behind the scenes.
Rumors Began to Spiral
However, just before his departure, rumors in Hollywood had started to spiral. Whispers amongst the television world suggested that Mark would be leaving, and what we saw on screen was a good indicator that something wasn’t quite right. After all, we were seeing a lot more of Cote de Pablo’s character Ziva David on our screens, and a lot less of Leroy Jethro Gibbs. After his giant stint on the show, was he being replaced?
As the rumors continued to escalate, Cote de Pablo got even more screen time. Plus, Mark began to tell his friends that he wanted to spend more time on his Montana ranch.
His Final Scene Left Us With Questions
Although fans at home had no idea of the Hollywood rumors that were making the rounds, those in the Hollywood circle could sense that something big was coming. The air was thick with tension, and Mark’s place on NCIS was being pulled even more into question. So, it came as no surprise to some when Mark was finally written out of the show in 2021. But his final scene left us with questions.
After finishing up his business, Leroy Jethro Gibbs hopped onto his boat and disappeared from view. And at that point, fans had no idea whether he would come back. But how could he? Mark knew he was done with the drama.
The Drama on Set Proved Too Much
Mark Harmon was already an established actor when he was given the chance to take on the role of Gibbs, but there’s no doubt about the fact that NCIS changed the game for him. As the show became more and more popular, so did he – and it was this popularity, alongside his talent, that kept him on the show for so long. Overall, he starred in over 400 episodes. But in the end, behind-the-scenes drama caused his demise.
Although fans still loved Harmon’s character, rumors of a rift between some of the show’s most important actors reportedly caused irreparable damage to the show. But who did he have a fight with?
He Was a Man With a Mission
But before we get into his behind-the-scenes feud, we need to understand a little more about Mark Harmon – and why he wasn’t the man to stick around when drama reared its head. The 71-year-old made his mark on Hollywood in the 1970s, but he had never intended to become famous. In fact, he reigned supreme as a college football superstar in his youth and then had hopes of becoming a lawyer or advertising executive.
It was only by chance that Harmon made his break into acting, which makes his decision to leave NCIS even more understandable. After all, maybe he just wasn’t cut out for the cut-throat acting business…
A Happy Life and a Happy Wife?
As a man in the spotlight, Mark Harmon is no stranger to attention – but that doesn’t mean that he enjoys it. Although Mark enjoyed a few years of singledom towards the beginning of his career, he settled down early and married fellow actor Pam Dawber in 1987. The couple have since welcomed two sons into the world, and they’re reportedly still happily married. However, they’re not your typical Hollywood couple.
Instead of flashing their marriage off to the world, these two prefer to keep a lower profile. But this is understandable, considering how much they had to go through just after they got hitched.
A Custody Battle That Nearly Broke Them
Shortly after Harmon married his wife, they embarked on a bitter custody battle that nearly broke up their marriage – and had a major effect on Mark’s family. After witnessing his sister Kristen’s substance abuse, he deemed her unable to look after her teenage son. So, he decided to fight for custody of his nephew. And while he assumed that it would be an easy process, it was anything but.
Although Mark was equipped to take care of his nephew, questions arose when his wife’s own alleged past substance abuse was brought out of the woodwork. To save himself and his marriage, Mark eventually dropped his case.