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Mark Harmon played the supervising special agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the procedural showNCIS. As the third longest-running script TV show,NCISis currently on its twenty-second. Harmon left the show after season 18, with his character given a suspension. He also reprised his role in the spinoff shows.
While Harmon was not too similar to the ever-disciplined and stoic Gibbs, several of the character’s traits and details reportedly came from the actor himself. Stuff like his mannerisms and particular details that were shown throughout the series seemed to be inspired by Harmon’s own traits and hobbies.
Several details in Mark Harmon’sNCIScharacter Gibbs resembled the actor’s own life
Mark Harmonis best known for playing the role of Special Agent Gibbs in the procedural dramaNCIS. The actor portrayed the role from 2003 to 2021 and went on to have his breakthrough with the show. TheSt. Elsewherestar also returned to play Gibbs in the spinoff showsNCIS: New OrleansandNCIS: Origins.
NCIS Creator Donald Bellisario Was Forced To Sue His Own Show After Mark Harmon Stabbed Him in the Back
Harmon’s performance has been widely appreciated and has even been parodied onFamily Guy. The character’s stoic persona has played a huge part in his fame. Despite his persona not being as uptight as Gibbs’, several details from his life were reportedly added to make Gibbs a fleshed-out character.
From having a father who served in WW-II to taking to woodworking as a hobby, the two reportedly shared several traits together. In fact, the carpentry hobby was included in Gibbs after the makers got to know about his hobby. The actor said (viaLooper),
I used to hang out in my dad’s workshop on weekends. … Later, when I was starting out as an actor, I became a roofer and a framer to make money. But what I really enjoyed was finish work. I like the longevity of it: If you do it right, it will be around a lot longer than you are.
He also mentioned that he was raised hard by his war-veteran father to the point where he felt he had the need to fight for everything in life.
Mark Harmon’s stoic personality influenced Gibbs’ persona inNCIS
Special Agent Leroy Gibbs isknown for his leading personaand authoritarian style. He is among the more stoic personalities in pop culture who are famous for their silent power more than actual actions. His signature style has also been iconic and influential enough to be emulated inThe Family Guy.
“Filming that was an unbelievable experience”: The Unforgettable NCIS Scene With ‘Mentor’ Mark Harmon That Sean Murray Will Take To the Grave
While Leroy Gibbs’ personality has been iconic to the point of parody, a large part of his aura and traits were borrowed after selecting actor Mark Harmon. Initially not impressed with casting, Harmon’s traits were reportedly molded into Gibbs to make him suitable. Executive producer Charles Johnson said toUSA Today,
Harmon has that very strong kind of presence that’s quiet but speaks volumes, and I think that was incorporated (by creator Donald Bellisario) so that Gibbs, with a look, could say things to his team without saying a word, and they got it. And Mark grew with that.
The actor mentioned to the same platform that he was attracted to Gibbs’ flaws and compared and contrasted him with his voice-acting gigSuperman.
NCISis available to stream on Paramount+.
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2417
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
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