Mark Harmon’s wife, Pam Dawber, played a life-changing role in NCIS star Bart Johnson’s career. Speaking with HELLO! at iHeartRadio’s 2025 Jingle Ball in Los Angeles, Johnson revealed that Dawber helped him land his first manager when he arrived in Hollywood with no connections.
“She was the only phone number I had,” he said. “Pam got me one meeting with a manager, and that started my whole career. We owe them.”
Johnson attended the event with his wife, actress Robyn Lively, and reflected on their early days working together, noting how welcoming the NCIS set was compared to other projects. “The cast and crew were so kind and creative. It was one of the best experiences I’ve had,” he shared.
He also described his long journey with the franchise, which began with a backdoor pilot on JAG. Robyn appeared on the series as well.
Born in Hollywood to a TV hairstylist mother, Johnson grew up around famous sets like Mork & Mindy, The Brady Bunch, and Charlie’s Angels. After initially studying pre-med, he switched to acting and trained at Yale.
Johnson later built a diverse career with roles on Diagnosis Murd3r, Walker, Texas Ranger, Babylon 5, and became widely known as Coach Jack Bolton in High School Musical. Despite his success, he remains grateful to those who helped launch his career.