Mark Harmon Makes Rare L.A. Appearance as NCIS Fans Celebrate His Long-Awaited Spin-Off Comeback

Mark Harmon was recently photographed for the first time since returning to his iconic role as Leroy Jethro Gibbs. The 74-year-old actor was spotted near his West Los Angeles home on November 17, hauling a large bundle of fan mail just days after his surprise appearance in the NCIS franchise.

Dressed casually in a blue Carhartt hoodie, light blue jeans, and blue-and-gray sneakers, Harmon enlisted an assistant to help manage the sheer number of packages. Later, braving light drizzle, he was seen heading back home with his loyal pit bull mix, Dave, trotting beside him.

The sighting came a week after Harmon made a surprise guest appearance during a crossover event between NCIS and NCIS: Origins, marking his first on-screen return as Gibbs in four years. While he retired from acting in 2021, Harmon remains an executive producer on the franchise and continues to narrate NCIS: Origins.

The Veterans Day episodes featured a young Gibbs, played by Austin Stowell, investigating the death of a naval officer in a small town. New information later reopens the case in the present day.

Harmon said he was drawn back by the storytelling. “They came to me with an idea for Gibbs that I liked, and it seemed like a good time to check in with him,” he said in an October statement.

After joining NCIS in 2003, Harmon spent nearly two decades on the show, earning multiple Emmy nominations and winning a People’s Choice Award in 2017. He previously said his 2021 exit felt “honest” and true to the character.

Beyond NCIS, Harmon starred in St. Elsewhere, where he was named People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1986, as well as films like Summer School, The Presidio, and Freaky Friday.

Harmon has been married to actress Pam Dawber since 1987, and the couple share two sons. Speaking about their long marriage, Harmon said, “I’m proud to be married, and I’m proud of who I’m married to.”