In a short period of time, “NCIS” rose to prominence on small screens, eclipsing its predecessor, “JAG,” by a wide margin. Since its debut in 2003, the show has been a cherished member of the criminal procedural genre and has given fans a number of legendary tales and characters. Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), who served as the head of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service from Season 1 to Season 19, is arguably the most well-known of all of them. Harmon became a television icon as the show’s face, even though any of a number of other performers could have filled that role.
For an oral history of “NCIS,” casting director Susan Bluestein told The Hollywood Reporter that actors including Alec Baldwin, Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, Kevin Bacon, Tom Berenger, Val Kilmer, Charlie Sheen, Aidan Quinn, and Patrick Swayze were all considered. None of these actors, however, received any offers. Scott Glenn had the role offered to him while Andrew McCarthy met with “NCIS” creator Donald P. Bellisario to discuss it; however, Scott Glenn ultimately declined. The rest is history, since Harmon’s name eventually came up in conversation.
In no time, Harmon’s take on Gibbs became a vital piece of the “NCIS” puzzle — so much so that when he bid the series farewell, concerns arose over its longevity.
NCIS minds thought the show was doomed following Harmon’s exit
After beating out some pretty high-profile names to score the role, Mark Harmon enjoyed an incredible tenure as Gibbs. During his run, he was credited for a staggering 435 episodes and won over “NCIS” fans around the world. Therefore, when he made the decision to leave the character and program behind, it came as a shock and his exit drastically changed the presentation of the show. In fact, the minds behind the hit drama were worried that it wouldn’t survive without Harmon leading the charge week after week.
“We believed Harmon’s departure to be the end of the world. Executive producer Charles Floyd Johnson told Hollywood Reporter that the key character was the one who arrived at 6:30 a.m., five days a week. This was a perfectly reasonable concern to have given how Harmon and Gibbs had evolved into a crucial part of the show’s identity over the course of almost two decades. A new era of “NCIS” began when the powers that be finally hired Gary Cole as Agent Alden Parker in an effort to fill the hole.
Mark Harmon may not have been the first choice for Gibbs, but considering his remarkable “NCIS” tenure and how he made his character a TV favorite with ease, he was certainly the right one.