With millions of viewers worldwide, NCIS is one of the most watched and longest-running crime dramas on television. Since it first debuted in 2003, the show has starred a cast full of accomplished performers. However, Mark Harmon and Gary Cole, who play Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Alden Parker, respectively, are two of the show’s most well-known and adored stars.
Do these two actors, however, have any familial ties? Given that they both share similar characteristics and surnames, many fans have questioned whether they are related. This essay will look into how Mark Harmon and Gary Cole joined NCIS and the real story behind their connection.
Mark Harmon: The Iconic Leader of NCIS
Mark Harmon is best known for his role as Leroy Jethro Gibbs, the former Marine and leader of the NCIS team. Harmon has been playing Gibbs since the first season of NCIS, and has become one of the most recognizable faces of the show. He has also been nominated for several awards for his performance, including four Primetime Emmy Awards.
Harmon was born on September 2, 1951, in Burbank, California, according to IMDb. Heisman Trophy-winning football player and broadcaster Tom Harmon was his father, while actress and model Elyse Knox was his mother. His older sisters are Kelly and Kristin. He is also related to several other well-known performers, including his sister-in-law Pam Dawber, his cousin Tracy Nelson, and his uncle Jesse Wayne.
Harmon attended UCLA, where he played college football as a quarterback. He graduated with a degree in communication in 1974. He then pursued a career in acting, appearing in various TV shows and movies, such as St. Elsewhere, The West Wing, Freaky Friday, and Chicago Hope. Harmon married Pam Dawber, an actress best known for her role in Mork & Mindy, in 1987. They have two sons together, Sean and Ty.
Gary Cole: The Newcomer to NCIS
Gary Cole, who will play FBI Special Agent Alden Parker in the show’s 19th season, is the newest cast member of NCIS. In place of Gibbs, who vanished after his boat blew up in the season 18 finale, Cole’s character is introduced. Parker is a seasoned agent who respects and admires Gibbs despite having a different approach and style from him.
Cole was born on September 20, 1956, in Park Ridge, Illinois, according to IMDb. His mother Margaret Cole was a director of finance, while his father was a school administrator. Jeffrey is his older brother. He studied theater at Illinois State University, where he also met Teddi Siddall, the woman who would become his wife.
Cole started his acting career in theater, performing with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago. He then moved to Los Angeles, where he appeared in various TV shows and movies, such as The Brady Bunch Movie, Office Space, Veep, The Good Wife, and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.
Cole married Teddi Siddall, an actress and writer, in 1992. They have one daughter together, Mary. They separated in 2015 and divorced in 2017.
Are Mark Harmon and Gary Cole Related?
The answer is no. Mark Harmon and Gary Cole are not related by blood or marriage. They are simply two actors who happen to share a common surname and work on the same show. However, they do have some things in common besides their profession.
For instance, both Harmon and Cole are avid golfers who enjoy playing the sport in their spare time. They are also both animal lovers who have adopted dogs from shelters. Additionally, they both have experience working with Pam Dawber, who is Harmon’s wife and Cole’s co-star in Life…and Stuff.
Harmon and Cole don’t appear to be good friends off-screen, despite their similarities and their working together on NCIS. They haven’t been spotted socializing together or going to events together as friends. It is more likely that they will be coworkers who value each other’s contributions and get along well on set.
As Gibbs and Parker on NCIS, Mark Harmon and Gary Cole have distinguished themselves as two excellent actors. Except for having the same last name and a love of performing, they are not connected in any way. They are distinctive individuals because of their varied backgrounds, families, and occupations. They might not be related by blood or by law, but their NCIS jobs have given them a closeness that makes them feel like brothers.