Pam Dawber Gave Up Fame to Raise Mark Harmon’s Kids — Now Their Son Is Married and Walking in His Dad’s Footsteps

Pam Dawber and Mark Harmon have quietly built one of Hollywood’s most enduring marriages. The couple, who celebrated 36 years together in March 2023, have defied the odds in an industry where long-lasting love is rare. But their story goes far beyond red carpets and TV screens—it’s one of real sacrifice, shared values, and a deeply rooted family bond.

A Hollywood Love Story That Started with Timing—and a Checklist

Before finding each other, both had their own journeys. Mark Harmon had just ended a four-year relationship with actress Cristina Raines in 1984. Meanwhile, Dawber was clear on what she wanted in a partner—someone warm, funny, independent, and grounded. When they met at a mutual friend's party, the connection was instant. By 1987, they were married in a private ceremony, shunning the spotlight from the start.

At the time, both were at the height of their fame. Harmon had just been named People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" and was starring in hit shows like Moonlighting and St. Elsewhere. Dawber had already made a name for herself as Mindy in Mork & Mindy and later led My Sister Sam.

Despite their star power, the couple chose a quiet life. Harmon, raised with old-school values, was the kind of steady, grounded man Dawber had dreamed of. “He’s an old-fashioned guy,” she once said. “He does it the right way.”

A Hero in Real Life

Beyond his on-screen roles, Harmon became a real-life hero in 1996 when he rescued a teenager from a burning car near his Los Angeles home. He broke the windshield with a sledgehammer—a tool his wife had wisely suggested. The teen survived, and the two stayed in touch.

But Harmon downplayed the event, instead praising Dawber for thinking clearly under pressure. “She’s the one that said get a sledgehammer,” he recalled. “A regular hammer wouldn’t have done it.”

Dawber Stepped Away from Fame to Be a Full-Time Mom

While Harmon’s career soared, Dawber made a different choice. After becoming a mother, she stepped back from acting to raise their two sons. Her decision wasn’t just about being present—it was about protecting her kids from Hollywood’s intrusive spotlight.

"You don’t see us in magazines," Dawber once explained. “When you're married, that's real life. And to go plaster your kids... I'm sorry. I'm not for that."

She relished the everyday joys of motherhood—driving her kids to school, attending birthdays, even helping in their art classes. Though she occasionally returned to acting in the '90s with roles in Stay Tuned, Life...and Stuff, and I'll Remember April, her focus remained on her family.

Harmon Prioritized Family Over Fame

Like his wife, Harmon values privacy and family above everything. He has no interest in social media, and neither do their sons. “We stay home. A lot,” he said simply.

Even while leading NCIS as fan-favorite Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Harmon kept his personal life off the radar. When he exited the show in season 19, he assured fans that Gibbs wasn't gone for good—just living a quieter life in Alaska, much like Harmon himself.

Since leaving the series, he's been spotted doing regular things—walking the dogs, handling deliveries—just living life on his own terms.

Their Sons Are Following in Their Footsteps

Sean Thomas Harmon, born in 1988, and Ty Christian Harmon, born in 1992, have both entered the entertainment world, but on their own terms.

Ty has made a name for himself as a screenwriter, with credits on the 2012 indie film Catholic Schoolgirl Chainsaw Showdown, directed by his brother Sean.

Sean, who looks strikingly like his dad, has acted and worked as a stuntman. He played a young Gibbs on NCIS, a role that made his father beam with pride. He’s also appeared in CSI: NY and done stunt work for films like American Reunion and Dumb and Dumber To.

Fans have noticed the strong family resemblance. One even joked on Facebook, “Didn’t realize this is Mark’s son. He looks like both his parents!”

A Growing Family and New Beginnings

In July 2021, Sean got engaged to longtime girlfriend Courtney Prather. The proposal was intimate and uniquely personal, involving one of Harmon’s horses, Half n’ Half. The couple shared the joyful moment on Instagram, with Sean writing, “There is nowhere else you belong more.”

They tied the knot in November 2022 and honeymooned in the Maldives, sharing dreamy photos of ocean views, horseback rides, and shared kisses.

Through it all, Dawber and Harmon have remained steady. Their love story is built not just on chemistry, but on conscious choices—about privacy, parenting, and putting family first. While others chased fame, Dawber chose to be a mom. Harmon chose stability over headlines. And now, as their sons step into their own spotlight, they do so with the same values instilled in them by two parents who kept it real.