or
Sign in with lockrMail
BREAKING NEWS
OK LogoCOUPLES

Mark Harmon Reveals a 'Cold Call' Led to His First Date With Wife Pam Dawber

mark harmon cold call led first date wife pam dawber
Source: mega

Nov. 6 2023, Updated 2:47 p.m. ET

Link to FacebookShare to XShare to FlipboardShare to Email

Mark Harmon had no problem taking matters into his own hands when it came to love.

In a new interview, the actor explained that at first, a mutual friend planned to introduce him and now wife Pam Dawber by going on a group date — but that idea didn't sit well with the dad-of-two.

Article continues below advertisement
mark harmon cold call led first date wife pam dawber
Source: mega

Mark Harmon and wife Pam Dawber first met in 1986.

"I said, 'Can I just call? Can I get a number and just cold call?' And so I did," the 72-year-old shared. "I got the number, and I called, and I got an answering machine. And I started to leave a message that said, ‘We don't have to all go out. We could get a cup of coffee or something.’ And then she was monitoring and she picked up."

"We went out that night and we're together ever since," he added.

Article continues below advertisement
mark harmon cold call led first date wife pam dawber
Source: mega

The couple tied the knot exactly one year after their first date.

Article continues below advertisement

Exactly one year after their coffee date, the two got hitched.

The pair welcomed two children are still going strong since their 1987 nuptials, something a friend credited to the TV star's humble nature.

"Mark could have ‘gone Hollywood,’" a friend of the NCIS lead dished to a news outlet. "He certainly had enough opportunities."

Article continues below advertisement
mark harmon cold call led first date wife pam dawber
Source: mega

The duo share two sons.

Article continues below advertisement

"Pam and Mark have a deep affection for one another that’s grown over time," the source added of how they maintained a lasting bond.

It also helped that Dawber, 72, took a step back from the spotlight to focus on raising their children.

"I don’t think two people can work all the time in show business and stay married," the Mork and Mindy alum explained in a previous interview. "I did everything you can do in this business, and then I had children and it’s like, ‘I’m not going to chase this fame thing.’"

MORE ON:
Mark Harmon

Want OK! each day? Sign up here!

Article continues below advertisement
Article continues below advertisement

Harmon admitted that balancing his work with home life took a toll on him emotionally.

"Our oldest had just taken his first steps the day I left [for a shoot]," he said. "I came back three months later and he got out of the car by himself and walked up the sidewalk and grabbed onto my leg at the airport."

Article continues below advertisement
mark harmon cold call led first date wife pam dawber
Source: mega

Harmon was on 'NCIS' from 2003 to 2021.

Article continues below advertisement

Just two years ago, the Freaky Friday actor finally said goodbye to NCIS, a gig he held since 2003.

“Coming in at 6:30 a.m., five days a week, and being the major character that was the linchpin — that’s pretty tough, and he did it for 18 seasons,” executive producer Charles Floyd Johnson noted of Harmon in another interview. “He had just gotten to the place where he was getting close to turning 70, and he wanted to spend time with [wife] Pam and his kids."

Article continues below advertisement

Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for!

"So he was leading up to it. It started probably [with him dropping hints] around the 15th or 16th season," Johnson said of the actor's departure. "But he was so loyal to that crew and so supportive of the show. He was very proud of it, and he stayed on longer than he even intended."

People spoke with Harmon about the first time he called his wife.

More From OK! Magazine

    Opt-out of personalized ads

    © Copyright 2024 OK!™️. A DIVISION OF MYSTIFY ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK INC. OK! is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy and Cookies Policy. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services. Offers may be subject to change without notice.