Months after celebrating his and Pam Dawber’s 36th anniversary, Mark Harmon recalls making a “cold call” to the actress after being introduced at a group date. 

While speaking to People, the NCIS alum opened up about first talking to the Mark & Mindy actress. “I said, ‘Can I just call? Can I get a number and just cold call?’” he recalled. “And so I did. I got the number, and I called.”

Unfortunately for Mark Harmon, he ended up just getting the answering machine. “And I started to leave a message that said, ‘We don’t have to 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’ve been together ever since.” 

The couple ended up getting married exactly one year after their first date. They have two sons, Sean and Ty. Sean even joined the entertainment and played a young Gibbs in some of the NCIS episodes. “I’m proud of our boys,” Harmon gushed. “They understand the work ethic and they’re very different.” 

In regards to his and Dawber’s secret to a long-running marriage, Harmon said, “I have no secret. We laugh. You got to laugh and you got to talk and communicate. That’s the fun part. Do we sit and talk about it? No. Maybe you just get fortunate and find the right one. We share many things and yet we’re really different.”

Harmon went on to add that all he feels is gratitude for everything around him. “I’m so fortunate. I don’t ever wake up not thinking that.” 

Prior to Meeting Pam Dawber, Mark Harmon Described Himself as a ‘Real Monogamous By Nature’ 

During an interview with People’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1986, Mark Harmon spoke about why he was single and holding out for a long-running marriage.

“I’m real monogamous by nature,” Harmon explained. “And I’m fine being alone like I am now. When I may, I want it to be everything this town says it can’t be. I’m not into catting around.” 

Fast forward to 37 years later and Harmon stated that it’s important to be able to make pancakes on Saturday morning. “And there were some times where that meant not sleeping. You just came home and took a shower and came back down. And yet I look back at it and I don’t miss the sleep.”

Mark Harmon also said that while he still misses things, he’s always been part of his family’s lives. “I’ve been able to spend more time with them.  In many ways, we’ve had a great opportunity to kind of grow as a family.”