What role did Mark Harmon’s wife, Pam Dawber, play in ‘NCIS’ and why did she leave?

Mark Harmon may have gained household name status due to his role as Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS, but his real-life wife, Pam Dawber, is no stranger to the limelight either. After the couple met in 1986, they bonded quickly and married the following year, but Dawber also had fame from her role in Mork and Mindy.

The actor played her title character in the Happy Days spin-off for four years and somewhat retired when raising children with her husband. That most likely explains why her first role on NCIS occurred in its 18th season. At the height of the COVID pandemic, the season reflected real-world concerns and COVID restrictions. When Dawber first appears, Gibbs is faced with the ramifications of acting out during a case. He gets suspended indefinitely after beating up a perpetrator who was part of a dog fighting ring that was drowning dogs. During retirement, he encounters a reporter looking to investigate the true story behind his suspension.

“She’s trying to find out more about what really happened here, the story on this guy driven over the edge,” Dawber explained to TV Insider. Her character, Marcie, eventually joins the efforts in hunting down a serial killer. Her dynamic with Gibbs is one of the most enjoyable parts of Dawber’s stint on the series.

“This is the first time a character is not scared of Gibbs. She’s a strong woman. They’re trying to figure each other out, but they’re opposite ends of the spectrum as far as their personalities. He frustrates the hell out of her with his mumbling Gibbs’ one-liners.”

Fans were subsequently devastated when Dawber only acted in NCIS for seven episodes.

Why did Pam Dawber leave NCIS?

Dawber was an experienced actor in her time, but that didn’t mean saying yes to appearing on NCIS was easy. By being married to Harmon, many opportunities came up for her, but it never felt right until the role of Marcie Warren came around.

“I’ve been asked to do NCIS before over the years. It just wasn’t the right character or the right time. With Marcie, it was so funny because when they were casting, Mark goes, ‘Who you’re really looking for is my wife.’ They said, ‘But she’s always turned us down!’ I read the script and I’m going, ‘Oh no.’”

The actor had not been working consistently and had some reservations about returning to television. But throughout her seven episodes of the show, she was embraced by the cast as well as fans. When her arc concluded in season 19, she took her leave to the dismay of viewers. This was not a total surprise, however, considering past statements from Dawber. When TV Insider asked her about any temptation to return to the sphere of television, she shot the idea down.

“There’s too much social media negativity. And I have passed the point of wanting to sit the makeup chair at six o’clock in the morning!”

More than likely, Dawber had only considered a small role in the series to begin with and was not inclined to stay on long-term. And now that Harmon left NCIS, it’s unlikely fans will see her again, despite her widespread appeal.