EXCLUSIVE: Inside 'NCIS' Star Mark Harmon's 'Serious' Romance With Cristina Raines Before Meeting Wife
Mark Harmon married Pam Dawber in 1987.
Sept. 1 2026, Published 6:40 p.m. ET
Mark Harmon had a "serious" relationship with actress Cristina Raines years before meeting the love of his life.
Ahead of the NCIS star's 75th birthday, RadarOnline.com revisits his past romance and his nearly 40-year marriage to his wife, Pam Dawber.
Inside Mark Harmon and Cristina Raines' Past Relationship
Mark Harmon dated Cristina Raines for several years in the '80s.
Harmon dated the model-actress in the early 1980s after they met several years prior while working on the television series Centennial. They became co-stars once again in 1980 when they both starred in NBC's Flamingo Road.
"It lasted for several years and was pretty serious," a source shared with Radar of their romance.
Although their relationship didn't last, their friendship remained cordial.
"Tina taught me how to stop and notice the oak trees and smell the flowers," Harmon said in 1986. "She will always be a very special lady to me."
Mark Harmon Has Been Married to Pam Dawber for Nearly 40 Years
Mark Harmon and Pam Dawber share two kids.
Harmon met his wife, Pam Dawber, in 1986. They said "I do" in 1987 and later welcomed two sons, Sean and Ty.
Earlier this year, they celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary.
Over the years, they've made public appearances together, but they've been mostly private about their relationship – something Harmon claimed was part of their natural personalities.
"It's not even a choice. It's who we are. We stay home. A lot. I'm not a Twitter guy or a Facebook guy," he explained to TV Insider in a 2017 interview. "Our sons aren't into that either. Pam and I have both made a living in this business, and still, there's a part of that that's just not natural."
Pam Dawber Appeared on 'NCIS'
Pam Dawber starred in 'Mork & Mindy' in the '80s.
Dawber is best known for playing Mindy McConnell on Mork & Mindy. She's also had guest roles on The Twilight Zone, Men in Black: The Series, The Crazy Ones, and The Odd Couple.
Additionally, she's appeared on several episodes of her husband's hit show, NCIS.
Harmon played one of the lead roles, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, for 18 seasons before leaving the show in Season 19.
"It wasn’t so much a decision to leave as it was maybe just the right timing to push away a little bit," he told Parade in 2024 of his exit. "I was thrilled with the storyline they came up with and how they handled the character. And the show’s continued. I was always of the opinion that this show would carry on, no matter who left or who joined.”
Mark Harmon Didn't Realize His Parents Were Famous as a Kid
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Mark Harmon said his parents 'kept things real' in his childhood.
Harmon grew up with famous parents, but according to the actor, he had no idea at first.
His father was Heisman Trophy-winning football player and broadcaster Tom Harmon, while his mother, Elyse Knox, worked as an actress, model and artist over the years.
"My parents kept things real. I had no idea they were famous," he told TV Insider. "In fact, it didn’t hit me until one day when I was riding in the car with my father in Ann Arbor, Michigan – I was maybe 8 and could barely see above the dashboard – and we stopped at a crosswalk."
"Suddenly we were surrounded by people who recognized my dad and were really thrilled to see him," he continued. "I remember looking at this man I thought I knew so well and thinking, 'Who are you?'"
