The connection between NCIS star Sean Murray and Gibbs actor Mark Harmon dates back a decade before their collaboration on the long-running series. Sean Murray, who portrayed Agent Timothy McGee, had a formative encounter with his eventual “mentor” Mark Harmon during his younger years, unknowingly laying the foundation for their close bond.
Agent Leroy Gibbs (Mark Harmon) became an integral part of the CBS police procedural for nearly two decades, consistently working with a team that underwent various changes, except for his steadfast right-hand man, Agent Timothy McGee (Sean Murray). From the series premiere “Yankee White” in 2003 until Gibbs’s departure at the end of season 19, they tackled crimes together.
Their relationship predates their time on NCIS, as Sean Murray began his acting career as a young performer, with credits including roles in projects like Hocus Pocus and This Boy’s Life.
In 1993, at the age of 15, the now 46-year-old actor secured a role as Zane Hart in the television series “Harts of the West,” where a Chicago family starts a new life on a rundown ranch in Nevada. In an episode titled “The Right Stuff,” Harmon appeared as a rodeo clown alongside the series regular, Murray.
During an interview on the Let’s Dive In podcast, Sean Murray shared his initial experience working with Mark Harmon before their NCIS days.
“It was very interesting to come full circle with Harmon there, and he left an imprint on me,” Murray expressed. “He made an impression on me when he came on and had a role in ‘Harts of the West,’ a show I performed in when I was 15 years old; we did one season of it. He made a big effect on me; I had a couple of scenes with him, and we chatted a lot about crafts and everything. So, after all these years, being able to work with him again is fantastic. He’s been kind of a mentor to me, whether he realizes it or not.”
While Mark Harmon is no longer part of the original NCIS drama, Gibbs’s legacy in the NCIS universe will persist. CBS has announced the development of “NCIS: Origins,” a prequel that will narrate Gibbs’s story before joining NCIS. Harmon will not star in the prequel but will serve as a narrator and executive producer. There is currently no announcement regarding who will portray the young Gibbs.
