Early in season 19, NCIS said goodbye to Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Harmon, 70, stepped down from TV’s most-watched drama in October after appearing in over 400 episodes since 2003. And there’s no guarantee he’ll ever return.

Nonetheless, Gibbs’ influence has remained, and his name is frequently mentioned. In terms of Harmon’s influence on his co-stars, they’ve confirmed what fans have long suspected about the NCIS star and executive producer.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs is Still An Important Character on ‘NCIS’

After finding peace in Alaska, Gibbs (Mark Harmon) said goodbye to McGee (Sean Murray) and the team in Season 19, Episode 4, “Great Wide Open.” However, he remains an important part of NCIS. Harmon still appears in the opening credits and is the first character introduced each episode. Gibbs is frequently mentioned, most recently in the winter premiere episode, “Pledge of Allegiance.”

For Years, Gibbs Had Kept a Secret.

At the end of the episode, Vance (Rocky Carroll) disclosed that Gibbs had deposited $10,000 into McGee and Jimmy Palmer’s (Brian Dietzen) accounts. He said, “Welcome to the Leroy Jethro Gibbs College Scholarship Club, dedicated to his daughter, Kelly.” Gibbs established a college fund for Kelly and continued to contribute to it even after her death, assisting many agents’ families since then.

‘NCIS’ Stars Discuss What it’s Like To Collaborate With Mark Harmon.

Harmon’s popularity on the NCIS set matches his on-screen charisma. Portraying the authoritative Gibbs, he also acted as a mentor, echoing the character’s wisdom. Co-star Murray, who has worked with Harmon since the beginning, has openly praised his mentorship in interviews.

Mark Harmon Made A ‘Big Impression’

Murray reminisced about his teenage days on the set of “Harts of the West” where he co-starred with Harmon. Reflecting on Harmon’s influence, Murray mentioned how Harmon, nearly a decade before their NCIS collaboration, left a lasting impression and even acted as a mentor to him.

Mark Harmon has received a lot of praise from the cast of ‘NCIS’

Cote de Pablo played Ziva David on NCIS from seasons 3 to 11 and regarded Mark Harmon, who played Gibbs, as both a friend and mentor. Their friendship was described as “forged in fire,” with Harmon acting as a father figure for her. Michael Weatherly, who played Tony DiNozzo, commended Harmon’s on-set manner, emphasizing his honest and personable attitude. Harmon’s wife, Pam Dawber, shared these comments, emphasizing his desire to do the best for everyone and everything on set while maintaining a low ego.