Before marrying his wife, Pam Dawber, nearly 40 years ago, NCIS star Mark Harmon had trouble finding love. He appeared twice on The Dating Game during college, but neither experience led to a lasting relationship. Harmon recalled on The Joan Rivers Show in 1986 that after winning the second time, he didn’t continue dating the woman he chose because she was a bird trainer, and they had little in common.
Harmon also had brief, high-profile relationships, including a short-lived fling with Heather Locklear. Harmon met Dawber in 1986 through a mutual friend and took the initiative to call her, leading to their marriage a year later. Reflecting on his successful marriage, Harmon expressed gratitude and attributed it to luck, acknowledging he has no secret formula for a happy relationship.