NCIS’ Mark Harmon put his foot down when Gibbs was set for a completely different name
NCIS' Agent Gibbs was ready for a name swap when Mark Harmon intervened at the 11th hour.
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NCIS star Mark Harmon stepped in when creators wanted to try and change Agent Gibbs’ name.
Veteran actor Mark Harmon was the leading man behind Leroy Jethro Gibbs from the drama’s conception, until season 19 when he made his exit in 2021.
The CBS series has still managed to thrive without the silver fox but that doesn’t mean long-term fans don’t miss Gibbs’ presence.
And while Harmon was intrigued by the part as soon as he read the first script, he did have a bit of a fight on his hands when it came to his character’s name.
Because just as the star was ready to start filming, the creators decided to call Gibbs something completely different.
Read more: NCIS fans eager to know when 1000th episode will air as schedule suffers delay
Talking to ET, Harmon explained: “I read ‘Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ and thought, ‘Huh, I like that name.
“And then for a brief second when I decided that I liked the idea of the project, the name changed.”
“[It was] Bob Johnson or something like that. And I went: ‘No, no, it’s gotta be Leroy Jethro Gibbs.’
"The creator said: ‘No, you can’t play a guy named Leroy Jethro Gibbs.’
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“And I said, ‘Why not?’ And then it went back and I was happy about it.”
Prior to Harmon becoming so closely associated with NCIS, there were a number of other big actors who were in the line for the role.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, creators Donald P Bellisario and Don McGill as well as other executives shared that Seabiscuit actor Chris Cooper and Top Gun’s Val Kilmer were in the running.
In addition to these stars, Dirty Dancing actor Parick Swayze and Footloose’s Kevin Bacon could have had the chance to play Gibbs.
The franchise will be marking a very special occasion next week as it celebrates its 1000th episode.
This milestone counts all of the original drama’s episodes, as well as its spin-offs Los Angeles, New Orleans, Hawaii and Sydney.
A Thousand Yards is going to be a crossover special, welcoming Kensi Blye (Daniela Ruah) and Jane Tennant (Vanessa Lachey) into the fold.
NCIS season 21 continues on Monday, April 15, on CBS.
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