Mark Harmon’s Next Chapter

Once a star of television’s ‘NCIS,’ he has co-written a new book about real-life NCIS agents

Mark Harmon has worn many hats in his lifetime, including UCLA college quarterback, TV and movie actor, producer, executive producer and director. Now Harmon, 72, is adding “author” to his resume with the release of his first book, “Ghosts of Honolulu.”

The book, which Harmon co-wrote with Leon Carroll, Jr. is about the true story of Douglas Wada, the only Japanese American agent in naval intelligence, and Takeo Yoshikawa, a Japanese spy sent to Pearl Harbor to gather information on the U.S. fleet.

In an interview with Next Avenue, Harmon said, “I didn’t ever have a plan to co-write a book, but it was a story I felt needed to be told. For me, writing this story is a way of giving back to “NCIS” and those who have been serving our country with little recognition.”

In his acting career, Harmon has played a wide range of characters. Whatever the role, Harmon’s process is to do a deep dive and find out everything he can about the character he is portraying.

“At the start of my career, I was in a Western, so I learned how to ride a horse,” explained Harmon. “Later, I did a cop show so I researched how to be a cop. Same when I was a doctor on ‘Chicago Hope.’”

But when Harmon was cast as Leroy Jethro Gibbs in a then-new series titled NCIS (NCIS stands for Naval Criminal Investigative Service), figuring out what an NCIS agent did proved difficult. Harmon explained, “Initially when I began researching naval intelligence, it was hard to find information. That is intentional since much of their work relies on them being undercover.”

Harmon was able to spend time with an agent prior to filming the show. “It’s important to me as an actor to give an accurate portrayal. Before we began shooting, I shadowed an active agent in Alabama, talking to him, meeting his friends,” he said. “I wanted to know everything I could, not just about his work as an agent but everything down to wearing the same individual wardrobe and haircut he chose.”

Harmon also learned a lot by spending time with Carroll, a retired NCIS agent hired as a technical advisor on the show. “Leon helped us in keeping the show authentic,” said Harmon. “After so many years working together, he and I became close friends.”

Stories to Tell

The show’s original premise was to base storylines on real-life NCIS cases. “These cases and the agents, their stories really intrigued me,” said Harmon.

But after so many years on television (the show will enter its 21st season next year), the focus shifted and branched out into different types of dramatic storylines, which “is typical for a long-running show,” Harmon said.