‘NCIS’: Mark Harmon Was Hawking Coors Before He Solved Crimes
NCIS star Mark Harmon is famous these days for his portrayal of Gibbs on the hit CBS police procedural, but before that, his job included selling beer. Coors beer, to be precise. That’s right — around the same time the NCIS icon was voted sexiest man alive, he was also on televisions telling folks to buy beer. And that’s not all — Harmon actually had plenty of acting credits before he appeared on NCIS.
‘NCIS’: Mark Harmon was the Coors spokesman
NCIS lead Mark Harmon may be out there solving crimes these days, but before that, he was doing something quite different. In 1985, Coors hired Mark Harmon to act as their spokesman in a series of commercials touting the various unique qualities of their drink.
Harmon appeared in several commercials crafted by Coors, and often touched on the company’s brewing process, their unpasteurized bottles, and things of that nature. For example, one advertisement sees Harmon fishing in a stream, discussing patience.
“Patience. It’s what struck me the most when learning about Coors beer. From the malting, to the brewing, the aging. The whole process. They never hurry. It takes about twice as long to make Coors as it does any other major beer,” Harmon claimed while sauntering towards a log next to a basket of Coors placed in the stream.
“Yeah, they do take their time. But you can taste the difference right here. A beer that’s a little less heavy, never bitter, with all the spirit and patience of a great beer. Coors is the one,” he adds, grabbing a can.
Another ad features the NCIS star walking through a field of cows while discussing pasteurization, and yet another sees him walking through a ranch or park, while discussing how Coors was his family’s beer of choice. Coors was clearly going for a sort of grassroots, homestyle feel with Harmon’s commercials.
The star already had acting credits
Around the same time that NCIS‘ Mark Harmon was selling Coors in adverts, he was also starring in a medical drama entitled St. Elsewhere. From 1983 until early 1986, Harmon played Dr. Robert Caldwell on the show.
Harmon eventually left the production, as his character was killed off after contracting HIV following a storyline involving unprotected sex. His appearance on St. Elsewhere led to the NCIS‘ Mark Harmon being named People’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1986.
Harmon also appeared in The Presidio with Sean Connery and Meg Ryan in 1988, as well as Summer School, Stealing Home, and Worth Winning.
Harmon appeared in a second medical drama from 1996 to 200 entitled Chicao Hope, playing another doctor, this time named Dr. Jack McNeil.
‘NCIS’: Mark Harmon’s net worth
Given Mark Harmon’s lengthy history on television and the big screen alike, it may come as no surprise that the NCIS star is worth upwards of $100 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. Harmon makes around $525,000 per episode of NCIS that he stars in.
Celebrity Net Worth goes on to suggest that between his role on the show and his production credits and syndication royalties, Harmon nets around $20 million per year.
