Mark Harmon and Pam Dawber are grandparents

Mark Harmon and Pam Dawber

“Separate from anything as an actor, you hopefully take pride in who people are individually away from any camera just as people, as citizens.  And both our boys have done well and hopefully made smart choices and are doing well daily… we have a lot of reasons to be proud of both of them."

- Mark Harmon, People magazine, November 17, 2023

Mark Harmon celebrated his 74th birthday on September 2, 2025.  Mark and his wife, Pam Dawber, had something extra to celebrate this year.  The couple, married since 1987, became first-time grandparents this spring.  On July 4, 2025, their daughter-in-law, Courtney Prather, revealed on Instagram that she and her husband, Sean Thomas Harmon, had welcomed a son, Cooper Knox Harmon, born on May 22, 2025.  (Mark's mother, was actress, model and fashion designer Elyse Knox (1917-2012) and his father, Tom Harmon (1919-1990) was a college football star, Heisman Trophy winner and sportscaster).

In her post, Courtney reflected on the first month with her newborn.  Her caption read "1 month with you, Cooper Knox Harmon 5-22-25."

Sean Harmon, born April 25, 1988 in Burbank, California.  He is an actor, producer and stunt coordinator.  Sean is the elder of Mark and Pam's two sons.  He played the younger version of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, his father character,  on NCIS.  He is also known for Major Crimes (2012) and NCIS: Los Angeles (2009).

Sean Harmon and Courtney Prather

Sean married longtime girlfriend Courtney Prather, in November of 2022,  The official wedding ceremony took place on Nosara Beach in Costa Rica.  The lavish nuptials lasted for three days, from November 9-13, 2022.  The bride and groom gathered with family at the tropical wedding venue. The celebration included yoga, surfing and family time.  There was also a romantic side trip to Maldives.

According to an account of the ceremony on Married Celeb, "Mark walked Prather down the aisle in this intimate tropical wedding and blessed her alongside his son.  After the wedding, "all the guests can be seen dancing and enjoying."  On the last day, "Sean and Courtney cut the wedding cake together."

Courtney Prather is a health and wellness advocate.  She  is also a a psychologist and consultant, with a PhD in Clinical Health Psychology from the University of North Texas.  There are conflicting reports as to when she met Sean Harmon/  Some sources, including their wedding website, say the couple met at an art gallery in Santa Monica, California in December of 2016.  However, they were reportedly seen together as early as October 2012 at Mark Harmon's Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony.  

Sean proposed to Courtney in July of 2021, while they were visiting the E bar L Ranch in Montana, a retreat owned by Sean's father.  At the end of a day full of horseback riding and cycling, Sean presented Courtney with a ring and a bottle of wine.  Engagement photos were taken in a field surrounded by horses.

Mark and Pam's other son is Ty Christian Harmon. Ty, a screen writer, was born on June 25, 1992.  Below is an earlier photo of Mark and Pam and their two sons.  Ty is on the far left.

When Sean and Ty were growing up, Mark and Pam tried to keep their family life with their kids private.  The boys were their top priority and the reason why Mark took on such a long role on NCIS.  In 2023, he told People magazine  that "the decision to do NCIS was "because I was trying to stay home more with a young family.  "It was important to be able to make pancakes on Saturday morning," he said.

SOURCES:  Zola (www.zola.com), Courtney and Sean's Wedding Website; People; "Mark Harmon's 2 Children: All About Sean and Ty," by Emy La Croix, November 17, 2023; Married Celeb {marriedceleb.com), Sean Harmon biography, by Bimal, July 19, 2023; Married Celeb {marriedceleb.com), "Mark Harmon's son Sean Harmon Tied the Knot," by Prajwol, Jul 20, 2023, Wikipedia

- Joanne