Mark Harmon's shirtless beach photo is worlds away from NCIS alter-ego Leroy Gibbs

Mark Harmon fans have been in for a treat this month as his iconic NCIS character, Leroy Gibbs, has been at the forefront of new spin-off show, NCIS: Origins, which focuses on Gibbs' backstory. 

And while Mark isn't in the show, he has played a central part in it, by both producing and narrating it. To celebrate the new show, we have gone on a trip down memory lane and unearthed an iconic snapshot of the star taken from the eighties, showing him posing on the beach in Beverly Hills. 

The actor is all smiles in the black-and-white snapshot, while relaxing on the sand wearing his swimsuit. The happy and relaxed photo is worlds away from Gibbs' life, which is explored in the new prequel. 

Recently in an interview with CBS about the franchise's new installment, Mark explained: "This is a chance to really kind of dig into it." 

The show promises to show a more personal and emotional side to Gibbs, with the plot focusing on the aftermath of him losing his wife and their child. "He's in rough shape," Mark added. 

© Ellen Graham

The new show sees Austin Stowell play a young Gibbs - and it's a family affair, as Mark's actor son Sean Harmon, who played a younger version of Mark's popular character, thought there was more of him to explore. 

On his dad's character and the upcoming show, Sean told TV Insider: "I believe that very few people are actually 'born leaders' and are instead forged into them, and Gibbs is no exception. 

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Digging into the backstory of 'the boss' seemed like a good opportunity to find out why Gibbs turned out the way he did and who was around to influence him on that journey." 

Mark left NCIS in October 2021, leaving his fans devastated when he departed in season 19 of the popular show. 

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He opened up about his decision to quit the program almost a year after leaving the show, for a special featurette on the show's season 19 DVD release. 

He sat down to discuss the legacy of his character, as well as his thoughts on how the show wrapped up his storyline, and admitted that the opportunity to tackle "fresh" and "challenging" material is what kept him returning to the drama every season, alluding to the possibility that he felt that after almost two decades on the show, he no longer felt that was the case. 

© Eddy Chen/CBS via Getty Images

In his spare time, the actor enjoys nothing more than spending time with his wife, Pam Dawber, and their grown-up sons Sean and Ty. Notoriously private, the family don't have social media and rarely give interviews.