Quote Of The Day By 'NCIS' Star Mark Harmon: 'Treat People The Same, Not Based On Who...'

Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images

Mark Harmon is best known for his role as Leroy Jethro Gibbs on "NCIS." The character's punchy, unforgettable name was one of the reasons why Harmon was attracted to the prospect of starring in "NCIS," which has grown into a major franchise. Harmon began his early television career with several classic '70s crime dramas. The actor went on to star in genre shows like "Adam-12," "Police Woman," "Police Story," and "240-Robert."

Harmon appeared in several prominent shows, including "Chicago Hope" (where he played Dr. Jack McNeil), "The West Wing," "NCIS: New Orleans," and "NCIS: Origins." He also had prominent roles in films like "Freaky Friday" and "Chasing Liberty."

Harmon brings a grounded work ethic to the plethora of roles he has embodied over the years, which is why he is today's quote of the day.

Static Media

"Treat people the same, not based on who they are or what they are."

The above quote is from Harmon's 2019 interview with People. The actor opened up about following advice imparted by his late father, Tom Harmon, who was a prominent actor and sports broadcaster.

When touching upon the need to treat everyone with the same brand of kindness, Harmon emphasized the importance of natural empathy. "Show them common kindness. Don't be colored by their fame or profession," the actor stated. "I don't get all excited by people blowing smoke up my a**. You have to stay honest."

Arturo Holmes/Getty Images

Harmon's quote gestures at a grounded approach to common kindness, which, according to the actor, shouldn't fluctuate due to a person's accomplishments. Everyone deserves basic civility, which automatically calls for a more sincere and open outlook towards people in general.

In the same interview, Harmon went to say that hard work goes hand in hand with investing in your growth as a person. "Your job is to be prepared for the opportunity — it will come, you just won't know when. So, until then, all you can do is invest in yourself," Harmon states. He also says that the secret behind success is to pay attention to everything, no matter how big or small, and know that luck is earned.

This is great advice in general, as Harmon's down-to-earth approach has worked in favor of his long and steady career as an actor with a dependable screen presence. His advice on kindness isn't lip service either, as Harmon went out of his way to save two teenagers trapped inside their car after a crash in January 1996 (via CBS).

Hannes Magerstaedt/Getty Images

• "Choose your mentors carefully. A big one for me was James Garner. That was the kind of career I wanted. Jim would always say, 'I don't care who's the No. 1 guy in the business right now. That doesn't last. I just want to be in that Top 10 for 30 years!' For him, it was all about the long haul. I never forgot that." — from a 2017 interview with TV Insider
• "I'm a practice guy, a repetition guy. You can tell me I can't do something, but I'm likely to take that as incentive to prove you wrong. I'm a tough guy, I'm a jock, so you can yell at me all day long, and that won't hurt me — I'm just going to try to get better. In this business, I've used that to my advantage." — from a 2019 interview with People
• "[On his second book, 'Ghosts of Panama'] I'm just kind of locked in at the moment of trying to find good stories to tell, and I don't know what the barometer is for that. I listen to ideas or thoughts or a piece of history. We've already got an angle on a third that I'm really excited about, but I haven't committed to it yet. I find it a little unbelievable that people are interested in the books, which they obviously have been." — from a 2024 interview with The Hollywood Reporter