Why Mark Harmon Turned Heads When He Hosted SNL

Mark Harmon has been the face of CBS' "NCIS" for 18 years. He's had a prolific acting career that seemed promising, even before starting the investigative drama as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Harmon, a former football player at UCLA, received his first break in a Kellogg's cereal commercial in 1972, per Outsider. That was just the start. Known for his athletic prowess, Harmon starred in several TV shows in the 1970s.

The actor has an enthusiastic fanbase, too. When Harmon ended his long run with the hit CBS show, fans couldn't help but talk about how engaging his role was. Harmon appeared in over 400 episodes before he said goodbye. "Even though we knew this was happening, it feels surreal and I still don't think [NCIS] will be the same," a viewer tweeted. "Others can come and go but Mark Harmon/Gibbs IS the foundation of NCIS." Harmon truly found a soft spot in the hearts of his fans, thanks to "NCIS." The show has also been a major hit. According to The Hollywood Reporter, "NCIS" is the "number one" TV show in the world. It has been licensed in over 200 countries and territories, and also has several spin-offs.

Harmon's charm also became apparent when he hosted "Saturday Night Live" in 1987. It was a special time in his career, and yes, he managed to steal the show.

Mark Harmon was starting to find popularity with fans due to his on-screen charm and personality in the 1980s. He appeared on "SNL" on May 9, 1987, hosting his segment wearing nothing but a towel, per Showbiz Cheat Sheet. The decision seemed quite justified — People magazine had named him the "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1986.

On stage, Harmon talked about why he was hosting "SNL" wearing a towel. "It's been fun doing this show for the last week, except there's been just one problem," Harmon said during his monologue. "See, as the week went on, I noticed that in every sketch, I was wearing less clothing than everyone else." Harmon added that he started to fear that he was "being used." He also spoke about how he had to argue with "SNL" creator Lorne Michaels on his wardrobe, which he thought was "degrading." To this, Michaels replied that it was Mother's Day and it would be a nice idea to have "something for them." Harmon added that he ultimately won the argument and got to wear the towel for his appearance.

Referring to People naming him the "Sexiest Man Alive" — something the audience responded to with applause and whistles — Harmon said that he didn't want to be "difficult" and "had to be careful" after winning "that silly award." He said, "There's only one good thing I can say about being named People magazine's 'Sexiest Man Alive.' They do have a very nice pageant."

Mark Harmon was playing basketball with his friends on an evening in 1986. "I'd done an interview with People about leaving St. Elsewhere, I went up to play basketball, and both backboards on either side of the court were plastered with the [Sexiest Man Alive] cover," Harmon told People. "So that's how I found out." He added that he originally felt "silly" winning the title, but acknowledged that "there are people who take it certainly much more seriously than I do."

Harmon also reflected on his long career during the interview. "To be around a while, [you have] a perspective so much time later that maybe you didn't have then. But longevity in the business can be relatively rare," he said. When asked about the advice he'd give to this year's honoree, Harmon said that it would help to "have a sense of humor." The award by People did a lot of good for Harmon's career. He appeared on shows such as "Moonlighting" before grabbing a role in "NCIS" — a show that he'd be associated with for a long time.

Harmon, however, doesn't let success get to his head. A quote attributed to the veteran actor shows his humility. "If other people think I'm okay looking, that's great, but I don't see it myself. When I look in the mirror, all I see is a bunch of fake teeth and football scars," he said.