Mark Harmon became a household name thanks to his starring role as Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS – not to mention his endless appearances in Hollywood blockbusters like Presidio (1988) Wyatt Earp (1994), i Crazy Friday (2003). In a sweet full circle moment, the star is actually taking after his famous mother – the late Elyse Knox – when it comes to his career choices. Keep reading for all the details about his famous and incredibly talented mom…
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Who Is Mark Harmon’s Mother Elyse Knox?
An established actress, model and fashion designer, with more than 39 acting roles by the time Mark was born, Elyse Knox is considered a film legend. Known for her starring role in the 1942 horror film. Mummy’s tombElyse later became a pin-up girl during World War II and appeared in films to boost the morale of soldiers.
© Getty Elyse Knox was a Hollywood actress, model and fashion designer
She also won acclaim for her portrayal of Anna Howe, the love interest of fictional boxer Joe Palooka in the Joe Palooka, champion, which would spawn a franchise of eleven films. Elyse starred in five of them before retiring from acting in 1949 – just two years before she gave birth to Mark.
© Getty Images She retired from acting two years before giving birth to Marko
What did Mark Harmon say about his mother, Elyse Knox?
Mark Harmon actually grew up with two famous parents – although he didn’t realize it until he was eight years old. “My parents kept things real,” he told TV Insider. – I had no idea they were famous.
© Getty At first Mark didn’t realize that both of his parents were known to him
Elyse was already known and loved for her acting career, while Mark’s father, the late Tom Harmon, was an American football player, military pilot, actor and sports journalist. Recalling the moment he first realized his parents were famous, Mark explained: “It didn’t occur to me until I was driving in the car with my father one day in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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Incredible Private Homes of NCIS Stars Revealed“I was maybe 8 years old and I could barely see above the dashboard. And we stopped at the crosswalk. Suddenly we were surrounded by people who recognized my dad and were very excited to see him. I remember looking at this man who I thought I knew him so well and thought: ‘Who are you?'”
© Getty ImagesElyse Knox and Tom Harmon taken in September 1956
While Mark rarely talks about his early family life, in an emotional moment that brought fans to tears, he revealed the sweetest story about his parents’ wedding day. While appearing on Conversation In 2017, the TV star explained that Elyse’s wedding dress actually saved his father’s life during World War II.
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© Getty The actor revealed how his mother’s wedding dress saved his father’s life
After explaining that his father’s plane “crashed twice during World War II,” Mark revealed that after Tom finally returned home after a traumatic accident in China, he brought home the parachute that saved his life, and Elyse gave it to him Sew on your wedding dress.
“When [my father] he came back after 30 days, the parachute came with him and he married my mom. My grandmother, an Austrian immigrant and also an excellent seamstress, practically took apart a parachute and made it into my mother’s wedding dress,” he said. It doesn’t get more romantic than that!
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Categories: Entertaintment
Source: HIS Education