Pam Dawber, 73, the beloved actress who charmed a generation as Mindy McConnell on Mork & Mindy, was recently spotted on a rare outing in Los Angeles, dressed casually in a gray sweatshirt, flared denim jeans, and sunglasses. Her relaxed appearance was a quiet reminder of a star who stepped back from Hollywood long ago, yet still holds a cherished place in TV history.
Dawber’s rise began in 1978 when she was cast opposite Robin Williams in the Happy Days spin-off Mork & Mindy, a show she initially thought sounded “the most stupid thing.” She had never heard of Williams—until she met him. His brilliant eccentricity and boundless kindness instantly rewrote her first impression. Dawber would later describe him as “one of the kindest, most caring people I’ve ever met,” reflecting fondly on the four-year run that made both actors household names.
Away from the spotlight, Dawber built one of Hollywood’s most enduring love stories with NCIS star Mark Harmon. The couple married in 1987—37 years strong today—after Harmon cold-called her when a friend tried to set them up. Their partnership has remained famously private, something both considered essential for longevity. They share two sons, Sean, now an actor, and Ty, a screenwriter, who quietly followed their parents into the entertainment world.
Though Dawber largely stepped away from acting, she made a rare return for seasons 18 and 19 of NCIS, playing investigative journalist Marcie Warren opposite her husband. She accepted the role only under one condition: their characters would not have a romance. The storyline became one of her most memorable later-career appearances.
Her earlier credits also include the CBS sitcom My Sister Sam (1986–1988), a show forever marked by the tragic murder of her co-star Rebecca Schaeffer in 1989—a loss that deeply affected Dawber.
Today, Dawber chooses a quieter, grounded life, far from the pace of her early career. Yet her legacy endures: the bright young actress who held her own beside a comedic whirlwind, the partner in one of Hollywood’s strongest marriages, and the woman who gracefully stepped away while still beloved.