Gibbs continues to be an integral part of the NCIS franchise

In hindsight, the fact that “NCIS” creators Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill decided to get creative with character names was a serious blessing for the show. After all, Mark Harmon turned out to be far more than just an actor when it comes to the franchise. Harmon left “NCIS” after 19 seasons in 2021, but has remained an executive producer of the show. He’s also one of the EPs on the “NCIS” spin-off prequel “NCIS: Origins,” which he also narrates while Austin Stowell plays the younger version of Gibbs. 

Harmon (who was born in 1951) is well into his 70s, so the fact that he remains an integral part of the “NCIS” universe even after the effective retirement of his on-screen character is a testament to his commitment to the franchise — which might never have taken root if weren’t for the name Leroy Jethro Gibbs