Decades before Mark Harmon became synonymous with NCIS’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs, the actor nearly headlined his own television series — one that most viewers have never seen. In 1975, a baby-faced Harmon starred in a backdoor pilot for a planned Emergency! spinoff that ultimately never made it to series.
The episode, titled “Wild,” introduced Harmon as Officer Dave Gordon, an animal control officer in Los Angeles County. Designed as a launchpad for a new show focused on animal rescue, the episode followed Gordon and his team as they handled cases involving escaped and mistreated animals. The pilot was directed by Emergency! co-creator Jack Webb and even featured a cameo by Harmon’s father, former football star Tom Harmon, as a newscaster.
Despite the popularity of Emergency!, the spinoff failed to win network approval. Still, the exposure helped Harmon’s career gain traction. He went on to land steady guest roles throughout the late ’70s and ’80s, eventually breaking out on St. Elsewhere before becoming one of television’s most enduring stars on NCIS.
