Pam Dawber

Pamela Dawber (born October 18, 1951) is an American actress known for her lead television sitcom roles as Mindy McConnell on Mork & Mindy (1978–1982) and Samantha Russell on My Sister Sam (1986–1988).

Early life Dawber was born in Detroit, the elder of two daughters of Thelma M. (née Fisher) and Eugene E. Dawber, a commercial artist. She went to Reid Elementary School in Goodrich and attended North Farmington High School and Oakland Community College (OCC), with the intention of transferring to a four-year college.

Career Dawber moved to New York City and was initially a fashion model with Wilhelmina Models before switching to acting. She appeared in several television commercials during the 1970s (Fotomat, Noxzema, Neet, Underalls, etc.).

Dawber screen-tested for the title role in Tabitha, a 1977 to 1978 situation comedy spun off from Bewitched, but the role instead went to Lisa Hartman. However, ABC executives were impressed enough with her to enroll her in the company's "talent development" program, which paid its participants until they could find appropriate roles. Garry Marshall recruited her from this program.

Breakthrough: Mork & Mindy Dawber's professional breakthrough came when Marshall chose her, despite her having relatively little acting experience and not having auditioned for the part, as one of the two title characters of the ABC sitcom Mork & Mindy, which ran from 1978 to 1982. She portrayed Mindy McConnell, the comedic foil and eventual love interest for the extraterrestrial Mork from the planet Ork, played by a then-unknown Robin Williams. The show was very popular in its debut season, when it averaged at number three in the Nielsen ratings for the year.

The Pirates of Penzance Dawber sang in a 1980s Los Angeles Civic Light Opera production of Gilbert & Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance, based on the Joseph Papp / New York Shakespeare Festival production. Her role, as Mabel, had been played by Linda Ronstadt in the New York run of the show. In mid-1982, Dawber performed the role of Mabel at the Minskoff Theatre in New York.

My Sister Sam From 1986 to 1988, Dawber again had a title role in a television series, playing Samantha Russell in the CBS sitcom My Sister Sam, co-starring Rebecca Schaeffer. The series was a success in its first season, but it suffered a ratings drop in its second after moving to Saturday night. My Sister Sam was cancelled in April 1988, with half of the second season's episodes never shown on CBS. They were eventually broadcast (along with all previous episodes) on USA Network.

In July 1989, over a year after the show's cancellation, Schaeffer was shot and killed in front of her apartment in Los Angeles by Robert John Bardo, an obsessed fan who had stalked her for three years. Dawber was reportedly "devastated" by her former co-star's death. Dawber and her other surviving My Sister Sam co-starsJoel Brooks, David Naughton and Jenny O'Haraall participated in a filmed public service announcement about gun violence prevention, and Dawber herself became a gun control advocate.

Film work Although mostly known for her television work, Dawber has starred in several films, including the comedy movie Stay Tuned (1992) with John Ritter and the period movie I'll Remember April (1999), alongside husband Mark Harmon.

Return to television In 1997, Dawber starred in the short-lived sitcom Life... and Stuff on CBS.

In 2014, she reunited with Robin Williams on his comedy series The Crazy Ones as a love interest of Williams's character. The reunion failed to improve ratings, and the series was canceled shortly afterwards. Williams, already suffering from Lewy body disease by this time, died by suicide later that year.

Dawber is a national spokeswoman for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. In 2016 Dawber made a guest appearance on The Odd Couple in a tribute episode to Marshall, along with other Marshall alumni such as Ron Howard, Garry's sister Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams, Anson Williams, Don Most and Marion Ross.

She appeared with her husband, fellow actor Mark Harmon, on CBS's NCIS in 2021 for seven episodes as "seasoned investigative journalist" Marcie Warren.

Personal life Dawber married actor Mark Harmon on March 21, 1987, in a private ceremony. They have two sons: one born in 1988 and another in 1992.

Filmography + Television Year Title Role Notes 1978 Sister Terri Sister Terri TV film 1978–1982 Mork & Mindy Mindy McConnell / Mandy Main cast 1979 The Chevy Chase National Humor Test Various TV special 1980 The Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything Bonny Lee Beaumont TV film 1982 Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour Mindy McConnell Main cast, voice role 1982 Twilight Theatre Missy TV film (segment "Jilted Johnny") 1982 Remembrance of Love Marcy Rabin TV film 1983 Through Naked Eyes Anne Walsh TV film 1984 Last of the Great Survivors Laura Matthews TV film 1985, 1987 Faerie Tale Theatre Self,Pearl Episode: "Grimm Party" (interviews of cast),Episode: "The Little Mermaid" 1985 The Twilight Zone Karen Billings Episode: "But Can She Type?" segment 1985 This Wife for Hire Marsha Harper TV film 1985 Wild Horses Daryl Reese TV film 1985 American Geisha Gillian Burke TV film 1986–1988 My Sister Sam Samantha 'Sam' Russell Main cast 1988 Rosie Shelby Woods Episode: "Shelby by the Moon" 1988 Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer Story Lucy Wedemeyer TV film 1989 Do You Know the Muffin Man? Kendra Dollison TV film 1990 The Face of Fear Connie Weaver TV film 1991 Rewrite for Murder ? TV film 1993 The Man with Three Wives Robyn TV film 1994 Dream On Cheryl Castorini Episode: "From Here to Paternity" 1994 Web of Deception Ellen Benesch TV film 1994 A Child's Cry for Help Monica Shaw TV film 1994 The Bears Who Saved Christmas Mom TV film, voice role 1995 Aaahh!!! Real Monsters Wife Episode: "Chip Off the Old Beast / The War's Over", voice role 1995 Trail of Tears Cheryl Harris TV film 1995 Kevin's Kitchen ? TV film 1996 Adventures from the Book of Virtues Liese Episode: "Self-Discipline", voice role 1996 A Stranger to Love Andie TV film 1997 Life... and Stuff Ronnie Boswell Main cast 1997–1998 101 Dalmatians: The Series Perdita Recurring role, voice role 1998 Men in Black: The Series ? Episode: "The Elle of My Dreams Syndrome", voice role 1999 Don't Look Behind You Liz Corrigan TV film 2006 Christa McAuliffe: Reach for the Stars Herself TV documentary 2014 The Crazy Ones Lily Episode: "Love Sucks" 2016 The Odd Couple Arnette Episode: "Taffy Days" 2021 NCIS Marcie Warren Recurring role (seasons 18–19)

+ Film Year Title Role Notes 1978 A Wedding Tracy Farrell 1981 Swan Lake Princess Odette Voice role 1992 Stay Tuned Helen Knable1999 I'll Remember April Barbara Cooper