Tom Selleck has been a fan favorite for a long time. He has always stood out as a star with class, high morals, and outstanding talent. However, even the greatest can fall and when they do, it is their true character which shows in the aftermath.
Tom Selleck His Life On And Behind The Screen
Tom Selleck is finally opening up about everything that he has been through, and how it has impacted his life, as well as the lives of those around him. This is the story of Tom Selleck like you’ve never heard it before.
Dreamer
Tom Selleck was born in Detroit, but his family moved to California when he was just a child. His father was a real estate investor while his mother was a housewife. Both his parents taught him about a disciplined work ethic, which he, in turn, taught his own daughter.
Dreamer
The actor seemed to have a lot of respect for his parents, that’s for sure. When talking about his mother’s passing in 2017, this was what he had to say: “She’s always been there and always been very fair — even when she said, ‘Wait till your father gets home,’ which usually was for good reason.”
Not The NBA
Did you know that acting was not Tom Selleck’s first career choice? He actually pursued a degree in Business Administration at the University of Southern California for quite some time. He paid for his university fees through his basketball scholarship and he also worked as a model to cover the rest of his expenses.
Not The NBA
It was his drama coach that finally suggested that he try acting. Selleck heeded the advice, studied at the Beverly Hills Playhouse, and turned into one of the most respected actors in Hollywood.
My Country
For 6 years, Tom Selleck served in the US army. All the while, he had minor television roles. Talk about having a good sense of time management! He was a member of the California Army National Guard’s 160th Infantry Regiment.
My Country
Looking back at his military experience, the actor said, “I am a veteran, I’m proud of it. I was a sergeant in the U.S. Army infantry, National Guard, Vietnam era. We’re all brothers and sisters in that sense.”
Influence
Selleck admitted that the first time in a while that he truly felt he was a grown man was when he celebrated his 70th birthday. The only other moment he felt the same way was when his father died in 2011.
Influence
“I had had a lot of leadership positions,” Selleck explained, “I had been in the military… but you know, in my case, when my father died, I go, ‘There’s nobody to go to for fatherly advice. You’re on your own, pal’.”
Only The Start
When he was in college, Selleck worked as a model. However, it was his college fraternity brothers and drama coach that urged him to audition for the TV program, The Dating Game. And this turned out to be the best piece of advice he ever got from anyone!
Only The Start
After his appearance on the show, Pepsi called him to star in their commercial. More offers would soon follow and his fan base continued to grow. And as we know now, he was able to become a successful artist in Hollywood!
Opportunity
One of the biggest opportunities given to Tom Selleck came from Twentieth Century Fox. He caught their attention and they were eager to exclusively sign him up.
Opportunity
The actor grabbed the chance, showed up at the training class the day after, and starred in several of their films! It was a great deal for both parties, that much is certain.
Soap Opera Kid
Tom Selleck has starred in several movies from all genres. He has been in suspense, action, mystery, and romance flicks. But can you imagine him in a soap opera? Well, you don’t have to look that far— he took a minor role in the TV soap opera The Young and the Restless.
Tom Selleck
As Jed Andrews, his character was caught in between a love triangle. It turned out that Tom Selleck would deal with the same problem as in real life as well!
Beginnings
The biggest lead role Tom Selleck has ever gotten is Thomas Magnum in Magnum P.I. He was 35 years old and had done several odd jobs in Hollywood before he landed this role. For the TV series, he had to fly out to Hawaii for filming purposes.
Beginnings
But his struggles do not end there. Because of a writer’s strike, the shoot got delayed! Tom Selleck took it upon himself to become a handyman to earn money during those six months.
Magnum P.I.
Magnum P.I. ran for 8 years with a total of 163 episodes. It was appointment television before it was even an official thing.
Magnum P.I.
Set against a Hawaiian backdrop, the series was full of action, humor, and eclectic characters. Die-hard fans can easily recognize Thomas Magnum and his Hawaiian shirts, Detroit Tigers cap, red Ferrari, and suave mustache!
They See Me Rollin’
Thomas Magnum is often seen riding his iconic red Ferrari. But did you know that the character was supposed to drive a Porsche?
They See Me Rollin’
However, Tom Selleck’s tall height made it impossible for him to fit inside the relatively small car! It was thus replaced with the Ferrari, the sales of which have increased once Magnum was seen cruising around in one.
Nothing But Respect
Larry Manetti, who played Rick in Magnum P.I., published his memoir in 1996. Since he had spent a lot of time with Tom Selleck during the taping of the series, you’d expect that he’ll spill some dirty secrets about the actor.
Nothing But Respect
However, he had nothing to write but praise for Selleck! He admired the lead actor’s strong work ethic, good relationship with the cast of the show, and his charity efforts.
Star!
Tom Selleck has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which is to be expected as his work in Magnum P.I. has greatly boosted his career.
Star
The man is definitely a huge figure in the entertainment industry! If you want to see it, you should drop by 6925 Hollywood Boulevard for a visit.
One, Two
Can you imagine anyone playing Magnum besides Tom Selleck? It is difficult to do so, isn’t it! However, the truth is that Selleck actually almost didn’t get the part.
One Two
The producers were first considering Kevin Dobson for the role. However, Dobson was already an established actor with a busy career and turned down the offer. Oh well, it’s definitely his loss!
A Miss
The producers of Magnum P.I. had given Selleck strict conditions. For one thing, he was not allowed to work on other projects while filming the TV series. Now, the actor’s popularity was on the rise at the time and it was getting harder and harder to turn down offers!
A Miss
In fact, he was offered lead roles in Raiders of the Lost Ark and had to pass the opportunity to Harrison Ford since the shooting schedule coincided with that of Magnum P.I. However, as we now know, the first season of the show had been delayed and Selleck could have done both projects if he knew ahead of time!
Swing And A Miss
Raiders of the Lost Ark was not the only opportunity Selleck turned down either. He was also offered the role of King Marchand in Victor/Victoria, a 1982 film that starred Julie Andrews. However, he wasn’t sure about taking the role at the beginning.
Swing And A Miss
When he was ready to accept it, the part had already been given to James Garner. Moreover, he already signed the contract for Magnum! Some things are simply not meant to be.
Creative Team
Tom Selleck was active not only in front of the camera but behind it as well. When he was given a character sketch of Thomas Magnum, he voiced out his concerns. He didn’t want Magnum to be a replica of James Bond and suggested that the character should be a more approachable fellow.
Creative Team
This turned out to be a great suggestion as it helped the storyline flow better. Would the TV series be more successful without Selleck’s request? Perhaps not.
First Wife
After dating for one year, Tom Selleck tied the knot with model Jacqueline Ray. They lived together for 11 years and Selleck even adopted her son Kevin, but the couple ultimately got divorced. You’d think that Selleck would cut all ties with both mother and child immediately, given that Kevin is not his real son.
First Wife
However, it is clear that the actor is not like other men. Selleck still maintains his relationship with his son even after the divorce.
A Superstar of Its Own
Tom Selleck’s mustache is as prominent as the actor himself. He didn’t use to sport it, but it now seems impossible to recognize the actor without his signature mustache.
A Superstar of Its Own
It has become a part of his personal brand. However, it’s because of this same mustache that he often gets mistaken for Lee Horsley.
Agree to Disagree
Lee Horsley is not the only star whom people mistake Tom Selleck for! The actor was also used to being mistaken for Burt Reynolds. However, Selleck often joked around saying that he was unworthy of the backhanded compliment.
Agree To Disagree
He said, “There was a time I could have been mistaken for Burt Reynolds. I had a mustache and so did he. But he was the number one star in the world, so there wasn’t really much confusion.”
Ay Baby
Though Magnum P.I. remains to be Tom Selleck’s most successful project, he already starred in other films before it.
Ay Baby
For example, just a year before the shooting the hit TV series, Selleck starred in Three Men and a Baby alongside Ted Danson and Steve Guttenberg. This comedy movie was a box office hit, earning $170 million gross sales in the US alone.
Love Story
A year before the filming of the final season of Magnum PI, Selleck and Jillie Mack walked down the aisle.
Love Story
Unlike his first marriage, this one was meant to last for a lifetime! In 2017, the couple celebrated their 30th year as husband and wife. They presently live in California and have a daughter, Hannah.
Small Role
Tom Selleck’s family members sometimes made appearances in Magnum PI. Though the roles were small, it is still awesome to think that the actor was so influential that he had the ability to pull strings and make it happen.
Small Role
His wife, Jillie Mack, was in the fourth season of the TV series as well.
The Right
Unlike other celebrities who were conservative about their political opinions, Tom Selleck didn’t have a problem voicing out his political affiliations.
The Right
He was an open Republican and even publicly endorsed John McCain in 2008. He is also a member and part of the board of directors of the National Rifle Association.
Neither Here Nor There
Though Selleck is vocal about his political stand, he didn’t endorse any candidate in the 2016 elections. Even now, he has not revealed whether he had been a Trump or Clinton supporter.
Neither Here Nor There
However, he’s known to have sent David Brown, the former Dallas Police Department Chief, a letter to show his appreciation of the officer’s leadership during the police shooting in 2016.
Cha-Ching
Selleck has had a long TV career. He starred in over 50 movies and TV series. You’d think that he’d have garnered a net worth of at least a billion by now!
Cha-Ching
However, he has only about $25 million to his name. There are more relatively new actors who are getting paid higher than him.
Baywatch
Baywatch’s Mitch Buchannon seems to be a perfect role for Tom Selleck. However, the actor actually turned down the offer and it eventually went to David Hasselhoff. Considering the show has been a great hit, you’d think that Selleck regrets his decision.
Baywatch
However, it does not appear to be that way. After all, the reason he turned down the roles was his refusal to become a sex symbol.
Dr. Richard Burke
If you watched Friends, which you probably have, then you’ve seen Tom Selleck play as Dr. Richard Burke. In case you need a reminder, the character was the divorced ophthalmologist who dated Monica Geller for a while.
Dr. Richard Burke
He was only on the show for a few episodes, but he was able to get a nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in the Primetime Emmy Awards. That’s how great he is as an actor!
Frank Reagan
In Blue Bloods, Tom Selleck plays the character Frank Reagan, a high-ranking police officer. On screen, officers salute him.
Frank Reagan
But do you know that he also gets the same respect from real officers in real life? Selleck does demand that kind of respect, making him perfect for the role of the police commissioner.
Dad Jokes
Who would have thought that Tom Selleck has a great sense of humor? Here is what his Blue Bloods co-star Donnie Wahlberg has to say on the matter: “He can [be funny], yes, usually after he makes sure everyone understands what’s important.”
Dad Jokes
He continued, “It would feel like Christmas on a Tuesday night in August when my dad started telling jokes and it’s the same thing with Tom, when he starts with his oddball jokes and his weird rhymes that he tells from 1930 that are so funny. Everybody feels so much lighter and happier.”
An Affair To Remember
Though Selleck seems to have a strong set of morals, he had his share of illicit affairs once upon a time. Marie Helvin, a model, revealed her relationship with the actor in her memoir: “When I visited Hawaii once, Tom Selleck was shooting for Magnum PI.”
An Affair To Remember
“We met and bit of an affair started, then Selleck came to London, we had dinner and went back to his hotel. But the next morning, I sent him a letter to break off this relationship because I was worried about my married life. Later on after a week, he joined Musical Cats backstage and met his wife-to-be.”
Tom and Mimi
Tom Selleck and Mimi Rogers were one of the most controversial couples in the 1980s. It was a scandalous relationship, especially since it happened right after the rumored affair with Marie Helvin.
Tom And Mimi
Needless to say, the two of them didn’t end up together. Selleck went to marry Jillie Mack and Mimi Rogers married Tom Cruise.
Grilled By Rosie
When Selleck was promoting his 1999 movie The Love Letter, he visited Rosie O Donnell’s show and left quite a strong impression.
Grilled By Rosie
Instead of asking about the movie, the host interrogated the actor about his stand on gun ownership. Finally fed up with the questions, Selleck finally told her, “It’s your show, and you can talk about it after I leave”.
Killers
In the movie Killers, Tom Selleck played the role of Mr. Kornfeldt. In one interview, Ashton Kutcher explained his casting process: “I call Mr. Kornfeldt ‘Sir’ in the script a lot. And I was thinking, ‘Who am I going to call Sir?’ Who’s a bigger guy, who’s got an intimidating thing, but doesn’t have to try to be intimidating?”
Killers
Then, he remembered Tom Selleck and he was the perfect man for the role!
A Break
Selleck was dedicated to his work— there’s no doubt about that. However, if there’s something he loved more than acting, it was his family. After being stuck in Magnum P.I. for so long, he decided it was time to turn his attention to his wife and daughter.
A Break
Thus, he took a break from acting. This is remarkable as not many actors would sacrifice their successful career for their family!
Hard Times
There’s a reason behind Selleck’s decision to take a break from acting. What was it? “I’ve found it very difficult to expose my private life and live with it”.
Hard Times
The actor explained, “It’s important to nurture your marriage. I think wanting time away from work has been good for that.”
Reasons Reasons
In an interview with Closer Weekly, Tom Selleck admitted that he got tired with Magnum P.I. “Magnum, P.I. went to 163 shows and we still had ground to cover, and I wasn’t tired of it.
Reasons Reasons
I was tired from it because I was in every shot,” the lead actor explained. In contrast to this, Selleck said that his work in Blue Bloods was more ideal as he didn’t have to work every single day.
Not The Only Reason
Aside from getting overworked, there was something else that he wanted that the show could not provide. “I quit Magnum to have a family,” Selleck mentioned. “It took a long time to get off the train, but I try very hard to have balance.”
Not The Only Reason
He couldn’t do that while he was working on Magnum P.I. since it had a very busy shooting schedule. He thus quit his role. The sacrifice was made and he hasn’t looked back since.
Words of Wisdom
As we already know, Jillie Mack is not Selleck’s first wife. However, it’s obvious that she’s a keeper. They’ve been married for about 30 years now. When asked about the success of his marriage, Selleck reveals that nurturing the relationship is essential.
Words Of Wisdom
While work is important, you also have to take time to bond with your wife. Seeing how good his relationship with Jillie until now, we bet Selleck really knows what he’s saying.
I Do
Tom Selleck and Jill Mack married in secret in 1987. In fact, they were so secretive about it that the minister who married them didn’t even know their true identities until a few minutes before the actual ceremony.
I Do
They even went as far as to use the aliases “Suzi Mark” and “Tom Jenkins.” Bob Selleck, the actor’s brother, organized the wedding, which was held in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
Nervous
You probably know it by now: Tom Selleck is a caring and loving man. If you’re not convinced, you just have to take the word of Rev. David Immel for it. After all, he was Selleck and Mack’s wedding officiant!
Nervous
According to him, “They were both nervous, like any other couple about to get married. He was very concerned that the service be heartfelt, very concerned for her that the service be meaningful. He is a very warm, caring man.”
My Daughter, Hannah
Like most fathers, Tom Selleck is very protective of his daughter. Both he and his wife wanted to keep her away from the cameras while she was growing up.
My Daughter Hannah
However, Hannah sometimes take modeling jobs to help her friends and sponsors. She is an equestrian and she has to do what she has to do sometimes.
Encouragement
You must have seen a lot of celebrity children basking in the same spotlight as their parents. Unlike them, Hannah wasn’t raised in Hollywood. She spent most of her childhood days on the farm and that was where she found her great love for horses.
Encouragement
“As a kid they tried to raise me as normally as possible given my dad’s line of work. Those horses have been a great way for me to have my own accomplishments outside of whatever my parents had done,” she revealed.
Our Decision
How did Tom Selleck and Jill Mack decide to raise Hannah in a 65-acre ranch? Well, the couple reportedly talked about it extensively.
Our Decision
“We both thought it was the best environment for [Hannah] to grow up,” Jillie explained. And they were right! Looking at how Hannah has grown into the great lady that she is, they certainly made the right decision.
Farm Life
Hannah is not just an equestrian, she is also a businesswoman. Her love for horses knows no bounds. “I have a small breeding program in California where I’m developing young horses to bring along and sell.
Farm Life
It’s a business that so far has been really great and a great experience,” the young woman divulged, “It is a very expensive sport, so that is why my dad encouraged and invested in this breeding operation. They have been very supportive. The prices of horses have become astronomical. So that’s why it’s so much more rewarding to bring a horse along on your own.”
How Far?
Selleck doesn’t really do jobs half-heartedly. He gives his all no matter what he does. Perhaps, the best way to illustrate this is to tell the story of his avocado farm and the drought that threatened to destroy it. When the actor took a break from the industry, he focused on the family’s 60-acre avocado farm.
How Far?
However, there was a severe drought in California a few years ago. Instead of resigning to their fate, Selleck broke the law and hired a truck to transfer water worth $1.4 million dollars from a nearby hydrant. This kept the farm running, but a crime is a crime. He soon faced the consequences of his actions.