Alex Carson
Actor Tom Selleck has been an icon since the 1980s, whether due to his breakout turn on Magnum, P.I. or his more recent work on the show Blue Bloods. Through it all, Tom has maintained a distinctly private personal life away from Hollywood. As well, he often flirts with giving up acting altogether. Recently, rumors have circulated that Tom may be ready to say goodbye for real. Join Facts Verse as we explore the sad reason Tom Selleck is saying goodbye.
Tom Selleck was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1945. His father was a business executive that also owned real estate, and his mother was a housewife. Tom had an older brother, and two younger siblings followed after him. In 1948, the family moved to Sherman Oaks, California, where Tom began attending school.
Tom graduated from high school in 1962. He began attending Los Angeles Valley College, where he developed a successful career as a college athlete. During his junior year, Tom’s success in basketball allowed him to transfer to the University of Southern California. There, he continued playing sports while majoring in Business Administration.
While attending the University of Southern California, Tom advised by the drama coach to try out for a school play. Tom took the coach’s advice, and soon fell in love with the art of acting because of it. In fact, Tom became so enamored with acting that he dropped out of college his senior year. And began studying acting at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. Tom was adamant that he was going to make it big, but first he was going to have to deal with the Vietnam War.
In 1967, Tom received a draft notice that his services required in the Vietnam War. This led to the aspiring actor forced to join the California National Guard. While there, the future star served in the 160th Infantry Regiment, and held the position for several years. In 1973, Tom finally released from his services and ready to pursue acting full-time. Tom had appeared on The Dating Game before his service. And had managed to find time to perform in bit roles on film and television during his service years. Now, he was ready to devote his full attention to his chosen profession. Join Facts Verse as we explore the sad reason Tom Selleck is saying goodbye.
One of Tom’s most notable roles in the 1970s was a recurring turn on the television series The Rockford Files. Tom played a private investigator by the name of Lance White. And the attention he garnered from this recurring role leading to more promising roles on film. As an avid outdoorsmen, Tom had always had a rugged appearance that translated well to action and Western roles. In 1979, he cast in his first Western film. This was The Sacketts, which also starred Western legends Sam Elliott and Glenn Ford. Following this, Tom appeared in the 1982 Western The Shadow Riders. The actor would continue performing in Western films and television shows throughout his career.
The role of a cowboy certainly isn’t the only role that Tom has typecast as over the course of his career. In fact, Tom is arguably better known as a police officer than as a man of the West. While he had portrayed a private investigator previously on The Rockford Files. Tom’s reputation as a man of the law is mostly due to his breakout starring role on the 1980 show Magnum, P.I.
Magnum, P.I. was a gigantic success, and saw Tom portraying a cool cop patrolling the streets of Hawaii. Of course, that cop’s name was Thomas Magnum. The series lasted for eight seasons, yielding 163 episodes over the course of it’s run. In 1984, Tom won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Despite all of the success and attention granted to Tom as a result of his role on the show. Magnum, P.I. also had some negative effects on the actor’s career. Tom had been one of the top choices for the role of Indiana Jones, but his Magnum, P.I. contract prevented him from taking on the role. As we all know, the role went on to famously portrayed by Harrison Ford.
After eight seasons, Tom called it quits on Magnum, P.I. Tom married his second wife, Jillie, in 1987. He had married once previously, to Jacqueline Ray. Tom and Jacqueline married from 1971 to 1982. Though Tom and Jacqueline had no children of their own, Tom adopted Jacqueline’s son from a previous marriage. Tom has remained married to Jillie since 1987, and the two have had one daughter. That daughter was named Hannah, and she was born the same year that Tom quit Magnum, P.I.
Despite his continued success in television, Tom has always preferred a life of seclusion. After the birth of Hannah and the end of Magnum, P.I., Tom spent a lot of time with his family in the outdoors. Tom has continued practicing the habit of spending time out of the spotlight. And many have wondered when this will lead the aging actor to finally call it quits for good. If you’re enjoying this video so far, be sure to hit the like button to show your support! As well, subscribe to the channel if you’d like to be among the first to know when more Facts Verse videos are on their way!
In 1990, Tom returned to film with the hit Western Quigley Down Under. Tom’s role in the film was a major success. And has gone down in history as being almost as iconic as his turn his Thomas Magnum. The actor starred in several other films throughout the remainder of the decade. But his most notable role during the period was arguably his turn on the hit sitcom Friends. On the show, Tom took a recurring role as Monica Gellar’s boyfriend. Although the role made Tom as popular as ever, he saw it as a step back from his serious film career and subsequently fired his agent.
Tom worked steadily after the turn of the century, and stepped back into the spotlight in a big way with the 2010 police procedural Blue Bloods. The show became a comeback vehicle for Tom after years of slightly waning popularity, and is still being produced today. On the show, Tom portrays the character of Frank Reagan. The show is set to air it’s twelfth season in October of 2021, though it’s future after that remains tenuous. Rumors have circulated in the past few years that Tom may be looking to call it quits on acting for good, though whether or not the actor intends to do so any time soon remains unclear. Join Facts Verse as we explore the sad reason Tom Selleck is saying goodbye.
When he’s not filming Blue Bloods, Tom spends as much time as he possibly can with his family at his California ranch. Tom still loves the outdoors, and likes watching the crops grow while performing menial labor around his land. At this point in his career, the actor has more than enough money to decide that he never wants to act again, though something still keeps drawing him back to the screen.
In addition to rumors that Tom is retiring, there have also been rumors that he is hard at work on a scandalous tell-all memoir that would give intimate details about his numerous Hollywood affairs. With his macho moustache and tough-guy demeanor, Tom has won over the hearts of his female coworkers just as easily as he has won over the hearts of television audiences. In between his two marriages and during the height of his Magnum, P.I. fame, the actor has been said to have gotten up to some risky business!
Although Tom may be womanizer, he has claimed that he has moral values that exceed those of his Hollywood brethren. Tom sees himself as an old-fashioned kind of guy, which is why he likes to spend most of his time outdoors. Although he’s definitely got the looks for it, the television star has never quite fit in at Hollywood parties. Those around him can certainly see why the actor prefers to spend most of his time within the quiet solitude of his ranch with his family. Join Facts Verse as we explore the sad reason Tom Selleck is saying goodbye.
When asked if he has any plans to retire soon, Tom has said that he’s willing to let Blue Bloods run it’s course for however long the fans are willing to watch. It appears that Tom is finding it much easier in his old age to find a healthy balance between his work and his personal life than he was during his Magnum, P.I. days. Blue Bloods has already been on the air for far longer than Magnum, P.I. was, and it remains uncertain if the end is coming anytime soon.
In the meantime, Tom isn’t getting any younger. The actor turned 76 years old in 2021, and has been acting for over five decades. At this point in his career, Tom could call it quits and no one would blame him. Still, the actor seems adamant on persevering through his old age. The actor has maintained healthy throughout the years, which one could easily attribute to his relaxed and low-key lifestyle. While many actors spend their off hours partaking in sex and drugs, Tom prefers spending quiet time with his family.
The twelfth season of Blue Bloods is set to premiere in October of 2021, although it’s uncertain if any more seasons will follow when it’s done. If what Tom has said is true, the show will continue producing new episodes so long as the fans keep tuning in. However, Tom could decide at any moment that he’s ready to retire full-time to his ranch.
Tom Selleck has appeared in many more films and television programs than the ones mentioned above. Comment down below to share your favorite role from the actor’s career besides that ones we’ve already mentioned, or if you think it’s time that the actor finally gave it up and lived the life of peace and solitude he’s always dreamt of with his family. As always, like this video to show your support, and subscribe and hit the motivation bell if you’d like to be among the first to know when more Facts Verse videos are on their way!
