Since 2010, Blue Bloods has remained a staple of CBS’s Friday night lineup and held a place in the hearts of countless fans around the world. For 13 seasons, the venerable police procedural has followed Frank Reagan and his law enforcement family, bringing nail-biting drama, strong family values and the Reagans’ work in New York law enforcement.
Tom Selleck, who plays the tough family man Frank Reagan, is no stranger to cop shows, but also holds many of the same values as his character, evidenced by his agreement to take a substantial pay cut after Season 13.
Tom Selleck was made for these shows
While Selleck is undeniably the face of Blue Bloods and one of the series’ biggest draws, the actor is certainly no newcomer to the world of procedurals. Back in the ’80s, audiences were captivated by another crime show with Selleck once again at the helm.
The original Magnum P.I. followed Thomas Magnum, a private investigator and 30-something veteran, as he lived life and solved crimes in Hawaii. For his role in the series, which ran from 1980 to 1988, Selleck was paid a whopping $500,000 per episode.
Let’s not forget that this was the 80’s and that $500,000 back then is about $1.2 million today. And that Selleck starred in all 158 episodes.
As of 2024, Selleck’s net worth stands at an impressive $45 million, with his past and current cop shows contributing a large portion of that amount. Selleck’s other notable career roles include the eponymous lead in the 2003 western drama Monte Walsh, and Monica’s boyfriend, Richard Burke, for a brief time on Friends.
Why did Tom Selleck agree to a pay cut?
After his incredible per-episode pay for Magnum P.I., Selleck’s Blue Bloods pay of $200,000 per episode seems a bit disappointing in comparison, considering the actor has continued to grow his career.
For Selleck, however, his passion for the show seems to far outweigh the financial gain from it, and the actor has gone into the 14th and final season of Blue Bloods with a shocking 25% pay cut. The reason for the cut, however, seems almost too true to the values the show has tried to instill in its audience.
It was recently revealed that the stars of the show, as well as the key producers, banded together and agreed to take a significant pay cut in order to keep the Friday night cop drama on the air for another season and keep the hundreds of behind-the-scenes crew members employed.
Blue Bloods will go on, and Selleck will probably take home $50,000 less than he usually does. The show’s second-highest earner, Donny Wahlberg, who makes $150,000 per episode, will take home $37,500 less, and so on.
The future of Blue Bloods
Thanks to Selleck’s and the rest of the Blue Bloods cast’s selfless act, the show will continue into its 14th season, but it feels bittersweet. All good things must come to an end, and after claiming its place as the second longest-running scripted series on CBS, the procedural will be wrapping up its 14th season.
Selleck is far from ready to say goodbye to Blue Bloods, but expressed his gratitude to everyone involved with the show:
‘Working alongside these incredible actors, writers, producers, directors, and crew has been a dream come true and I’m grateful to have been a part of this extraordinary group for over 275 episodes.’
The actor also feels honored and privileged to have been a part of a strong, family-centered show that celebrates the men and women who risk their lives to serve and protect. Now 79, he has been a part of the series since its first episode in 2010 and is not ready to leave.
With his inspiring words and dedication to the series, it’s clear that Blue Bloods is more than just a job for Selleck, and while his current salary is a far cry from what he used to earn, his ever-growing passion is what motivates him to stay.
Blue Bloods will be back in action with the first half of Season 14 on February 16.