Tom Selleck’s time on Blue Bloods is coming to an end. That means the actor, 79, will have to say goodbye to the hefty paychecks he’s received for playing top cop Frank Reagan on the CBS drama.
Selleck has made it clear that he isn’t ready to retire and thinks the network should reconsider its decision to cancel Blue Bloods. But insiders say he should quit griping, considering that he’s likely made millions over the show’s 14-year run.
Tom Selleck earned an estimated $200,000 per episode for ‘Blue Bloods’
Tom Selleck’s exact Blue Bloods salary isn’t known. But it’s safe to say it’s not chump change. Back in 2016, Variety estimated that he earned $200,000 per episode, which works out to $4.4 million per 22-episode season. Over 14 seasons, that adds up to total earnings in the tens of millions.
Despite those impressive earnings, Selleck has hinted that the end of Blue Bloods could put him in a tight financial spot. The Magnum P.I. star owns a 63-acre ranch in Ventura County, Calif. He recently told CBS Sunday Morning that he hoped he wouldn’t have to sell the property if acting roles dried up.
“You know, hopefully I keep working enough to hold onto the place,” he said.
The stunned interviewer asked Selleck if he was really at risk of losing the ranch if he quit working.
“That’s always an issue,” he replied. “If I stopped working, yeah. Am I set for life? Yeah, but maybe not on a 63-acre ranch!”
Insider says Tom Selleck is an ‘entitled brat’
Selleck’s comments about his financial situation have reportedly rubbed executives at the network the wrong way. They think the actor is exaggerating his potential money woes.
“Despite Selleck’s pleas of poverty, CBS higher-ups aren’t buying it, armed with knowledge of his jaw-dropping paycheck over the years,” a source told Closer Weekly. “He raked in a staggering $200,000 per episode, accumulating a jaw-dropping $56 million over the show’s run — and that’s not even factoring in residuals from reruns!”
Selleck’s comments were especially grating considering how much other people who work on Blue Bloods earn, insiders said.
“Many of these hardworking individuals reportedly make less than $100,000 a year, facing uncertainty and financial strain as the show comes to an end,” a source told the tabloid. “Tom is an entitled brat. Hundreds of people are facing unemployment when the show wraps. Most of them will struggle to make ends meet — while Tom complains about the upkeep of his lavish 63-acre ranch. Give me a break!”
The ‘Blue Bloods’ cast took a pay cut for season 14
Some might think that Selleck’s comments about losing his ranch are a sign he’s out of touch. But the actor and the rest of the show’s cast reportedly took a hefty pay cut as part of a deal to keep Blue Bloods on the air for a 14th season.
CBS nearly canceled the show after season 13, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The series was only saved after the show’s stars and producers agreed to a 25% pay cut. Those involved accepted the slashed salaries so that the hundreds of other people who worked on the show would not lose their jobs.
It wasn’t the first act of generosity from Selleck to hard-working crew members. When negotiating his contract for the final season of Magnum P.I., he asked CBS to pay $1,000 bonuses to crew members if they brought the show in on time and under budget. CBS refused, so Selleck paid the bonuses out of his own pocket, he shared in his new memoir, You Never Know (via Variety).
“When the checks came out, I got a picture from our L.A. crew standing on a bleacher with big smiles on their faces,” he wrote. “In front of them was a very big oversized check for a thousand dollars. The caption below read, ‘Thanks, Tom. What a ‘grand’ gesture.’ That made me happy.”