Tom Selleck has appeared in a variety of roles over his long career. He currently stars as Police Commissioner Frank Reagan on Blue Bloods. The show’s 14th season will be its last, with the series finale bowing in December 2024. Fans have loved the Friday night series for its procedural stories and focus on the Reagan family.
Viewers were upset to learn that the series was ending. The show’s stars, such as Selleck and Donnie Wahlberg, were clear that they wanted the show to continue. While fans hoped that perhaps CBS would reverse their decision, they have decided to bid farewell to the Reagan family.
We all know that Blue Bloods has been a major focus for Selleck for the past 14 seasons. But what else do we know about this versatile actor? Here are some fun facts about Selleck that may just surprise you.
Blue Bloods star Tom Selleck played basketball for the University of Southern California
According to the New York Post, Selleck was a forward for the USC men’s basketball team. At the time, he was also a business major. He attended USC on a basketball scholarship. Thankfully, he found his way to his true calling: acting.
Selleck almost starred in Raiders of the Lost Ark
Can you imagine Selleck as the swashbuckling archeologist Indiana Jones? It almost happened! But Selleck had filmed the Magnum P.I. pilot and was committed to the show. The network refused to let the actor play both roles, so the iconic part in Raiders of the Lost Ark went to Harrison Ford instead. Still, Selleck made his mark with the television series Magnum P.I.
He wasn’t an overnight success
Parade reported that it took Selleck 13 years to land the role of a lifetime. His run as private investigator Thomas Magnum on Magnum P.I. lasted eight seasons. The series made the hunky star a household name. And his mustache was legendary. Before he nabbed the role, Selleck was a contestant on The Dating Game.
His mentor was actor James Garner
Selleck had a life-changing meeting when he was a guest on The Rockford Files. He met actor James Garner. “Garner was obviously a mentor,” Selleck told Parade. “I was such a fan of his work and see how he handled himself on his own set and made it a good place to work for everybody…” Selleck tried to follow his mentor’s example.
He loves working at his ranch
Selleck’s success on Magnum P.I. allowed him to buy a ranch. The actor loves spending his downtime at his 63-acre retreat and even does the chores. “I go home and I sit on a ranch and frankly, I could do that all the time. But I do not want to retire. I love acting,” Selleck told Parade.
Hopefully we will see Selleck in a new role once he steps out of the character of Frank Reagan, the beloved Blue Bloods patriarch. I have my fingers crossed that he will gift us with a new Jesse Stone movie.