1. He Once Appeared on The Dating Game
Born on January 29, 1945, in Detroit, Michigan, Tom Selleck grew up in Los Angeles and attended the University of Southern California. While there, he joined a management training program for United Airlines. Although he was a talented athlete, Selleck’s true passion was the performing arts.
He began his career as a model and later transitioned into commercials — one of his most notable early appearances was in a Safeguard deodorant ad alongside Teri Garr, who famously said, “He smells just the way a man should smell—clean.”
2. He Served in the Military
During the Vietnam War, Selleck was drafted and chose to enlist in the California National Guard in 1967. Assigned to the 160th Infantry Regiment, he served until 1973, eventually earning the rank of sergeant.
At the time, Selleck was under contract with 20th Century Fox. Unfortunately, after returning from six months of active duty in 1969, he discovered that the studio had let him go. Years later, he became a spokesman for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and appeared in National Guard promotional materials.
3. Mae West Helped Launch His Career
In the early 1970s, Selleck appeared in numerous TV commercials, but his first big break came thanks to legendary actress Mae West. She personally selected him to play one of her handsome “studs” in the 1970 film Myra Breckinridge.
Selleck later credited West for helping his career take off. “Mae was a wonderful woman,” he told The Morning Call in 1997. “I escorted her to a couple of premieres, and she did hundreds of interviews where she mentioned me in the same sentence as Cary Grant.”
4. He Almost Played Indiana Jones
One of the most fascinating “what ifs” in Hollywood history is that Tom Selleck was originally cast as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). However, CBS refused to release him from his Magnum, P.I. contract.
Ironically, a writer’s strike delayed Magnum production just as Raiders began filming — in Hawaii, no less. Had things played out slightly differently, Selleck could have starred in both projects.
5. He Initially “Hated” Playing Thomas Magnum
Before landing Magnum, P.I., Selleck had starred in several failed pilots, so when the offer came, he was understandably cautious. Speaking to GQ in 2014, he admitted that he “hated” the original concept of the character.
“He reminded me of James Bond — flawless, charming, always in a Ferrari with a woman on each arm,” Selleck said. He pushed for a more relatable, down-to-earth version inspired by Jim Rockford from The Rockford Files, and the producers agreed. That creative shift helped Magnum, P.I. become a massive success, running for eight seasons.
6. He Played Baseball with the Detroit Tigers
Fans of Magnum, P.I. might recall Magnum’s Detroit Tigers cap — a nod to Selleck’s hometown team. In 1991, he joined the Tigers’ spring training to prepare for his role as a baseball player in the film Mr. Baseball (1992).
He even played in an exhibition game against the Cincinnati Reds, where he struck out in the eighth inning — but won the crowd’s admiration.
7. He’s an Avid Volleyball Player
While filming Magnum, P.I. in Hawaii, Selleck regularly played volleyball with members of Honolulu’s Outrigger Canoe Club senior team. His dedication to the sport earned him the title of honorary captain of the 1984 U.S. Olympic men’s volleyball team.
To help raise funds for the athletes, Selleck even agreed to pose shirtless for a billboard campaign.
8. He Turned Down Baywatch
After Magnum, P.I. ended, Selleck focused on film roles like Her Alibi (1989) and Quigley Down Under (1990). NBC later offered him the lead role of Mitch Buchannon in Baywatch — a part that ultimately went to David Hasselhoff after Selleck declined.
Fortunately, television wasn’t done with him. He went on to enjoy a major resurgence with his recurring role as Dr. Richard Burke on Friends and later as NYPD Commissioner Frank Reagan on Blue Bloods, which became one of CBS’s longest-running hits.