“Tom Selleck’s Journey from ‘60s Pepsi Commercial to Magnum PI: A Memoir of Unexpected Breakthroughs and Persistent Struggles”
Tom Selleck Reflects on His Unexpected Acting Journey
Tom Selleck, now 79, is looking back on his extraordinary career as he prepares to release his new memoir, You Never Know, due out on May 7. In a recent interview with People, Selleck discussed his rise to fame and the surprising path that led him to become a television icon.
Selleck, best known for his role as the suave detective Thomas Magnum on Magnum PI, which debuted in the 1980s when he was 35, revealed that his journey into acting was far from planned. Initially, he embarked on a different path, having won a basketball scholarship to the University of Southern California, where he majored in business administration and had no formal acting training.
His accidental entry into the world of acting began in the late 1960s when he appeared in a Pepsi commercial. This led to his participation in the TV show The Dating Game, which set the stage for his acting career. Despite his early start, Selleck faced numerous setbacks and rejections. He worked on soap operas like The Young and the Restless and guest-starred in various shows including The Rockford Files, The FBI, Marcus Welby MD, and Mannix, but struggled to make a significant impact.
Selleck candidly shared with People, “It is a lot about failing, endless failures.” He added, “If you’re going to get into the acting business, you better have an appetite for it. And I tried to communicate that… Because it was kind of a long road.”
His persistence eventually paid off when he landed the lead role on Magnum PI. The show became a cultural sensation, earning him five Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, with a win in 1985. Despite his success, Selleck insists he never had grand ambitions of stardom. Instead, he simply wanted to find steady work.
In addition to reflecting on his career, Selleck expressed his enduring love for his wife, Jillie Mack, whom he married in 1987. The couple, who met in 1983, have been together for nearly 40 years and share a daughter, Hannah, 35, while Selleck’s son Kevin, from his previous marriage to Jacqueline Ray, is also part of their family. Selleck continues to film Blue Bloods in New York City, but returns every two weeks to his ranch in Ventura, California, where he and Mack enjoy their time together.
The actor, also remembered for his role as Courteney Cox’s boyfriend on Friends, shared more insights about his life and career in his forthcoming memoir.
