“Tom Selleck Awards $1,000 Bonuses to ‘Magnum P.I.’ Crew After Studio Denies Them”

In his new memoir You Never Know, Tom Selleck reveals that he personally gave $1,000 bonuses to the crew of Magnum P.I. after the studio refused to do so during the show’s final season. Selleck explains that, with the show’s budget cuts each year, he had negotiated an eight-day filming schedule in exchange for the crew’s significant budget savings. When the studio refused to discuss bonuses, claiming it would set a dangerous precedent, Selleck was angered but managed to secure a bonus for himself, which he then used to fund the crew’s bonuses. The studio complied with Selleck’s request to issue checks from his own bonus money, and the crew’s gratitude was evident in a picture sent to him with a playful caption.

Additionally, Selleck recounts a cunning move to boost the show’s ratings. He fabricated a fake scene where Magnum is killed off and leaked it to a tabloid with a note claiming it was the show’s finale. The tabloid published the false story without verification, generating significant buzz and curiosity about the show. Selleck now views this tactic as a clever success.