“Tom Selleck Gave $1,000 Bonuses to ‘Magnum P.I.’ Crew from His Own Salary After Network Refused”

In his new memoir You Never Know, Tom Selleck reveals that he personally awarded $1,000 bonuses to the crew of Magnum P.I. during the show’s eighth and final season, after the studio refused to provide bonuses amid contract negotiations. Selleck, who starred as the iconic detective in the series from 1980 to 1988, reflects in the book that he considered not returning for the final season to avoid the perception that it was merely a financial move.

During negotiations, Selleck proposed that the studio provide $1,000 bonuses to the crew, contingent on the eighth season staying under budget and on schedule. However, the studio rejected the request, arguing that offering bonuses would set a “dangerous precedent.”