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

In his new memoir You Never Know, Tom Selleck reveals that he personally awarded $1,000 bonuses to the crew of Magnum P.I. when the studio refused to do so during the contract negotiations for the series’ eighth and final season. Selleck, who starred as the iconic private investigator in 162 episodes from 1980 to 1988, considered not continuing the show for the final season, worried it might be perceived as a mere tactic to secure a higher salary.

Selleck writes that during the contract talks, he proposed that the studio provide $1,000 bonuses to the crew if Magnum P.I.‘s eighth season was completed on time and within budget. The studio, however, rejected the idea, stating that discussing crew bonuses would set a dangerous precedent.