“Why Tom Selleck Nearly Shaved His Iconic Mustache for ‘Blue Bloods’ — And What Stopped Him”
Tom Selleck’s iconic mustache nearly didn’t make it onto his CBS show Blue Bloods.
In an exclusive cover story for this week, the 79-year-old actor reveals that he initially considered shaving off his facial hair to portray police commissioner Frank Reagan on the show, which is now in its final season.
“At the time, they had him as the New York City police chief,” Selleck explains. “That’s not the boss in New York, the way it’s structured.”
He adds, “I thought, ‘Well, I don’t think they can have mustaches, so I’ll shave off my mustache.’” Selleck then recounts how executive producer Leonard Goldberg checked with CBS, who decided against it.
Throughout his early career, Selleck was frequently asked to remove his mustache for roles. “I just got used to it and eventually accepted having to shave it off for those early jobs,” he says.
Though Selleck’s work, including Magnum, P.I., which won him an Emmy, and the 1987 film Three Men and a Baby, featured his famous mustache, he did shave it off for the 1997 film In & Out, where he played reporter Peter Malloy alongside Kevin Kline. Selleck recounts how director Frank Oz wanted him to alter his look significantly.
For more on Selleck’s career and insights, check out this week’s issue. In his new memoir, You Never Know, set for release this spring, Selleck reflects on his career, which he describes as “an accidental journey” filled with “endless failures” but ultimately rewarding.
Selleck also shares a personal note about taking a three-year break from acting after his daughter was hospitalized with viral pneumonia as a toddler.
