Happy birthday to the legend himself — Tom Selleck 🎉🥳 Where the 79-year-old “Magnum, P.I.” star lives will leave you in tears 😮 photos in the first comments 👇👇👇
Tom Selleck sheds his iconic mustache and appears completely different.
Tom Selleck is a name that resonates throughout show business. With a career spanning decades, the seasoned 78-year-old actor has left an indelible mark on the industry. Despite encountering health challenges in recent times, retirement isn’t on his agenda. Notably, he continues to captivate audiences with his role in the enduringly popular series, Blue Bloods,
Tom Selleck is a veteran in the entertainment industry, with a career spanning decades. Even at 78 years old, the actor shows no signs of slowing down, despite facing recent health challenges. Currently, he continues to captivate audiences with his role in the thriving series Blue Bloods.
Tom Selleck’s appearance has long been a trademark, with fans accustomed to his distinctive look. However, there’s been a recent shock: His iconic mustache is gone.
Growing up, Tom Selleck wasn’t certain about pursuing acting. Born on January 29, 1945, in Detroit, Michigan, he moved with his family to California, where he spent his formative years in the San Fernando Valley.
Selleck envisioned attending the University of Southern California (USC), but the financial burden proved too great for his family.
In 1962, he graduated from Grant High School and began studying at Los Angeles Valley College while residing at home to save money.
Initially, Selleck seemed destined for a career in athletics rather than acting, with dreams of becoming a professional basketball player. He was awarded a basketball scholarship at the University of Southern California, signaling potential success in the sport.
“I never did school plays. I had no interest,” Selleck revealed to AARP in 2015.
However, as time passed, Selleck realized that basketball might not be his ultimate career path. He pursued a backup plan, taking on odd jobs to help finance his education. He secured roles in television commercials and even appeared on The Dating Game.
Shortly after, Selleck was offered a place in 20th Century Fox’s talent program. He honed his craft but interrupted his progress for six months of active duty after two years.
Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Upon returning, Selleck faced rejection. Instead of giving up, he remained confident in his ability to succeed as an actor.
In the early 1970s, he secured smaller roles in numerous television series. Approaching his mid-30s, Selleck starred in six television pilots. Despite his efforts, his big breakthrough remained elusive.
Tom Selleck in ‘Magnum, P.I.’
According to Tom, many perceived him as an overnight success when he landed the role of Thomas Magnum in Magnum, P.I.
In reality, he endured struggles and fought tirelessly.
“The luckiest thing that happened was that I didn’t get a real job until I was 35,” Selleck explained.
“When I was 25, I looked 35 but sounded 15. There are a lot of very good actors who make it as younger leading men but don’t graduate — because the audience won’t accept them as grown up.”
Magnum, P.I. became a massive success. Airing between 1980 and 1988, the crime drama television series catapulted Tom to instant celebrity status. He earned nominations for an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series five years in a row – finally winning it in 1984. Without the show, he might have abandoned acting altogether.
Tom achieved cult status through Magnum, P.I., and his career has since been an incredible success story. Additional credits include films like Three Men and a Baby and In & Out. He also endeared himself to a new generation of fans by portraying Monica Geller’s older boyfriend, Richard Burke, starting in Season 2 of the hit comedy series Friends.
In 2010, Selleck landed the role of Frank Reagan on the drama series Blue Bloods, ushering in a new and exciting chapter in his career. The show has aired for 13 seasons.
“I never anticipated being fortunate enough to be part of a show with such a long run. Maybe Magnum, P.I. could have reached that milestone because no one wanted to cancel it. I was the guy who caused the divorce,” Selleck explained.
Tom Selleck reveals his back issues: “My back’s not in great shape.”
“I had just starred in the number one movie [Three Men and a Baby] in the US, and I wanted to start a family. The number of series that have reached as many episodes as Blue Bloods is minuscule. It’s a validation of our collective dedication. All the actors are deeply committed to their craft. So, this achievement is a testament to the professionalism of the entire cast.”
In numerous films and series, actors often have their own stunt doubles. While it can be a perilous job, for some, relinquishing their stunts to someone else is out of the question.
Selleck has done most of his stunts himself in the past, but it has taken a toll on his body. He mentioned, “My back’s kind of messed up.”
“When you perform stunts in movies – and I’ve done plenty – you’re taking risks, but you’re also doing a lot of sitting around. You might engage in a fight scene, and then you’re sitting in your chair. It’s not like you have a personal trainer saying, ‘Okay, we’re ready to go, but Tom needs ten minutes of stretching and warm-up.'”
“And I think the toll,” he added, “I see it with my peers, I talk to them sometimes. You just see the toll of all those stunts. They weren’t that difficult, but I think it’s the stop-and-go nature of it all.”
Shutterstock/Kathy Hutchins
Selleck once confessed that he dislikes going to the gym, although he endeavors to stay fit by working at the family ranch in Ventura, California.
“I have a 63-acre ranch, and I do a lot of the grunt work there. Clearing brush, planting trees. We’ve got about a hundred ancient oaks I planted. I’ve probably planted a thousand trees myself.”
Tom Selleck – iconic mustache
Apart from his regular work, Tom Selleck has a profound interest in horses. Furthermore, he’s on the verge of becoming an author.
In a recent interview with TV Insider, the esteemed actor disclosed that he is in the process of writing a book.
“I’m halfway through. It’s about my 50 years in show business. The tentative title is, ‘Don’t Know Where I’m Going, But There’s No Use Being Late.’ I doubt if I’ll change it. That’s the story of an actor’s life. You finish your job, a show or a movie, and you’re unemployed. It’s fun. I hope the book is kind of funny because I don’t take myself that seriously. A sense of humor is almost essential for a long career, as is a sense of humor in your work,” he said.
Since Tom Selleck gained fame through Magnum P.I., his mustache has become iconic. It’s one of those things that you immediately associate with Selleck, and he was concerned that the facial hair would significantly impact his career. He felt like he was stuck with it forever.
“After Magnum, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh!’ I’m going to be bombarded with mustache questions for the rest of my life,” he once said.
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
“Most of the time I got hired, they said the mustache is okay, but you gotta shave it off for the job. I was born without it, and I’m prepared to work without it.”
Meanwhile, Selleck quipped that he might have landed the Blue Bloods job solely because of his facial hair.
“Well, it got me a job on Blue Bloods,” he said. “The director suggested maybe I could play this guy without a mustache. I said, ‘Sure, I was born that way.'”
Tom Selleck ditches signature mustache – nearly unrecognizable
The mustache has been iconic for Selleck. However, he is now nearly unrecognizable as he has shaved it off.
The 78-year-old actor hadn’t been seen in public for over a year when he was photographed driving his silver pickup truck near his home.
Tom Selleck hadn’t been spotted in public for many, many months. Nevertheless, during a rare public appearance at the end of September, he was photographed driving his pickup truck near his house. Page Six, which obtained the pictures, reported that Selleck was pretty much unrecognizable as he had ditched his signature mustache. Instead, he sported a full beard as he ran errands in the San Fernando Valley.
Tom’s career is undeniably impressive. However, another thing worth celebrating is his enduring marriage to his wife, Jillie Mack. While many celebrity marriages come and go, the couple has been happily married for over 35 years.
In an interview with Closer Weekly, Selleck reminisced about the first time he met Jillie Mack at a performance of the musical Cats, in which Mack was starring. This was in the 1980s after Selleck’s decade-long marriage to model Jacqueline Ray ended.
Tom Selleck acknowledges that he may not possess the suave charm of his on-screen personas when it comes to interacting with women, but fate intervened when he met his future wife backstage. Interestingly, it was she who initiated their first encounter.
“She had to go on [stage]. I was hemming and hawing, and she finally asked, ‘Do you want to meet for a cocktail?'” Selleck reminisced.
Their initial meeting led to a successful date, and in 1987, Selleck and Mack exchanged vows in an intimate ceremony. A year later, their daughter Hannah was welcomed into the world.
Since then, Selleck has prioritized his family over the allure of stardom, consciously keeping his personal life away from the glare of Hollywood’s spotlight. He even made career decisions with his family in mind, stepping back from acting to ensure he could dedicate ample time to his wife and cherished daughter.
“I quit Magnum to have a family,” Tom Selleck revealed to People in 2012. “It took a long time to get off the train, but I try very hard to have balance, and this ranch has helped me do that.”
“We both thought it was the best environment for Hannah to grow up,” Jillie Mack added.
Tom, an avid lover of nature and the outdoors, sought to share his passion with his daughter, Hannah. As a result, she too developed a deep appreciation for the natural world, fostered by their life on the 65-acre ranch in Ventura. Their mutual love for horses led them to establish a side business dedicated to breeding these majestic animals.
