Magnum P.I. (1980-88): Gone But Not Forgotten

Last Updated on August 8, 2023

One of the coolest guys of the eighties was Tom Selleck, and everyone absolutely loved him playing the laid-back Thomas Magnum on the classic series Magnum, P.I. Running from 1980 to 1988; the show proved to be a mixed blessing for its star, as Selleck had auditioned to play Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark and was actually chosen to play the part. He had to pass because he had already shot the pilot for Magnum, P.I., and the network wouldn’t let him out of his contract.

While passing up the opportunity to play the whip-wielding archeologist must have stung, Magnum P.I. ran for eight years and was one of the biggest shows of the decade. Selleck became a household name and parlayed his success on the show into a series of film roles (including Best Movie You Never Saw fave Runaway), culminating with the release of Three Men and a Baby, which became the biggest hit of 1987.

In this episode of Gone But Not Forgotten, we take a look at the long-running Magnum P.I, which has since been rebooted yet lacks the magic of the original show, which sported a memorable supporting casting including Roger E. Mosley and Larry Manetti as Magnum’s NAM buddies T.C and Rick, as well as John Hillerman as Higgins, the estate manager for the elusive Robin Masters, who bankrolls Magnum’s adventures.

Are you a Magnum P.I. fan? Let us know in the comments!