'Magnum, P.I.' And 'Blue Bloods' Star Tom Selleck Celebrates His 77th Birthday

Jan 29, 2022 by apost team

Tom Selleck is one of the nation's most beloved stars, whose mark on American culture has seasoned and aged as well as he has. With a career that's spanned decades and notable roles in films and television to his name, Tom has become a Hollywood icon with his charm and immense talent.

What makes him even more relatable is that the veteran actor traded in the big city glamorous life of an actor for a quiet one on his beautiful 65-acre ranch in California. He lives there with his wife of over three decades, Jilli Mack. In fact, the story of how the couple met is also incredibly sweet. 

They met decades ago in London when Tom was filming his movie "Lassiter" and attended the West End show "Cats" repeatedly. “He kept telling me how great Cats was,” his co-star in the movie, Jane Seymour, told People. “I thought it was good, but I couldn’t see going back a dozen times.” 

It turns out that Tom had an ulterior motive: He wanted to meet the then-25-year-old Jillie Joan who was in the company. Her London agent confirmed that the two went out for dinner and things transpired from there. The couple went on to have one daughter together, Hannah Selleck, who became an equestrian and currently runs her own horse farm.

Today, on Jan. 29, Tom will celebrate his 77th birthday. In honor of the iconic actor, let's take a look back at his life and career. All the best to Tom on his special day!

Tom started his acting career in 1974 when he starred in the American television soap opera "The Young and the Restless." But just a few years later he landed what would be probably the best-known role of his career, playing Thomas Magnum in the '80s television series "Magnum, P.I." from 1980 to 1988.

In the series, Tom portrayed a Hawaiian private investigator who was obsessed with chic sports cars. He became a true hero for the TV audience of the 1980s. His character was cool and smart, as he always had the best solution at hand for any problem. He and his Ferrari 308 GTS made female and male hearts beat faster.

Tom also starred in a number of successful movies as well, namely "Three Men and a Baby" and its sequel "Three Men and a Little Lady." But despite the fame and success, Tom yearned for a simpler life. It was during the last year of filming "Magnum, P.I." in 1988 that Tom bought his ranch property from late singer and actor Dean Martin. This coincided with the birth of his daughter, Hannah. Tom told Closer Weekly:

"I quit Magnum to have a family ... It took me a long time to get off the train, but I try very hard to have balance, and this ranch has helped me do that." 

Mack, Tom's wife, added:

"This is the best place to raise a child. It was such the wisdom of Tom. He knew he needed to buy back his anonymity, to replenish the soul."

apost.com

In fact, Tom even took a break from acting after his show ended and he had moved to the ranch, but it seems like it was exactly what he needed. He told People:

"I knew intellectually what it would mean in terms of being a public person, but until you've lived it, there's no way to understand it ... I had a feeling of, 'I don't think I'm cut out for this.'"

Tom said he "put up with the articles that said he's disappeared" and "it was a big lull, but it put a lot of things in perspective." After he returned to the screen in the mid-to-late '90s, Tom came back in full force. He had recurring roles on "Friends," where he played Monica Geller's love interest, Dr. Richard Burke, as well as casino owner A.J. Cooper in "Las Vegas."

But it was in 2010 when Tom took on the role of Frank Reagan, a New York City police commissioner, on the show "Blue Bloods" that he landed one of the biggest roles of his career. With 12 seasons already behind them, Tom told People that the cast members have a "kinship" with one another. Some of his onscreen family members include Donnie Wahlberg, Will Estes and Bridget Moynahan. He said:

“Our dinner party scenes are like a reunion of friends ... Sometimes it’s hard for the directors to get us to concentrate. We do the work, and we do it well, but we’re also screwing around and kidding each other and catching up. What we have is truly a blessing.”

The actor added, “I don’t think there is an endpoint," when asked how long he thinks "Blue Bloods" will keep going. If it means seeing more of Tom, then we're all in!

Happy 77th birthday to the iconic Tom Selleck! Which of the roles he's played is your favorite? Let us know, then pass this on so others can celebrate him too!