Imagine this: A wayward golf ball nearly brought Tom Selleck face-to-face with James Garner long before their paths officially crossed on The Rockford Files. "I was playing at a little par-three course, and as usual, my golf swing wasn't exactly on point," Tom recalls with a chuckle. "That errant shot flew high into the air and almost nailed Jim Garner. Thankfully, it missed, and I never had the heart to tell him that story!"
Tom has been opening up about plenty of untold stories in his new memoir, You Never Know. In it, the Sherman Oaks, California-born icon takes readers on a journey through his life—from being an indifferent college student at USC to becoming one of Hollywood's most beloved actors. "Believe it or not, I never once considered acting as a career," Tom confesses at age 79 during a candid appearance at New York's 92nd Street Y. "It wasn't even on my radar."
When CBS approached the then-35-year-old Tom in 1980 with the offer to star in Magnum, P.I., it seemed like a dream opportunity for most aspiring actors. But Tom wasn't sold. "Back then, people didn't know who I was. I was just some guy they'd seen on a Salem billboard puffing on a menthol cigarette," he jokes. While many would have celebrated such a break, Tom was underwhelmed by the original script and felt trapped into accepting the role.
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Luckily, around the same time, Tom was guest-starring on The Rockford Files as private investigator Lance White. It was there that he crossed paths with James Garner, whose calm, thoughtful demeanor left a lasting impression. "James was an incredible mentor," Tom says. "He didn't lecture me, but he gave me advice that changed everything. He said, 'You don't have any real power right now, but if they want you, this is your best chance to negotiate.'"
Tom took Garner's words to heart and made a bold decision: He turned down Magnum. Surprisingly, the network listened and agreed to let Tom have more creative control over the character of Thomas Magnum and the overall direction of the Hawaii-based detective series. "Had that gamble failed, I might never have worked again," Tom admits. "But sometimes, you have to take risks to seize opportunities."
Of course, not every opportunity comes without sacrifices. Before Magnum, P.I. premiered, Tom had the chance to meet Steven Spielberg and George Lucas about playing Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark. He hoped he could juggle both projects, but the network nixed the idea, and the iconic role ultimately went to Harrison Ford. "Honestly, it worked out," Tom reflects today. "Sure, Raiders was incredible, but Magnum turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me."
Family First: Tom Selleck's Role Model
In 2010, Tom embraced another iconic role: Police Commissioner Frank Reagan on Blue Bloods. As the patriarch of a complex family, Frank often finds himself grappling with tough decisions while striving to do what's best for those he loves. "It's a role that resonates deeply with me," Tom says. "Family is everything."
Words of Wisdom from Dad
Reflecting on his journey, Tom cherishes the advice his father, Robert, gave him when he first considered pursuing acting. "My dad paused for a moment and said, 'It's one of those careers that's special. You don't want to wake up at 35 wondering what could have been,'" Tom recalls. "As I walked away, I heard him mutter something else—probably not meant for my ears. He said, 'Just don't let them change you.' That stuck with me. It was tough advice for him to give because he'd heard all the horror stories about Hollywood, but he urged me to take the leap."
