‘Magnum’ needed a sense of humour

Press, 11 September 1986, Page 19

‘Magnum’ needed a sense of humour

By

GEORGE HADLEY-GARCIA

“I’ve gradually become tired of playing a hunk,” says Tom Selleck, the star of “Magnum, P. 1.” “But I’d have tired of it a lot sooner if I hadn't had a sense of humour. He has a high-pitched voice, is no gung-ho hero, and he doesn’t get all the girls. “When I was offered the show, I took it on condition that I did not become some kind of Hawaiian Islands James Bond.” It has worked out very well as Selleck, long an unknown, suddenly became a favourite the world over — and a multi-millionaire. His series has earned more than $2OO million in global syndication rights for the 1980 s, of which Selleck reportedly gets some $2O million. Ironically, Selleck was poised for stardom, with or without the series, for he was Steven Spielberg’s first choice to portray Indiana Jones. He was also Blake Edwards* first choice to fill the male lead, later taken by James Gamer, opposite Julie Andrews in “Victor Victoria.” “I’m glad I did ‘Magnum,’ not those movies. It was a tough choice and the network made it for me,” says Selleck. C.B.S. would not release him to do the movies after he had shot the pilot for the series, which was to replace "Hawaii Five-O,” starring Jack Lord. Since becoming a TV star, Selleck has tried,

without success, to become a movie star. His three attempts so far have cast him as action heroes. One movie critic says: “He’s convincing as a nice, handsome, rather flakey guy. Not as a globe-trotting hero. His voice and style don’t fit it” However, this is probably Selleck’s last year on TV, and he wants to produce his own pictures, some of which will not star him. One project is a teaming with his longtime friend, Burt Reynolds. Another would be the long-delayed movie of the comic strip “Dick Tracy.” "I don’t have to work so hard, and I doubt I’ll do another series after this. I want to develop film projects and that takes a lot of time — from hiring the writing crew, hiring the actors and co-producing. I may even try my hand at directing later on down the line.” Does his cinematic record discourage him? “No, because sometimes it takes several tries to discover a formula the audience likes.” By any measure, he has come a long way since his movie debut in Mae West’s "Myra Breckinridge,” in which he was billed as "stud.” Selleck has been married once, and has a stepson he dotes on. “Jackie and I are friends,” he says. “But I’m sorry the marriage broke up, though it was on friendly terms. We were friends before, and friends now.”

In past interviews, Selleck has said he has no interest in becoming a father, nor in marrying again. He lives the wellguarded life of a bachelor on the island of Oahu; one of his neighbours is Jim Nabors, another Jack Lord. “My private life is absolutely private. What I do in my own time is nobody’s else’s business,” he says. He makes no secret, however, of his interest in politics. His parents are “politically active,” and he says he is interested in the electoral process. Does this mean he may run for political office?“I don’t rule it out, but I think I’m too old to begin a new career,” he says. Has he tired of life in paradise? “No, because I go to Los Angeles a lot for business and to see family, and I’m always* ready — more than ready — to get back to the islands after that. “But I do have a goal of finding and purchasing my own little island hideaway, maybe further down in the South Pacific. I also want to travel and see the world. "I’ve been to Britain various times. I really like London and I may get a little place there when I’m off the series. But I always wanted to do things like scale the Matterhorn or even climb Mount Everest, and I want to do those things

before I’m too old. I can see 50 knocking at my door and by then I want to be well travelled and well-heeled.” The latter wish seems redundant But how does the sex symbol feel about the ageing process? “I’m resigned to it I mean, at 20 I was too tall and impossibly good-look-ing to get work. That was the era of Dustin Hoffman in ‘The Graduate.* At 30,1 had a few lines, and by my mid-30s there were some wrinkles and that’s thought very attractive and desirable for an actor. Finally, when heroic types came in again I had a chance and everything seemed to happen at once. “I don’t know. Ageing has its good points. “The only thing I fear is loneliness. I don’t want to grow old alone. With or without a contract, it’s important to have somebody who cares, someone to share the goods and lows with — and I’m working on it, believe me!” — DUO Copyright