Had the timing been different,Tom Selleckmay have had a very different career —as Indiana Jones. Nevertheless, he still had a long and fine career. Selleck, of course, went on to play Thomas Magnum instead, and had a pretty solid career trajectory as an actor after the signature performance.
Roles like that initially made Selleck famous and admired by both men and women for a combination of his looks, charisma, and tough-but-likable persona. Now almost 80-years-old, the veteran actor has become an icon. And despite never being a prolific movie star, he did have some great performances in various films.
However, it was in TV roles that Selleck shone the most, through some very recognizable roles that he made his own with strong performances in them. Now that the curtain has finally come down onhis most famous modern role, here’s a look back at Tom Selleck’s best performances across film and television, ranked.
10Meet the Robinsons (2007)
Meet the Robinsons
The 2007animated comedy sci-fi filmMeet the Robinsonsended up being one of Disney Animated Studios' lesser known films. It dealt with a 12-year-old kid named Lewis who grew up in an orphanage residence.
Lewis' wacky failed experiments often scare potential adoptive parents off, so he decides to make a memory scanner to search through memories for his mother who abandoned him there as a baby. On the way to demonstrate the invention at a science fair, Lewis meets a mysterious 13-year-old named Wilbur Robinson who claims to be from the future.
A Good Animated Film Fit
Coming at a time when Tom Selleck had already reached his sixties, the film was a great fit for him, since he had long since begun cultivating a more wholesome image as a father-figure on screen. Showing his range by providing a great voice performance in the film as Wilbur Robinson’s father, the performance made for a great addition to his repertoire.
9Lassiter (1984)
Set during the years of Selleck’s peak fame as Thomas Magnum,Lassitersaw him playing Nick Lassiter,a charming jewel thiefoperating out of London in 1939.
After being arrested, he’s blackmailed by British and American agencies to steal $10 million worth of diamonds from a Nazi spy. With some double-dealing afoot, Lassiter is wise to the bigger plot at play and hatches a new plan to save himself.
A Disappointing Run
The film was made to capitalize on Selleck’s fame from playing Magnum. However, although it featured him as the star attraction and Jane Seymour in support,Lassiterwas a commercial failure.
Despite this, it was still a fairly solid performance by Selleck and a very decent movie — one that became almost typical for Selleck. Although one of the most recognizable and well known actors of his time, henever branched out into being a prolific movie star, but always did a solid job in the movies he did star in.
8Boston Legal (2006)
Boston Legal
In 2006, Selleck appeared in four episodes during season two of the hit legal showBoston Legal.From the mind ofDavid E. Kelly, a former lawyer himself, the show was a spin-off from Kelly’s other hit show,The Practice.
Featuring some of that show’s famous characters, it revolved around James Spader’s character, Alan Shore. With plenty of the same wit, comedic, and dramatic elements asThe Practice,the show ran for five seasons and won a slew of prestigious awards.
“Ivan the Incorrigable”
Playing a character named Ivan Tiggs in the show, Tom Selleck added some terrific flair to the role. Tiggs was a serial womanizer, who even starts trying to rekindle a past relationship while engaged to his sixth wife.
Despite being wealthy, and a successful lawyer, Tiggs' philandering ways find him left alone and broke by the time his part in the show came to an end.
7In & Out (2007)
A memorably funnyfilm with a significant social messageat its core,In & Outstarred Kevin Kiline as Howard Brackett, a literature teacher who’s former student, Cameron, becomes a famous actor.
Living with his fiancée, Howard and everyone who knows him are stunned when Cameron wins an Oscar for portraying a gay soldier and mentions Howard as an inspiration in his acceptance speech, stating that Howard is gay in the process. While Howard has to then insist to everyone that he isn’t, the ensuing media circus and all the pressure causes him to start questioning himself.
A Complex and Deep Role
The film was highly acclaimed, and featured a great supporting cast that included Joan Cusack, who was nominated for an Oscar for her role in it. However, it was Tom Selleck who provided the most surprising turn. He played Peter Malloy, a gay tabloid journalist who comes to town to cover the story but winds up helping Howard accept his truth.
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Given Selleck’s machismo image and theadoration for his lookshe often received from female viewers, it showed great maturity and depth that he was so willing to shed that image to play Peter. The fact that he performed the role wonderfully too, felt like it was just a bonus.
6Stone Cold (2005)
The first of nine films based on theJessie Stonenovel series by Robert B. Parker, inStone Cold,Tom Selleck played the main character Jesse Stone, the police chief of a small coastal town in Massachusetts. Asa former LAPD homicide detective, Stone developed an alcohol problem and was fired from his old job.
Related:Harrison Ford Thanks Tom Selleck For Dropping Out Of Indiana Jones Role
After landing the Massachusetts job in the fictional town of Paradise, he later learns that he was offered the position by a town council member who thought he would be pliable. However, once bodies start showing up, he soon finds himself caught up in a dangerous investigation — and proves he’s anything but.
A Solid Film
Tom Seleck would go on to reinvent his later career by playing the role of a police chief, both in the rest of theJesse Stonefilm adaptations and his role as commissioner Frank Reagan. Often regarded as one ofthe best movies from the TV film franchise,Stone Coldmakes for a sufficiently gritty murder mystery film that certainly punches far above its weight as a TV film.
5Friends (1996, 1997, 2000)
Friends is the popular sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, released back in 1994 and ran for ten seasons. The show follows a group of six twentysomethings through their lives in New York City and their time spent between their two apartments and their local coffee shop. The show features the group navigating tricky relationships with one another and comical misadventures.
As one of the most iconic sitcoms there’s ever been,Friendsneeds no introduction. The show delighted audiences and turned its six co-stars into household names as it swept awards by the bucket load.
Following the famous characters' intertwining personal and love lives in Manhattan, the world was rocked when news broke that the first of its legendary cast mates,Matthew Perry, had sadly lost his lifein October 2023.
One of the Most Memorable Guest Stars
Anyone who followedFriendsreligiously will tell you that Tom Selleck’s many appearances on the show made him one of the most well-liked and memorable guest stars the show ever had. That’s certainly saying something, since the show has featured manynotable guest stars, including the likes of Brad Pitt, Robin Williams, and Isabella Rossellini.
Playing the character Richard Burke, a friend of Monica and Ross’s parents, his and Monica’s mutual attraction lead to a passionate relationship that wrecks them both emotionally when it ends. While Monica famously ended up with Chandler in the show, Richard returned in the final season, setting up one ofits most romantic moments ever.
4Quigley Down Under (1990)
In 1990, Tom Selleck played a sharp-shooting cowboy inQuigley Down Under. The film follows Matthew Quigley, an American who uses a specially modified rifle that enables him to shoot from incredible distances with great accuracy.
Seeing an ad requiring a person with his exact skills, he replies with a clever message confirming that he can hit a target from 900 yards.
Related:The 10 Greatest Australian Westerns, Ranked
He then travels to Australia, only to find that his employer wants to use his skills to eradicate the local Aboriginal people living there. When he refuses, he winds up on the run and being attacked by the same men while having to protecta woman known as “Crazy Cora” (Laura San Giacomo).
An Underappreciated Film
While not a particularly successful film, aside from Selleck’s strong performance as the lead character that suited his physical stature perfectly, it also featured some great turns by Giacomo and Alan Rickman.
A solid western with some significant themes that weren’t as appreciated in its time, it goes down asone of Tom Sellecck’s most underrated projects.
3Three Men and a Baby (1987)
At the peak of his fame, Tom Selleck showed his soft side as he played Peter Mitchell in the adorably sweet comedy,Three Men and a Baby.As the title says, it revolved around three carefree bachelors who are suddenly thrust into a situation where they need to care for an infant.
The other two bachelors were played by Ted Danson and Steve Guttenberg, with Tom Selleck being particularly praised for the great emotional range he showed in the film.
A Pleasant Surprise in an Endearing Role
Much of that praise came because the role was something of a surprise for Selleck, since he had become known for his action star qualities more than anything else. Here’s whaticonic critic Roger Eberthad to say about Selleck’s performance in the film:
One of the big surprises in the movie is Selleck’s wonderful performance as the bachelor architect. After playing action heroes on TV and in the movies, he now reveals himself to be a light comedian in the Cary Grant tradition — a big, handsome guy with tenderness and vulnerability. When he looks at baby Mary with love in his eyes, you can see it there, and it doesn’t feel like acting. Because of Selleck and his co-stars (including twin baby girls, Lisa and Michelle Blair), the movie becomes a heartwarming entertainment.
2Magnum, P.I. (1980 - 1988)
Magnum P.I.
Playing the title character across 162 episodes,Magnum, P.I.without a doubt, remains Tom Selleck’s most iconic role. It was the onehe had to turn down the role of Indiana Jonesfor, but never regretted that decision since it became his big break as an actor and set him on his path to the iconic status he enjoys today.
Selleck was magnetic in the role, which featured a ton of other attractions, like its famous theme music, vehicles, and famous crossovers.
An Unforgettable Role
As Thomas Magnum, a former naval officer-turned-private investigator who lives and works in Hawaii, Selleck brought a charm and likability to the character that cemented him as a legend of TV. The show’s immortal status led to it being rebooted, with Jay Hernandez stepping into the famous role in 2018.
While that show went on for five seasons, it came to an end earlier this year. As good as it was, it never managed to replicatethe original show’s widespread fameand enduring legacy. If you’re looking for a hit of nostalgia, here’s a reminder of the original show’s iconic opening theme:
1Blue Bloods (2010 - 2024)
Blue Bloods
WhileMagnum P.I.might be Selleck’s most iconic role, his deeply dramatic and serious turn inBlue Bloodshas become his best through his impressive career. After an incredible run, the brilliant police proceduralBlue Bloodsis finallyset to end in the Fall of 2024.
One of the best cop shows of the modern era, its massive popularity was underscored by how deftly it melded themes of police culture, politics, family drama, and crime.
Related:Blue Bloods Completely Transformed Tom Selleck’s Legacy After Magnum P.I.
Tom Selleck has been at the heart of the show as New York Police Commissioner, Francis “Frank” Reagan. The gravitas he brought to the role made it one of the most iconic of his career, and brilliantly reinvented the veteran star’s credentials during the twilight of his fantastic career.
A Nuanced Character, and Selleck’s Best Role of His Career
Frank has by far been Tom Selleck’s most nuanced role, and one that he executed to perfection. Over the course of the show’s dramatic history, Frank often showed immense depth, bringing a level of gravitas and drama to what is his most serious role in his career — and his best one.
As the pseudo patriarch of his family, he was also a man whose daily life saw him needing to strike delicate balances between his integrity, loyalty, traditional values, and the massive responsibility that came with his position.
Here is an interview Tom Selleck did with CBS, reflecting onBlue Bloodsand his career:
