Introduction
The recently revived action-drama, Magnum P.I., starring Jay Hernandez, is a good and fun series. Hernadez is a charismatic and engaging lead. Further, Perdita Weeks is fantastic and a legitimate star-in-the-making as a reimagined female version of the legendary Jonathan Quayle Higgins, III. As a result, the fans spoke up and the CBS-canceled show was resurrected and picked up by rival NBC. It’s a worthy entry into the universe that is Thomas Sullivan Magnum, IV. The only issue is that it pales in comparison to the original Magnum, P.I. that ran on CBS from 1980-1988 and starred Tom Selleck.
In the 1980s, television was producing a smorgasbord of testosterone-driven alpha male-dominated shows (The A-Team, TJ Hooker, Knight Rider). Magnum P.I. took a different path. It was a show that centered on friendship, dealing with PTSD, and affable and fallible characters. Its star was flawed, and not ashamed to look and act, ridiculous. Thomas Magnum could also be a hero. This Gary Cooper-like aspect of the character appealed to an older generation that was also watching on Thursday nights. As a result, Magnum P.I. became a phenomenon that changed the genre. Cinema Scholars looks at the making and production of this legendary show.
Beginnings
To trace the roots and origins of Magnum P.I. (1980-1988) one needs to go back to 1968 and the premiere of the now iconic CBS police-procedural series, Hawaii Five-O. Starring Jack Lord as Detective Stephen McGarrett, the show became a staple of their primetime lineup for more than a decade. This was in part due to the authentic and exciting location shoots, the show’s military side plots and undertones, and having a sense of humor throughout it all. Hawaii Five-O also had a catchy (and now legendary) theme song. With Hawaii Five-O ending in 1980, after twelve seasons, there was a large void in CBS’s schedule.
The studio executives desperately wanted another exciting series that could take advantage of the sets and studios that were built over twelve years during the production of Hawaii Five-O. They also wanted another TV ratings winner. For thirty-five-year-old Tom Selleck, who had been toiling away in Hollywood for ten years, looking for his big break, an opportunity was about to come knocking. The Michigan-born Selleck had appeared on The Dating Game in 1967 and then had found steady work appearing in small parts on both the big and small screen, most notably as the Salem Man in a series of cigarette print ads.
Larson and Bellasario
Writer and producer Glen Larson (Quincy, M.E., McCloud), had a development deal with ABC Television, where Magnum P.I. was first conceived. However, when ABC canceled his productions, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (1977–1979) and Battlestar Galactica (1978-1979), he left the network and took his project over to CBS television.
Donald Bellasario (Kojack, Switch) had been involved in numerous successful series in the 1970s. As such, CBS turned to him to find them their next hit. In turn, Bellasario looked at Larson’s idea for the new Hawaii series. The pair had also worked together on Battlestar Galactica. Universal Television wanted to prioritize finding a hit for Selleck as well, as he had starred in six failed TV pilots and was still under contract. Still, the network saw the potential, after Selleck guest-starred as “super-detective” Lance White on James Garner’s popular, The Rockford Files in 1978 and again in 1979.
A Mentor…and Friend
CBS Head of Programming, Harvey Shephard saw Selleck on The Rockford Files and was convinced that Selleck could become a star. James Garner had entered Tom Selleck’s life at just the right time. Garner, an established and veteran leading man now in his 50s, was the perfect mentor to the younger Selleck. The two had immediate chemistry with each other and the pair would remain close friends for the rest of Garner’s life, who passed away in 2014. Selleck reflected on all of this when he spoke with GQ back in 2014:
“I’ve been very fortunate. A friend— and he wouldn’t be comfortable with me calling him a mentor, but James Garner just died—I worked with Garner at a really critical time. I had done the leads in several pilots, but nobody saw them because they didn’t sell, and I did this thing on Rockford, and I watched Garner…I was 35 when I got Magnum, which was a real blessing, because I think when I was 25, I looked 35 and sounded 15. You’ve got to grow into yourself. It was very frustrating at the time. But I had plenty of time to observe, and then, by the time I’m 34, to work with Garner—who I think people, if they could, still take star lessons from. He understood that leads in a show like a television series involved leadership”
Pre-Production
When Glen Larson and Donald Bellisario got together to develop their new “private-eye” series set in the exotic locales of Hawaii, Bellesario was enthused. However, this quickly changed when he read Larson’s initial script for Magnum, P.I. Bellisario has stated publicly that the original script for the series was a “rip” on the James Bond franchise. It featured Magnum as a dashing private eye who lived in a large estate on top of seaside cliffs. He also had a vicious and loyal dog, as well as a hand glider…mounted with machine guns. Needless to say, this is not what Bellisario, or Selleck, envisioned when it came to the character of Thomas Sullivan Magnum, IV. Bellesario stated that Selleck told him:
“…I just don’t want to play what I look like. Everybody wants to always play me as the handsome leading guy. I really want to do something with some humor…”
Bellisario had been rewriting a script for a series idea that he had that was about a private eye named ‘H.H. Flynn’ who lived in California. The script was about three Vietnam vets: Rick, a nightclub owner who idolizes Humphrey Bogart. TC, a helicopter pilot who flies to and from oil rigs; and Magnum, a private investigator who lives in the guest house of a Bel Air estate. He also gets to drive a Ferrari. Selleck had a history with Bellisario as the actor and writer/producer had worked together on a failed pilot that Selleck starred in called The Gypsy Warriors.
The Pilot
Selleck liked Bellisario and also liked his style of writing. As a result, Bellesario quickly took over the creative process on the Magnum, P.I. pilot, with Larson and Bellesario both getting creative credit for the series. Larson also suggested that Magnum’s millionaire host be changed to that of the reclusive and globe-trotting author, “Robin Masters.” As per Larson, the character of Robin Masters was based on famed best-selling author, Harold Robins. The ideas of Larson and Bellisario were merged and Selleck soon signed on to the project.
While they developed the pilot, Bellisario and Larson created a fourth character for the series. Joining Larry Manetti (Rick), and Roger E. Mosley (T.C.), John Hillerman joined the cast. Playing Johnathan Quayle Higgins, III, he appeared as the stuffy, ex-military “majordomo” of Robin’s Nest (the beachfront estate owned by Robin Masters). Hillerman was the perfect foil to Magnum’s shenanigans. As per Bellesario, the character is based on the British film The Guns at Batasi (1964). In the film, Richard Attenborough portrays a Regimental Sergeant Major.
Bellisario and Larson both thought that the characters of Magnum, Rick, and T.C. should be veterans of the recently ended Vietnam War. In the show, Higgins himself had served for almost forty years as an officer in the British Army during World War II, the Indochina War (assisting the French), India, and New Guinea, among others. Magnum P.I. would be one of the first US television series to break the stigmatism that returning Vietnam Vets were unhinged, prone to violence, and deeply tortured. On the contrary, Magnum, Rick, and T.C., while affected by their experiences, were portrayed as stable men of good character. Vietnam and war would be recurring themes throughout the run of the series.
Indiana Jones
As is now the stuff of legend, Harrison Ford was not the first choice to don the whip in director Steven Spielberg’s legendary action franchise, Indiana Jones. Producer George Lucas had wanted lesser-known actors for the starring role in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). Jack Nicholson. Nick Nolte. Timothy Matheson. Nick Mancuso. John Shea. Bill Murray. Chevy Chase. Peter Coyote. Steve Martin. All of these actors were at least considered for, or offered, the role of Indiana Jones. It’s reported that Martin turned down the offer to star in the critically panned romantic-musical, Pennies From Heaven (1981).
While accounts differ depending on who you ask, there is no dispute that Tom Selleck was offered the role of Indiana Jones. The only thing preventing the actor from taking on the part was that the Magnum, P.I. pilot had already been filmed for CBS. Selleck was brought in for his Raiders of the Lost Ark screen test after the pilot had already been shot. The actor would later reflect on all of this in a 2017 interview for the CBS BUILD series:
“After I did the pilot for Magnum, I tested for Indiana Jones and got the job…Steven [Spielberg] and George [Lucas] offered me the job. And I said, ‘Well, I’ve done this pilot. And they said, ‘Thanks for telling us. Most actors wouldn’t do that, but we got cards to play with CBS’ Turned out, CBS wouldn’t let me do it…I signed a deal for Magnum, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I’m proud that I lived up to my contract”
Sliding Doors
George Lucas stated in 2012 that he was reluctant to choose Ford for the now iconic role. This was due to their previous work together in the Star Wars series, beginning in 1977. This opened the door for Selleck, who had screen-tested for the role with actress Sean Young. Selleck was green-lit, eventually, by both Spielberg and Lucas. The part was his. The only issue was CBS, and the recently shot pilot episode for Magnum, P.I. It seemed that no one was interested in the show. Yet, Selleck was being touted to portray Indiana Jones in a film directed by Steven Spielberg. CBS quickly realized just how valuable their contract-obligated star might be and refused to let him out of his agreement for Magnum, P.I. The rest, as they say, is movie history.
The ironic thing about all of this is that Selleck could have done both parts. This is because the 1980 Actors Strike, involving the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, halted most films and TV series. It’s one of the great ‘sliding doors’ moments in the history of both film and television. Would Selleck have gone on to be the legendary A-list movie star that Harrison Ford became? Perhaps not. However, Magnum, P.I. may have never gotten off the ground. Thus, resulting in Selleck perhaps not becoming the television icon that he DID become over the subsequent four decades.
Filming
Much like its spiritual predecessor Hawaii Five-O, Magnum P.I. was filmed mostly on location in Oahu. Filming was largely constrained to the southeast side of the island. This included the Honolulu metro area, Kahala, Waikiki, and Hawaii Kai. In addition, most episodes of the series featured local, Oahu-based actors. All of the interior sets (Magnum’s guest house, the interior of Robin’s Nest, Rick & T.C.’s offices, etc.) were filmed on Stage One at Diamond Head Studio, which has since become known as the Hawaii Film Studio. The studio was originally built in the 1970s for the production of Hawaii Five-O.
Much of the production crew of Hawaii Five-O worked on Magnum P.I. and who can blame them as the locale was simply stunning. The series was generally shot from August until April and each episode was filmed in eight or nine days. It was a tight schedule that could often be made more hectic when the weather wouldn’t cooperate. The shoots were long with actors and crew putting in 16-hour days. One of the unique qualities of the show was that it was filmed in Panavision, using Panaflex lenses. This gave each episode a “theatrical” look that distinguished itself from its contemporaries (The A-Team, Knight Rider, Airwolf). Those shows were shot on Betacam stock, which was cheaper and often used for television.
Guest Stars
Since Magnum P.I. mostly had episodes that were non-linear in their formatting, having a big-name guest star was often used to draw in first-time viewers and drive up the ratings. It worked. Many big names in the film and television industry appeared in the series throughout its eight seasons. Angela Lansbury, Frank Sinatra, Sharon Stone, Carol Burnett (twice), Ted Danson, Carol Channing, Robert Loggia, Orson Welles (voice only), Ernest Borgnine, and many others all guest-starred. In addition, many Oahu-based actors and celebrities also appeared on Magnum P.I. These included James Shigeta, Branscombe Richmond, Al Harrington, Dick Jensen, Zulu, Kam Fong, and Jimmy Borges, just to name a few.
There were many similarities and DNA that Magnum, P.I., and Hawaii Five-O shared. However, one major difference was the locale. Hawaii Five-O was steeped in a modern setting featuring highways, busy streets, and office buildings. The show presented a modern version of downtown Honolulu to the viewer. Bellisario, however, wanted Magnum, P.I. to be different. He wanted the exotic side of Hawaii to be on display as well as the “pre-war” version of the island. There was a real effort throughout the series to scout out old-world locations. Bellisario told the Television Academy in 2008:
“I don’t want to see a condo. I don’t want to see a telephone pole. I don’t want to see a four-lane road. I want to see palm trees. I want to see beaches, empty beaches. I want to see narrow roads through sugar cane fields…Give me Hawaii before the war”
The Ring
Of the many things that one thinks of when thinking of Magnum P.I., two that quickly come to mind are the iconic red Ferrari 308 GTS and the “team ring” that Magnum, Rick, and TC all wear. The black and gold ring is in honor of their brotherhood and time served during the Vietnam War. While the ring is not an “official” decoration from the United States military, it is deeply symbolic among the brothers-in-arms. The double cross, otherwise known as the Cross of Lorraine, is widely known as a symbol of the French resistance during both World War I and II.
The ring and its symbolism have a long history as it was originally used by the Knights Templar during the Middle Ages. It was also used by Joan of Arc in the fifteenth century. The Cross was even memorably seen on a ring in the Oscar-winning classic film, Casablanca (1942). It’s certainly no coincidence or surprise that the Humphrey Bogart/Ingrid Bergman film is referenced numerous times throughout Magnum P.I.
In the series, the Cross of Lorraine ring was worn by the members of Magnum’s “team” that served together in Vietnam. The team was a multi-service joint task force unit that consisted of Magnum (Special Ops, U.S. Navy Seal), T.C. (Huey Pilot for the U.S. Marines), and Rick (U.S. Marine Door Gunner). The pilot episode of Magnum, P.I. entitled “Don’t Eat the Snow in Hawaii” also introduces us to Dan Cook (Special Ops, U.S. Navy Seal), Phillipe Trusseau, and Pepe (French Paratroopers), all fighting alongside the team.
The Car
Of all the iconic Magnum P.I., imagery, perhaps at the top of the list is ‘his’ red Ferrari 308 GTS (it’s not his). The gorgeous sports car has become synonymous with both the show as well as Tom Selleck. It’s featured prominently throughout the eight seasons that the show ran for and is also front and center throughout the show’s now legendary theme song, composed by Mike Post and Pete Carpenter. Post and Carpenter’s intro and outro score replaced the original theme by Ian Freebairn-Smith halfway through the show’s first season.
Coming in at six feet and four inches tall, Tom Selleck was an imposing figure that towered over most people. As a result, it made getting into low-to-the-ground Italian sports cars somewhat difficult. He also was simply too big to fit into them. Subsequently, the Ferarri that Magnum drove had all of its interior paddings removed. Additionally, the front seats were moved as far away from the steering wheel as possible, and bolted in, to tolerate Selleck’s extremely long legs.
Throughout eight seasons of Magnum, P.I., three Ferraris were used. During the first season, the 1978 308 GTS was featured. For the second and third seasons, a 1980 308 GTSi was his car of choice. The differences are subtle but noticeable nonetheless. For the show’s remaining episodes, Magnum drove a 1984 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole, a stunning piece of machinery. Because of the popularity of Magnum, P.I., and the gorgeous production quality during the show’s entire run, red Ferraris were in high demand throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
The Magnum-verse
While the Marvel Cinematic Universe (The MCU) and DC Comics expanded universe have made popular the concept of a shared cinematic universe, this was hardly a new concept and had existed long before the first Iron Man film came out in 2008. The concept of shared universes had taken place in films and television for many years, in fact, before the rise of comic book films. Television shows, especially, were prone to these crossover “stunts” as this was a way to drive up ratings when multiple shows belonged to the same studio and network. Magnum, P.I. was certainly no exception.
Magnum P.I. takes place in Hawaii, which was the setting of the original Hawaii Five-O, running on CBS from 1968 to 1980. As previously stated, many scenes of Magnum P.I. were filmed on the soundstages that were left over from Hawaii Five-O. Further, there is an episode of Magnum, P.I. in which Rick refers to “McGarrett” of “Five-O.” This is a clear reference to Hawaii Five-O and its main character, Steve McGarrett (played by Jack Lord), and confirms that the two shows exist in the same television universe.
While the Hawaii Five-O cross-reference was a subtle one, there were several other crossovers with popular shows of the day, as well as some standalone episodes that were also pilot episodes for failed spin-off shows. There were two major crossover episodes. The first was in season three with the episode “Novel Connection.” This was a Murder She Wrote crossover for the widely popular show on CBS, starring Angela Landsbury. The other major crossover was on the private detective show Simon & Simon, which featured an appearance by Magnum in the episode entitled “Emeralds Are Not a Girl’s Best Friend.”
Crossovers and Spin-offs
Known for her starring role on the hit NBC comedy Silver Spoons (featuring a young Leonardo Di Caprio), Erin Gray was being touted to star in a Magnum, P.I. spinoff action/crime series. This is because of the successful first season episode that featured her character “J. Digger Doyle.” The episode has Gray portraying a security expert who is called in to ‘assist’ Magnum in upgrading the security of Robin’s Nest, as well as preventing the assassination of the always unseen Robin Masters (voiced by Orson Welles). Alas, the pilot was never picked up and Welles died before he could make an actual appearance on the show.
In 1992, after Magnum, P.I. had been off the air for a few years, there was a script that had been written for another crossover. This time it was involving Bellisario’s next hit show, NBC’s immensely successful Quantum Leap, starring Scott Bakula. In the show, Dr. Sam Beckett (Bakula) can ‘leap’ into the body of other people throughout history. In the proposed cross-over, Bakula would leap into the body of Thomas Magnum. Not much is known about the script, or whether original cast members from Magnum, P.I. were involved. However, there is test footage of the recreation of Selleck’s iconic fourth-wall-breaking “eyebrow” shot from the opening credits, this time with Bakula in the role.
Changing the Genre
Magnum, P.I. premiered on CBS on December 11, 1980. In the weeks leading up to the show’s debut, U.S. magazines and newspapers referred to the title character as a “fun-loving ex-Navy man” or a “fun-loving private investigator.” Even CBS Television themselves poured it on a bit thick in an ad in the New York Daily News, stating:
“…You’re gonna love Magnum! He’s a wisecracking, fun-loving, freeloading freelance private eye! He’s a hellraiser in paradise! “He’s a good looking laidback charmer in a loud shirt who loves fast cars and slow blondes!…”
More than eighteen million people watched the premiere of Magnum, P.I. However, it finished behind The Dukes of Hazzard, Dallas, and Circus of the Stars. Still, over the next 162 episodes, Tom Selleck, Donald Bellisario, Glen Larson, John Hillerman, Roger E. Mosley, and Larry Minetti did something astonishing. They changed the very nature of what a television ‘action show’ could be. It also made Selleck a star. Never before on TV had we seen a charming ladies’ man, overgrown man-child, and daring action hero morphed into the same persona. Plus the tropical shirts and short-shorts.
Magnum, P.I. lasted for eight seasons. This meant that we got to know this character and his band of friends. Spurning this on was Selleck’s fantastic narration, often referred to as ‘the little voice in my head.’ The show’s impression of pop culture is undeniable and can still be seen today in the form of the newly rebooted Magnum, P.I. starring Jay Hernandez. The Ferarri, the Tigers baseball cap, the rubber chicken, the Hawaiian shirts. All of these have become part of the cultural zeitgeist. Plus, there’s that mustache.
Conclusion
Throughout most of the 1980s, Magnum, P.I. entered people’s homes and left an indelible impact. No one had ever seen a show, or a character, quite like this before. Breaking the fourth wall, each episode’s final freeze-frame, and the back-and-forth banter between the four main characters (especially Magnum and Higgins). All of this was unique in the genre and a game changer. The many episodes centering on the Vietnam War and dealing with PTSD also broke new ground. Above all else, however, it was the deep friendship and love that these four people had for each other. It was unique, fun, and heartwarming.
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