Hollywood is a place where dreams come true, but only the most brilliant and fortunate people can get there and stay.

Having a successful career in the film industry is not something many people can boast about, but fortunately for us, Tom Selleck is one of those celebrities who has been on television for a long time.
This actor’s big break came when he was cast in the starring role as Thomas Magnum in Magnum, P.I., which earned him five Emmy Award nominations and one win in 1985.

 

Prior to his rise to fame, he had minor roles in films and television shows, appeared in a number of advertisements, and appeared on The Dating Game twice. He described the game show as humiliating and embarrassing. I lost. Twice. I wasn’t really funny or glib.” Selleck was then offered a position on 20th Century Fox’s talent program, where he worked around two years before leaving for six months of active military. When he returned, he was dropped, but this did not dampen his spirit.

“The luckiest thing that happened was that I didn’t get a real job until I was 35,” Selleck shared with AARP. “When I was 25, I looked 35 but sounded 15. There are a lot of very good actors who make it as younger leading men but don’t graduate — because the audience won’t accept them as grown up.”

Magnum P.I. came at the time when he was almost ready to give up chasing a career as an actor. “I think if Magnum hadn’t worked out, I’d never have worked again in this business,” he shared in an interview with Closer Weekly.