Magnum, P.I./Trivia

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • Actor Allusion: One episode is an Affectionate Parody of Raiders of the Lost Ark, a movie Tom Selleck was considered to do the lead in, but gave up to do this show instead.
  • The Danza: Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum.
  • Edited for Syndication: In addition to Title Sequence Replacement, some episodes lack scenes originally seen in the network airings (such as the opening scene of "Basket Case"). But that's nothing compared to the DVDs...
  • Fake Brit: John Hillerman, a native Texan, playing a retired British Army Sergeant Major — and playing him so convincingly even British viewers thought he was a genuine Brit.
    • In "Luther Gillis, File #001", Higgins insists on accompanying Gillis into a cowboy bar. When Gillis says they won't talk to a "limey", Higgins grabs Gillis by the lapels and intones "Who you callin' a limey, boy?" in a broad Texas drawl. He played the whole bar scene this way.
  • The Other Darrin: DA Carol Baldwin was played by Patty McCormick in the character's first appearance and by Kathleen Lloyd in twenty episodes.
    • Walter Chotzen played Icepick in his first appearance, before being replaced by Elisha Cook Jr. for the rest of the series.
  • Real Life Relative: Tom Selleck's ex-wife Jacqueline Ray and current wife Jillie Mack each appear in two episodes.
    • Tom's father Bob Selleck plays Magnum's Grandpa Everett in the home movies seen in the opening of "Going Home".
    • Larry Manetti's wife Nancy DeCarl appears in two episodes.
  • What Could Have Been: The producers actually planned to reveal Orson Welles as Robin Masters when the series ended. Unfortunately, though, Welles died in 1985 before the storyline could materialize.
  • Written by Cast Member: Roger E. Mosley co-wrote "Missing Melody", one of the few episodes of the series to focus on his character of T.C.