Before Tom Selleck became the no-nonsense NYPD Commissioner Frank Reagan on Blue Bloods, he was already a household name with a career that spanned decades. But even before he grew the iconic mustache that became his trademark, Selleck was popping up in places many fans have long forgotten—or never even noticed.
One of his earliest appearances was on The Dating Game in the 1960s, where he appeared not once, but twice as a contestant. While he didn’t win love on the show, it helped kickstart his Hollywood journey. In the ’70s, he made guest appearances on popular shows like The Rockford Files, Charlie’s Angels, and The Six Million Dollar Man, often playing charming but rugged characters.
Of course, his big break came in 1980 with Magnum, P.I., the role that made him a television superstar. As the Hawaiian shirt-wearing private investigator, Selleck won an Emmy and became a pop culture icon. But between Magnum and Blue Bloods, he kept busy with film roles in Three Men and a Baby, Quigley Down Under, and a recurring role on Friends as Dr. Richard Burke, Monica’s older boyfriend.
So if Tom Selleck has always looked familiar, it’s because he’s been quietly shaping American television for over 50 years—one iconic role at a time.