American actor, a veteran of 50 commercials before his film debut in 1970, and best known for starring in his hit series, “Magnum P.I.” 1980-1988, for which he won the 1983 Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a drama series. A 6’4″ sex symbol, popular with both men and women, he has chiseled features, twinkling hazel eyes and deep dimples which helped earn him the 1987 People Magazine’s “sexiest man in the world” kudo.
Selleck grew up in Detroit, the second son of Robert, a real estate investor who once portrayed Selleck’s grandfather on a “Magnum” segment, and Martha, a homemaker. The family consisted of four children, and moved to Sherman Oaks when Selleck was four. A talented athlete, Selleck earned a scholarship to the University of Southern California, where he played football, basketball and baseball. It is reported that baseball legend Mickey Mantle once saw him play and suggested he had major-league potential. But Selleck followed a drama teacher’s advice and tried out for commercials. His first job was playing basketball in a Pepsi Cola spot. He also was the “Salem man” in that cigarette company’s commercials.
It wasn’t until “Magnum, P.I.” debuted on 12/11/1980 that Selleck became a household word. The series ran eight seasons. After Magnum’s success, screen stardom was elusive for Selleck. He made “High Road to China,” 1983, “Lassiter” and “Runaway,” both in 1984. “Three Men and a Baby,” 1987, proved to be more successful for him. Recent screen roles have included “In and Out,” 1997, and “The Love Letter,” 1999.
Selleck has been married twice. He married his first wife, Jacquelyn Ray, in 1972, and they divorced in 1979, though Selleck remained good friends with her and her son, Kevin, whom he helped raise. He met his second wife, Jilly Mack, an English actress-dancer, in 1983, and they married on 8/7/1987 at 9:20 PM, Las Vegas. Their daughter, Hannah, was born in 1989 and they live on a 63-acre ranch in California’s Ventura County where Selleck plants trees and tends his horses.
Besides an Emmy for Magnum, he has also won a Golden Globe and People’s Choice award. In 1998, his TV sitcom “The Closer” premiered in late February but unfortunately for Selleck fans, suffered an early demise due to low prime-time rating.
Since the mid-’90s, Selleck has been a working avocado farmer. He bought his ranch in 1988, about 63 acres and put his fruit into the black financially in 2002.
Link to Wikipedia biography