We all know Tom Selleck for his classic movies and TV roles, first dressed in his colorful
Hawaiian shirts bringing the bad guys down in “Magnum P.I.” and then as the lovable bachelor in Three Men and a Baby.
And you can’t get through an article about the seasoned star without a mention of that legendary moustache – Mr. Selleck really is one-of-a-kind!
But Tom never considered himself superior over the ordinary people. Being concerned for what the young generations are turning into, he felt the urge to step in and be there for them.
With the spare time he does have he devotes to his family and also his work as an avid philanthropist.
Tom Selleck had an idyllic childhood by all accounts. He was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in beautiful San Fernando Valley, California to loving and involved parents who set high standards for their four children.
“A man is only as good as his word,” was the advice given to him as a boy by his loving but disciplinarian father, and he never forgot it.
He worked his way through Valley Junior College in California in order to afford the tuition fees and secured a basketball scholarship.
He went on to play basketball for the University of Southern California, and after that, got into acting.
He started his acting career which began with toothpaste commercials.
He soon got spotted for the talent he was and Twentieth Century Fox gave him a contract.
After being drafted to fight in the V’ietnam War and then fired by Fox on his return he secured the role that would catapult him into the spotlight: “Magnum P.I.”
After 8 seasons, Tom Selleck earned several nominations for Emmy Awards and won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series Drama in 1985.
The f’ailure of his first marriage Tom partly bl’amed on his hectic work schedule so when he fell in love for the second time with English dancer Jillie Mack, he vowed not to make the same mistake again.
After they had their baby girl Hannah Margaret, Tom quit Magnum so he wouldn’t have to juggle family and work again.
The strong moral backbone instilled in him as a child he has carried with him into adulthood.
Speaking to New York Daily News Tom said, “I’ve tried very hard to conduct myself in an ethical way,” the actor shared, “because that’s important to my stability now.”
He is a national spokesperson for Character Counts!, a non-profit that helps kids build a strong ethical perspective.
Princess Diana is greeted by Tom Selleck in the residence during a private dinner. (Wikipedia Commons)
“I work with exceptional kids,” Tom said, “gang kids, deprived kids, enriched kids, and they all have an astounding sense of entitlement.”
Time for Tom to change all that!
Tom is also a spokesman for the National Fatherhood Initiative; a committee member of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; and is actively involved in the Student/Sponsor Partnership Program in New York City.
He was also an honorary chairman of the Skin Cancer Foundation and a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Mission, which helps the homeless.
He may have taken a step out of the A-lister spotlight but he’s definitely not ready to put his feet up just yet. When he’s not doing all the above and spending time with his family he’s tending to his 30 acre avocado farm.
I think even his hardcore fans may be surprised by the amount of good work he is involved in. It seems this 74-year-old has so much more to give.
But guess where he gives the credit to for his success in life? Jesus.
Selleck credits all his success and fortune to Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior.
”A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time”, he said.
In my opinion, we need more celebrities like Tom Selleck!
Sometimes it’s disheartening to see so many di’vorces and scandal with high profile people, but Tom Selleck stands out.
I think even his hardcore fans may be surprised by the amount of good work he is involved in.
Please share this article with all the Tom Selleck fans you know.