What Happened to the 'Magnum, P.I.' Cast After the Show Ended?
Magnum, P.I. Cast
It's hard to believe it's been nearly 44 years since Magnum, P.I. first graced our small screens (and TVs were generally way smaller than the 72-inch behemoths we now have in our living rooms). The hit crime series debuted on Dec. 11, 1980, ran for eight seasons until the finale on May 1, 1988 and typically ranked in the top 20 of the Nielsen ratings. No surprise there, really. Tom Selleck's portrayal of Thomas Magnum, a Hawaii-based private investigator, was as charming as the natural backdrops provided by the Aloha State.
Three decades later, CBS reprised Magnum, P.I., but it just didn't hit the same. The network canceled it after four seasons. NBC swooped in and saved the show but canceled it for good at the end of 2023.
Thankfully, fans can still catch the original on Prime Video. If you're binging and wondering, "Hey, where is the Magnum, P.I. Cast Now," well, hi, guys. We've done some sleuthing and got your answers.
Related: Everything to Know About 'Blue Bloods' Season 14
Where Is the Original 'Magnum, P.I.' Cast Now?
Tom Selleck
Tom Selleck's portrayal of the so-cool, laidback Thomas Magnum earned him a Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe. It also cost him the role of Indiana Jones, which ultimately went to Harrison Ford. Steven Spielberg had initially cast Selleck for the role in Raiders of the Lost Ark, but his contractually obligated filming schedule didn't allow him to take part. He later told Rachael Ray it was the "role that got away."
Instead, much of Selleck's post-Magnum success has come by portraying law enforcement characters. From 2004-15, he played Jesse Stone, a police chief in a small town, in television movies based on novels by Robert B. Parker. Perhaps his most famous contemporary role has been that of New York City Police Commissioner Frank Reagan in CBS' Blue Bloods. He'll end his run with the show when it sunsets after its 14th and final season this spring.
“I love the show,” Selleck told Parade of his time on Blue Bloods, which began in 2010 during Season 1. “Magnum, I never tired of, but I got tired from it, though. I was in every shot. But this show, the only thing I’m tired of is the commute [to New York City]. I live in Los Angeles, that’s where my family is; my wife, my daughter."
Selleck also found success guest starring as Monica's older boyfriend Richard on Friends. On May 7, 2024, he'll release his memoir, You Never Know: A Memoir.
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Roger E. Mosley
Roger E. Mosley was part of the main cast as Theodore "T.C." Calvin, a pilot, operator of tourist charter Island Hoppers and a close pal of Magnum's. Magnum, P.I. wasn't the first time Mosely and Selleck crossed paths, nor would it be the last. Before the hit series, the two appeared in the action-drama thriller Terminal Island (1973). They also linked up in 2007 for the Season 5 premiere of Las Vegas, once again playing friends (Selleck was a new casino owner, and Mosely plays his billionaire buddy).
Mosley also appeared in the reboot in 2019 as T.C.'s barker, Booky. In 2022, he died from injuries sustained during a car crash in California. He was 83.
Larry Manetti
Larry Manetti arguably drew the most laughs during Magnum, P.I.'s run as Orville "Rick" Wright, Magnum's close friend since their time serving together in the Vietnam War. Wright went on to become a bartender with a stellar sense of humor.
Since then, Manetti hasn't been a stranger to television—or Magnum, P.I. He reprised his role in the remake in 2019. He also reunited with Selleck for an episode of Blue Bloods in 2023 as a troubled former police sergeant. His other credits include JAG, Quantum Leap and Walker, Texas Ranger. You can also hear him on CRN Digital Talk Radio, where he hosts a weekly show with his wife, Nancy Manetti.
John Hillerman
John Hillerman won a Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe for his portrayal of British Army Sargeant Major Jonathan Higgins. In a 1986 interview, the Texas-born Hillerman told the Washington Post he learned to do the accent by listening to recordings of Lawrence Olivier's "Hamlet." Hillerman was a U.S. veteran who served in the Air Force from 1953-57.
Once Magnum ended, Hillerman appeared in films, including The Last Picture Show, Chinatown and A Very Brady Sequel. He retired in 1999 after filming A Very Brady Sequel and died from cardiovascular disease in 2017 at 84.
Kathleen Lloyd
Kathleen Lloyd played Assistant District Attorney Carol Baldwin in 18 episodes from Seasons 3 through 8. Baldwin, a hard-working prosecutor, was close friends with Magnum—some would say "too close." Despite the attraction, the two never got together. Lloyd entered the Magnum orbit after starring opposite Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson in The Missouri Breaks (1976). She appeared in numerous TV projects before her 2004 retirement, including guest-starring roles in Diagnosis: Murder, Babylon 5 and One Last Flight.
Kwan Hi Lim
Kwan Hi Lim, a Hawaii native, appeared in 27 episodes as Honolulu homicide division police Lieutenant Yoshi Tanaka, an officer with a sharp sense of humor, laidback personal style and love of the Detroit Tigers (something he shared with Magnum). He also appeared consistently in Hawaii Five-0, although he mostly played villains. retired after appearing in the aptly named Goodbye to Paradise as Dr. Lin in 1991. After Magnum, Lim, an attorney who never received formal acting training, was also sometimes moonlit as a per diem judge in Honolulu's Family Court system. He died in 2008.