The Only Major Actors Still Alive From 1980's Magnum P.I.

In the 1980s, the key to creating a hit TV series was to include raucous crime plots, a beautiful locale, and one righteous mustache. Suffice it to say, "Magnum P.I." was a massive hit in the decade, running all the way from 1980 to 1988. The show follows the exciting adventures of Thomas Magnum (Tom Selleck), a private investigator who takes on all sorts of wild cases while residing in a Hawaiian guest house.

The show went off the air decades ago, but it's remained a vital calling card of the decade with a far-reaching legacy. CBS rebooted "Magnum P.I." for a new generation in 2018, with Jay Hernandez taking over lead role duties from Selleck. The network canceled "Magnum P.I." after four seasons due to licensing issues, but NBC picked it up for one final season, ultimately ending the remake's run in 2024.

Still, the original series lives on in many fans' minds. And while many "Magnum P.I." actors have passed away over the years, there are still two of them still around and working. Tom Selleck recently finished making waves on another long-running primetime cable series, while Larry Manetti found his way back to "Magnum P.I." after many years.

Tom Selleck has had a positively extraordinary career in Hollywood, one that stretches all the way back to the 1960s. He had already appeared in an array of TV shows and movies before landing the role of a lifetime with "Magnum P.I." Famously, being cast in the role of Thomas Magnum prevented Selleck from becoming Indiana Jones, which allegedly upset the actor greatly. Fortunately, he hasn't done too shabby for himself in the years since "Magnum P.I." went off the air, showing how perhaps everything happens for a reason.

Years after "Magnum" went off the air, Selleck took on a recurring role as Dr. Richard Burke on "Friends" as well as the titular role in the "Jesse Stone" movies. However, people these days may know him more as Commissioner Frank Reagan on "Blue Bloods" than for his work on "Magnum P.I." Selleck went from a laid-back but kind-hearted private investigator to a true-blue police commissioner who tries to do everything by the book. The roles may be different, but Selleck has stated that he was drawn to "Magnum P.I." and "Blue Bloods" for the same reason — both of the shows are character-driven dramas.

Getting the opportunity to play a beloved TV character for over 100 episodes is a huge honor that not many actors can claim. Having the chance to play two such characters in one career is genuinely astonishing. And by the sound of it, Selleck has no plans on retiring any time soon.

Thomas Magnum had a strong ally in the form of Rick Wright, played by Larry Manetti, who shared a history with Magnum that stretched back to the Vietnam War. Rick was the proprietor of the King Kamehameha Club, which he ran whenever he wasn't helping his friend solve the crime of the week. Manetti was a main cast member throughout all eight seasons of the original "Magnum P.I.," and his resume plays like a "Best Of" list of some of the greatest TV shows of the '80s and '90s, with roles on "Quantum Leap," "Renegade," and "JAG."

Manetti eventually returned to his roots and appeared on the "Magnum P.I." reboot as a new character — Nicky "The Kid" DeMarco. He actually originated the role on the revived "Hawaii Five-0," and since the two shows exist in the same universe, it was only natural to bring Manetti over. He also had a guest spot on an episode of "Blue Bloods," which he was ecstatic to be a part of. As he told TV Insider, "Selleck and everybody on the show bent over backward for me, treated me like a king. I never did a show as a guest star that I was so enthused and excited about."

In that same interview, Manetti revealed he suffered a stroke some years ago and has had issues walking. The character he played on "Blue Bloods" is in a wheelchair, so he was glad the production was willing to work with an actor with a disability for the role. Even though Selleck and Manetti didn't have any scenes together on "Blue Bloods," it must've been a thrill for longtime fans all the same to see them share an episode once again.