Tom Selleck Looks Back on Frank Sinatra’s Wild ‘Magnum P.I.’ Cameo: ‘Just Make Sure I Beat Somebody Up!’
The mustachioed star recalls the legendary singer's playful request for his character in the 1987 episode
Key Takeaways
- Frank Sinatra appeared on an episode of 'Magnum, P.I.' in 1987 alongside Tom Selleck.
- This would be Frank Sinatra's final acting role before he passed away in 1998.
- Prior to his appearance on the show, he made one specific request regarding his character.
Over the course of its run, Magnum, P.I. saw a handful of guest stars that included some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Tom Selleck was a star in his own right, but seeing our favorite actors, actresses and musicians shine alongside him from time to time was truly a treat. In 1987, none other than Frank Sinatra made an appearance on Magnum, P.I., and the role would end up being his final acting appearance prior to his death in 1998. Here, read all about his role and what the experience was like for the crew.
Frank Sinatra on ‘Magnum, P.I.’ goes down in TV history
As the story goes, the “Strangers in the Night” singer was a major fan of the series, and Larry Manetti, who played Rick Wright on the series, shared the story of how the collaboration came to be.
“Well, Frank came into Honolulu to do a concert and his secretary called Tom and I and invited us to come to the concert,” he recalled to Celebrity Drop. “We were in the concert, he introduced us, everything was great. And then a man walked up to the two of us and said, ‘Frank wants you two to go to this restaurant and meet him for dinner right after the show.’ Who’s gonna say no to Frank?” He continued, “So, we went to the restaurant and we sat down with Barbara Sinatra and Frank, and we were eating dinner and he was saying, ‘Well, I love this show,’ so I said, ‘Frank, why don’t you do the show with us?’ He said ‘Kid, I thought you’d never ask.’”
Inside Frank Sinatra’s final television acting performance in 1987
In 1987, Frank appeared in the episode titled “Laura.” He brought to life the character of Sergeant Michael Doheny, a former New York police officer who employs the help of Magnum to track down the men who abducted and killed his granddaughter. His pursuit of her killers was a dramatic one before he ultimately ended one of their lives, and his performance showcased his abilities as an actor.
Back in 2024, Selleck reflected on Sinatra’s time on the show in conversation with CBS Sunday Morning. “Larry comes to me and says, ‘Frank wants to do the show,'” he remembered. “‘But he wants to be asked, so you have to call him.’ And he wanted to do it right away. So I said [to Sinatra], ‘Well, we’re gonna have to write it for you. What do you wanna do?’ He said, ‘Oh, I don’t care. Just make sure I get to beat somebody up.'”
Frank Sinatra’s appearance on Magnum, P.I. remains a treasured moment in television history—a perfect example of how legends can surprise us and remind us why we fell in love with a show in the first place.
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