Jump to content

Magnum, P.I.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by VMO-2 Da Nang (talk | contribs) at 00:59, 27 June 2007. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

For the upcoming film, see Magnum, P.I. (film)
Magnum, P.I.
The Cast of Magnum P.I.
Created byDonald Bellisario
Glen A. Larson
StarringTom Selleck
John Hillerman
Roger E. Mosley
Larry Manetti
Country of origin United States
No. of episodes157 (list of episodes)
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseDecember 11, 1980 –
May 1, 1988

Magnum, P.I. was an American television show that followed the adventures of Thomas Magnum (played by Tom Selleck), a private investigator living in Hawaii. The show aired eight seasons on the CBS network from 1980 to 1988.

The show was in the top 20 in the Nielsen Ratings for the first five years the series was broadcast.[1]

The series

Selleck played Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV, a former U.S. Navy SEAL. He is a graduate of the Naval Academy, where he played quarterback, and left the Navy in disillusionment after approximately ten years service.

Magnum lives in the guest house of a posh beachfront estate (“Robin’s Nest”) in Hawaii, at the invitation of its owner, celebrated (but rarely seen) author of lurid novels Robin Masters, in exchange for his expertise in quality control of the estate’s security. Robin’s Nest is guarded by two highly trained Dobermann pinschers, Zeus and Apollo, and managed by Englishman Jonathan Quayle Higgins III (played by John Hillerman), an ex-British Army Sergeant Major. During early seasons of Magnum, the voice of Robin Masters, heard only a few times a season, was played by Orson Welles.

Magnum lives a "dream" lifestyle: he comes and goes as he pleases, works only when he wants to, has the almost unlimited use of a Ferrari 308 GTS as well as many other of Robin Masters’ luxuries. He keeps a mini-fridge with a seemingly endless supply of beer, comes into contact with countless beautiful women (who are often his clients or victims in the cases he solves), and enjoys adventures with his two buddies, both former U.S. Marines he served with in VM0-2 (a Marine Observation Squadron) in Vietnam.[2]The buddies are:

  • Theodore "T.C." Calvin (played by Roger E. Mosley) (who sports a Da Nang baseball cap), a helicopter pilot who operates a tourist charter business called Island Hoppers, where he flies a distinctively painted Hughes 500D. His combat-trained flight skills are often enlisted by Magnum during the course of an investigation. He is also very powerfully built, which Magnum exploits when he expects to run into physical trouble. With the exception of some early season 1 episodes, T.C. avoids alcohol, instead preferring milk, soda, or juice, but mostly coffee.
  • Orville Wilbur Richard “Rick” Wright[3] (played by Larry Manetti), a suave playboy who is manager of the King Kamehameha Club, an exclusive beachfront members-only club. In the initial movie, which was the predecessor of the series, Rick owned Rick’s Cafe Americaine (aka "The Ice Palace") - a reference to the movie Casablanca. Rick also maintains a number of underworld contacts (one of whom is Francis “Icepick” Hofstettler, played by Elisha Cook Jr., a loan shark, gang boss, and Rick’s stepfather) and is an expert in weaponry—he was T.C.’s door gunner during the war.

List of episodes

DVD releases

As of 2007, Universal Studios Home Entertainment has released the first six seasons of Magnum P.I. on DVD in Regions 1, 2 & 4.

Cover Art Season(s) Region 1 Region 2 Region 4
File:MagnumS1.jpg The Complete First Season September 7
2004[4][5] 		September 13
2004[6] 		December 1
2004
File:MagnumS2.jpg The Complete Second Season April 12
2005 		July 4
2005[6] 		September 19
2005
File:MagnumS3.jpg The Complete Third Season January 31
2006 		January 30
2006[6] 		July 12
2006
File:MagnumPI S4.jpg The Complete Fourth Season April 4
2006 		June 26
2006[6] 		September 20
2006
File:MagnumS5.jpg The Complete Fifth Season October 10
2006 		February 12
2007[6] 		March 21
2007
File:Magnum, P.I. Season 6.jpg The Complete Sixth Season February 27
2007 		May 7 2007[6] July 4
2007
File:Magnumpi1-4.jpg Seasons One, Two, Three & Four N/A November 20
2006
(only available in R2) 		N/A

Awards

Selleck won an Emmy in 1984 for his portrayal of the title character; three years later costar John Hillerman also won an Emmy.[7] In 1981, series creators and writers Glen A. Larson and Donald P. Bellisario received an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Episode in a TV Series.[7][8]

Cultural impact

Magnum, P.I. was a combination of action, comedy, and drama. The show moved beyond the simple plot lines of the characters solving the crime of the week and confronted the difficulty Vietnam era soldiers faced in making the readjustment to civilian life. In fact Magnum was one of the first shows to explore regularly the impact of the Vietnam War on the American cultural psyche.

As of July 2006 Magnum, P.I. is one of a small handful of dramas voted by an overwhelming majority to have never "jumped the shark" on the user-edited website devoted to that concept.[9]

Magnum, P.I.’s theme was one of many iconic TV themes written by Mike Post. The theme made its debut during the mid-first season of the show, and later replaced the opening and closing theme of the syndicated repeats of all earlier season one episodes. The original season one theme was composed by Ian Freebairn-Smith.

Magnum, P.I. was also notable among the 1980s American media for offering a positive portrayal of an American veteran of the Vietnam War. Neither Magnum nor any of his friends are apologetic for having fought in Southeast Asia, and while they carry some of the physical and emotional scars of that conflict, they look back upon their actions with pride, often sporting unit insignia on their ball caps or T-shirts, and wearing custom rings with this insignia. Neither do they “snap,” as other Vietnam veterans were portrayed as being prone to in such movies as First Blood or Apocalypse Now. The show could be critical of the U.S. government, and particularly of the Central Intelligence Agency, but it defended the foreign policy of the Reagan Administration on several occasions. The Communist governments of Vietnam and the Soviet Union were targets of several episodes throughout the series.

Tom Selleck was famous for wearing a Hawaiian-style aloha shirt, common wear in Hawaii. A number of the episodes suggested a familiarity with haole culture and things which are common knowledge in Hawaii, such as the hazards of sun and dehydration to be found on the beaches.

Selleck also often wore a Detroit Tigers baseball cap (Selleck's hometown team) and Magnum was portrayed as a passionate Tigers fan. In an episode dedicated to this, Magnum goes to Detroit on business and to see a Tigers home stand. Humorously, he misses game after game, but well-known Detroit Tigers Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker make cameo appearances at a bar where Magnum is stuck and help him out.

Recurring characters

The series featured a large ensemble of minor characters who appeared in many episodes over multiple seasons. Many of these actors first played other characters in earlier episodes and then became regulars in the following roles:

  • Lt. Yoshi Tanaka — Homicide police lieutenant with the Honolulu PD (played by Kwan Hi Lim), characterized by his casual dress and ironic sense of humor. Seasons 2 – 8
  • Agatha Cholmondeley (pronounced Chumley) — Higgins' quintessentially English friend (played by Gillian Dobb). Seasons 3 – 8
  • Col. “Buck” Greene — Marine Corps intelligence officer (played by Lance LeGault), Magnum's former superior and often nemesis. Seasons 2 – 8
  • Carol Baldwin — assistant district attorney (played in all but first appearance by Kathleen Lloyd). Seasons 3 – 8
  • Lt. “Mac” MacReynolds — doughnut-munching Navy Intelligence lieutenant (played by Jeff MacKay), killed off in the series and later brought back as a ghost of his character. Seasons 1 – 3, and 7 – 8
  • Jim Bonig — con man (played by Jeff MacKay) who was MacReynolds’ look-alike. In one episode MacKay appeared in both roles. Seasons 5 – 8.
  • Francis “Icepick” Hofstetler — see above (played by Elisha Cook Jr who had a number of other roles in the series as well)
  • Doc Ibold — very minor character (played by Glenn Cannon) who nevertheless appeared in many episodes whenever a physician was needed in the script. Seasons 2 – 8
  • Michelle (Magnum) Hue — Magnum’s former wife (played by Marta DuBois), presumed dead but reappearing as the wife of a North Vietnamese general and the mother of Magnum’s child, and often seen in flashbacks. Seasons 2 – 8
  • Lt. (later Lt.Cdr.) Maggie Poole — successor of the deceased MacReynolds (played by Jean Bruce Scott). Seasons 3 – 8
  • Luther H. Gillis — mock-film noir private eye from St. Louis (played by Eugene Roche), and narrator of the episodes in which he appeared. Seasons 4 – 8
  • Moki - He was the bartender of the King Kamehameha Club in season 1. He was later replaced with Keokie. Seasons 1 -?
  • Keoki - He was a bartender / server of the King Kamehameha Club starting in Season 2. Season 2 - 4

Film version

Template:Future film

Main article: Magnum, P.I. (film)

In January 2006 it was announced[citation needed] that a film is again in the planning stages (after several false starts most recently in 2005) and Rawson Marshall Thurber would write and direct the screenplay.

In January 2007, it was reported that Matthew McConaughey would play Magnum, with Steve Zahn as Rick, Tyrese Gibson as T.C., and William H. Macy as Higgins.[10]

IMDBpro.com has said that on January 17th, 2007, the script is finished and the film will be released in 2009.[11]

Trivia

  • One reason this show was set in Hawaii was so that CBS could re-use many of the sets from its other hit show, Hawaii Five-O which had just completed its on-air run in 1980.[1] Several early episodes make reference to the Five-O squad. While this could be seen as setting this series in the same “universe” as Hawaii Five-O (highly likely, due to the numerous references), such references are common even in real life, due to the cultural impact of that series. Due to crossovers with other programs, the series is also shown to take place in the same continuity as Murder, She Wrote and Simon and Simon, and, by extension, The Law and Harry McGraw and Whiz Kids.
  • Robert Loggia, who starred as the bad guy in the pilot, directed a number of episodes.
  • The fictional license plate on the Ferrari changed from “56E-478” after the pilot to “ROBIN 1”, which remained for the duration of the series. The original plate number can be seen, briefly, in the titles of every episode, just as the 308 pulls away from the shoulder of the highway. Other vehicles in the series displayed similar “ROBIN” vanity plates, including an Audi 5000 with "ROBIN 2", a GMC Jimmy SUV with "ROBIN 3", and a green Ferrari (“ROBIN 28”) driven by Robin’s nephew, R.J. Masters.
  • The producers originally intended to use a Porsche 928 as 'Magnum's' car and asked Porsche to produce one with an extra large sunroof for aerial shots. Due to a strict policy by Porsche of not doing any special specifications at customer request, the Ferrari 308 GTS (which came equipped with a removable roof from the factory) was chosen instead and went on to become one of the most iconic cars of all time.
  • The Ferrari used in the pilot episode was driven across the United States by noted author P.J. O'Rourke. His essay "Ferrari Refutes the Decline of The West", published in his book "Republican Party Reptile" is a great road trip story in itself. O'Rourke was working for Car and Driver in 1979, when he and his boss were asked to drive a brand new Ferrari 308GTS from New York to LA, and then write an article on it. Naturally they do so (at speeds as high as 140 mph) and "Ferrari refutes the Decline of The West" was the result. At the very end of the essay O'Rourke remarks that the car was being shipped to Hawaii to be used in filming a movie called "Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii", which (although O'Rourke didn't know it at the time) was the name of the Magnum P.I. pilot episode.
  • Magnum and Higgins often "break the fourth wall" by "locking eyes" with the audience; other characters do this, though less frequently.
  • Magnum does not appreciate abbreviations for his profession such as P.I. and private eye. He will always correct people who use such abbreviations and remark that he is a "private investigator."
  • It was originally intended for there to be an episode of the science fiction program Quantum Leap where Scott Bakula's character, Sam Beckett, leaps into the body of Thomas Magnum. The episode would depict Beckett stumbling through a day-in-the-life of Magnum, P.I., and presumably interacting with the varied series regulars. Both Magnum P.I. and Quantum Leap were produced by Donald P. Bellisario. Plans for a Magnum, P.I. movie led to the early demise of the crossover, but some footage was filmed; namely, the end-of-episode “jumping in” scene, in which Beckett jumps into Magnum’s body, turns to the camera, and raises his eyebrows the same way Selleck made famous.
  • Selleck’s contract commitment to the Magnum, P.I. series famously cost him the role of Indiana Jones in the first Indiana Jones film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, which went to Harrison Ford. Selleck was unable to take the part of Indy as Magnum was due to start filming in March 1980. However, due to a writer's strike, the start of production on Magnum was delayed until December 1980, which would have allowed Selleck to play Indy. In Magnum, P.I.'s final season, the producers gave a nod to his sacrifice with the episode “Legend of the Lost Art”, which parodied the film.
  • During the broadcast of the series on TVG in Spain, a voice-over narrator uttered the title of the series during the opening. However, due to a misunderstanding of the abbreviation P.I. (Private Investigator), the narrator said "Magnum Pi", thus confusing the audience.
  • The Family Guy episode "Stuck Together Torn Apart" mocked Magnum, P.I., with Magnum referring repeatedly to Higgins as "Tattoo". When Higgins tries timidly to correct him repeatedly, he steps out of the Ferrari, slaps him to the ground, and asks his name. Higgins, even more timidly, says "Tattoo". This is a clear reference to the Fantasy Island character portrayed by the late Hervé Villechaize.
  • In episode #149 (7.22) "Limbo," the song that plays off and on during the entire episode and as Magnum walks off is "Looking for Space" by John Denver. This episode, where Magnum was to be shot dead by mobsters was to be the CBS series finale on 15 April 1987. When the show's fans heard this, there was a huge public outcry and the "shot dead" plotline was nixed by the producers. Magnum was indeed shot by mobsters in this episode, though he survived and returned for an unprecedented 8th season on CBS, filming 12 more episodes.
  • The video Hard to Explain by The Strokes, begins with a scene from Magnum P.I., where the Red Ferrari is accelerating from the dirt.
  • In the E! True Hollywood Story episode on the series, Donald Bellisario reveals that the character of Rick was designed to be a faithful impression of Humphrey Bogart's character of the same name from Casablanca. This is further evidenced in the restaurant, called Rick's Cafe Americaine, owned and operated by Rick in the pilot. According to Bellisario, the studio execs at CBS "just didn't get it," and asked that this gimmick be discontinued. For the remainder of the series, Larry Manetti simply played Rick as himself.
  • In an episode of NCIS (again a product of Donald Bellisario), Magnum P.I. is referred by Tony DiNozzo, after finding some "Magnum's style" Hawaiian shirts. Magnum P.I. is also referred to in Frame-Up, when DiNozzo is being interrogated, he says he wanted to watch Magnum.
  • In the episode "Unfinished Business", Magnum receives a package addressed to "Mr. Thomas Magnum, c/o Robin's Nest, 1541 Kalakaua Ave., North Shore, HI 96801". Kalakaua Avenue is in Waikiki, Honolulu (South part of the island) rather than the North Shore of Hawaii and 1541 Kalakaua Ave., is the address of the Senior Citizens Section of the Department of Parks & Recreation. The estate used in the series is in Waimanalo, HI 96795 and is owned by a lady named Eve Anderson.

Broadcasters

References

Wikiquote has quotations related to Magnum, P.I..
  1. ^ a b Entry for Magnum, P.I from the Museum of Broadcast Communications website
  2. ^ The three buddies wear a gold Team Ring, which bears a Croix de Lorraine on a black field, as a bond of wartime camaraderie.
  3. ^ In the last episode, Resolutions 2, where Rick gets married, the priest announces Rick's full name as being Orville Wilbur Richard Wright. The series ended on a cliffhanger note, as we never see whether or not Manetti's character said "I do". The name may be a continuity error, as early on in the series Roger E. Mosley's character had referred to him as "Elliot," though in the first episode he is in fact identified as Orville.
  4. ^ The Region 1 version of the Season 1 DVD release comes with an extra disk, featuring extra episodes from later in the series.
  5. ^ The Season 1 (Region 1) release has an error in the episode "China Doll": the musical cues are about 30 seconds off throughout much of the episode.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Region 2 DVDs have different cover art.
  7. ^ a b Magnum, P.I. (series) at IMDb
  8. ^ The 1981 Edgar Award was won for an episode entitled "China Doll."
  9. ^ Magnum, P.I. at JumpTheShark.com
  10. ^ Magnum at BitsofNews.com
  11. ^ Magnum News
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Magnum,_P.I.&oldid=140854678"