Tom Selleck just turned 78! He’s famous for his role in the hit series “Magnum P. I,” which made him work so hard that he re-learned how to balance his work and personal life the hard way. The actor found refuge in his ranch and enjoys doing chores around it daily, and now he gets to have his six grandchildren join him.
Tom Selleck broke into fame when he starred as investigator Thomas Magnum in the hit series “Magnum P.I.” which earned him several awards, including an Emmy.However, before becoming a well-known actor, he married model Jaqueline Ray, whom he met while building his career doing commercials.
Tom Selleck in Hollywood in 2010 | Source: Getty Images
The couple was married for eleven years and had a son, Kevin before they divorced. But in his younger days, Selleck admitted that he got into big trouble that he regrets.
Selleck was adored for his looks, but the actor said he did not always have the confidence or a smooth tongue when it came to women, especially after he divorced his first wife.
But someone he could connect with was his second wife, Jillie Mack, a Wiltshire, England-born actress he met backstage at the production of “Cats” in London, where Mack was a performer.
Mack also made things easy for Selleck and made the first move. The actor could not bring himself to talk to her, so just before she went on stage, she asked him to go out for a cocktail after the show. The two fell in love and married in 1987. They had a daughter, Hannah, who they raised out of the Hollywood limelight.
Tom Selleck and Jillie Mack in Los Angeles in 2017 | Source: Getty Images
Selleck just celebrated his 78th birthday and now has six grandchildren from his son Kevin. He loves them dearly and is happy when they visit him on his ranch in California. Selleck wished to see them more during the pandemic, but he had to be extra careful because his current show, “Blue Bloods,” would not be able to continue without him.
The actor loves his ranch; he purchased it after he wrapped up his time on “Magnum P.I.” in 1988. The show had consumed him so much that he felt he needed to isolate himself and regain his sanity, so he took a break and found peace in planting oak trees.
Selleck revealed in an appearance on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” that after 36 years of living on the farm, he still loves to see his trees grow. He joked and said he now has baby, teenage, and adult trees.
Tom Selleck Took a Break from Hollywood to Be a Family Man
Selleck loved his time on “Magnum P.I.” despite the long 90 hours he worked a week. But when the show ended in 1988, he took a break to be a present father and husband.
Tom Selleck, his wife Jillie Mack, and their daughter Hannah in Los Angeles in 2007 | Source: Getty Images
They filmed 163 episodes of “Magnum P.I.” and Selleck said there would have been a lot more to shoot, but he was tired of the role because he was in every scene.
The actor realized he needed to find a good work-life balance, even though he admitted that the transition was not easy. But his ranch ended up becoming the perfect escape for him.
Now he films “Blue Bloods” every other week and travels to New York. When he gets a break from filming the hit T.V. show, he shoots a film for about a month then he’s all about his family.
Selleck loves how his ranch contrasts his Hollywood life. When he finishes shooting a film and the media is flooded with arguments about how good or bad it is, he cancels out the noise by appreciating his growing trees.
As simple as planting trees sounds, Selleck loves it because it’s something tangible to watch a living plant blossom, something Hollywood does not allow one to do.
Tom Selleck’s Routine on His Ranch
Selleck adores his early mornings on his 65-acre ranch. Every day he wakes up before his wife and puts on the teakettle so that she has hot water ready when she gets up.
Tom Selleck photographed for the film “Twelve Mile Road in 2004 | Source: Getty Images
He finds this ritual pretty romantic, and so does his wife, who has stayed with him for 36 happy years. Mack sacrificed her life in England and moved to New York for her love; over three decades later, she has no regrets.
An insider revealed that the actress loves her life on the ranch. She especially loves taking care of her animals. Mack has five dogs, which she reportedly talks to like humans.
The Selleck ranch also has horses, which the “Blue Bloods” star loves to take care of. They also grow every vegetable and fruit under the sun, including many avocado trees.
The ranch is also rich with orchards and has a pond. Maintaining it is a full-time job, but when Selleck is not filming, he uses his energy to take care of his land.
At 78 years old, Selleck is still fit and energetic. Surprisingly, he hates the gym and believes his work around the ranch is the best way to sweat, burn calories, and he considers it a way to save money because he does not have to hire people for the job.
After a good breakfast, Selleck keeps himself busy fixing fences, feeding the horses and other animals, and cleaning up the weeds around the property.
Tom Selleck and Jillie Mack in California in 2003 | Source: Getty Images
Despite Selleck’s six grandchildren and his long list of daily chores around his property, he still hopes to keep himself busy with more grandkids.
The actor would love to see his daughter Hannah get married and have children. He and his wife already approve of Hannah’s boyfriend and imagine her tying the knot on their ranch, and they will hopefully have their wishes come true in due time.