Tom Selleck Explains Why He ‘Hesitated for a Long Time’ to Write His Memoir
By Movieguide® Contributor
BLUE BLOODS star Tom Selleck’s new memoir talks about his life and includes advice for young actors, but he initially wasn’t sure if he’d have anything to write about.
“I hesitated for a long time because I didn’t, you know, screw up and end up going to prison and have to start a new career,” he told Country Living. “I just said, ‘What am I gonna write about?'”
“I knew I wasn’t going to do a get-even book or a tell-all book or a political book,” he continued. “So I just had to think about it because my publicist is a dear friend, and she just kept on me. It took about four years. I prefer to be computer illiterate, so I wrote with a pen and yellow pad.”
While handwriting his 352-page memoir may seem impractical, Selleck has “always written that way, and it’s the only way I know how to write. I can’t think in front of a keyboard,” he told Town and Country.
As Selleck began to write, figuring out what he wanted to say became easier as he drew from his many stories and pieces of advice.
“I got into it and had some ideas about what I would talk about,” the actor explained.
“When I undertook this project, I made a commitment to share my private, personal emotions and feelings…primarily about my work,” he added.
“You Never Know” released earlier this month. A synopsis reads:
In You Never Know, Selleck recounts his personal friendships with a vivid army of A-listers, everyone from Frank Sinatra to Carol Burnett to Sam Elliott, paying special tribute to his mentor James Garner of The Rockford Files, who believed, like Selleck, that TV protagonists are far more interesting when they have rough edges.He also more than tips his hat to the American western and the scruffy band of actors, directors and other ruffians who helped define that classic genre, where Selleck has repeatedly found a happy home. Magnum fans will be fascinated to learn how Selleck put his career on the line to make Thomas Magnum a more imperfect hero and explains why he walked away from a show that could easily have gone on for years longer.
Movieguide® previously reported on Selleck’s book:
While following Selleck’s long journey to stardom, the memoir also highlights his friendships with A-list actors from a previous era – like Frank Sinatra and James Garner – who taught Selleck important lessons about life, acting and celebrity status.
Selleck also gives readers a deep dive into his most famous characters, such as MAGNUM P.I.’s imperfect Thomas Magnum and BLUE BLOOD’s wise Frank Reagan.
The beloved actor does not shy away from talking about his personal life either, as he is candid about the difficulties of balancing an acting career and spending time with family. Throughout the book, he reveals the times he had to shift his acting career to protect the privacy and normalcy of his family.
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