How old was Magnum's character throughout the P.I. series?

[bobrobertsxxx]

They all look late 30s but I can't tell. His love interests are clearly in their 30s though but I would like to know what the ages of Magnum, TC & Rick were.

[308GUY]

He turned 40 in season 7 in the episode "Forty", so there ya go. Just have to do the math. He would have been 32/33 when the series started and 40/41 when it ended.

[Tesza]

TSM's age is not clarified with absolute certainty since there are different birth dates shown and mentioned throughout the series. They all go from 1944 to 1947.
You can possibly base yourself on the birth year 1946, since he said he was 33 when leaving the navy ("... I was 33 and realized I have never really been 23 ..."), which was in 1979 (in the first 1980 episodes it says he has already been on the estate for a year). Considering the 1987 aired episode "Forty" most likely already was produced in 1986, it would fit too. In real life, Tom Selleck was born in 1945.
I'm not sure with Rick and T.C., but I'm quite sure their age was never mentioned. It's obvious they must be about Magnum's age, but it's never said. In real life Manetti (Rick) was born in 1943 and Mosley (T.C.) in 1938.

[Diandra]

Well, Tom Selleck was born in January 1945, so in when Magnum PI premiered in 1980, he would have been 35.

[MagnumILWU]

Well, Tom Selleck was born in January 1945, so in when Magnum PI premiered in 1980, he would have been 35.

Diandra, I believe he's asking about the characters ages, not the stars real age. It seems that most character's ages are younger than the actor/actress who plays it! But not Jonathan Quayle Higgins! I read Higgins was born in 1920(?), having served in WWII. John Hillerman was born on 1932, far too young to do all the things Higgins did!

[Diandra]

Sorry, my mistake.

[MagnumILWU]

Sorry, my mistake.

No reason to be sorry! Every comment makes for a better discussion!

[bobrobertsxxx]

Well, Tom Selleck was born in January 1945, so in when Magnum PI premiered in 1980, he would have been 35.

Diandra, I believe he's asking about the characters ages, not the stars real age. It seems that most character's ages are younger than the actor/actress who plays it! But not Jonathan Quayle Higgins! I read Higgins was born in 1920(?), having served in WWII. John Hillerman was born on 1932, far too young to do all the things Higgins did!

I would strongly suspect that the gang does not age chronologically per season. They seem to age at a slower rate or alternately, more than one season encompasses a calendar year. I am surprised he actually even turned 40 in character years during the show (if he did at all).

[MagnumILWU]

I was watching the new Blue Bloods Friday night. Frank Reagan said, in 1973, he was 20 yrs old, walking a beat. So his character was born in 1953! As stated before, 1945 for Selleck!

[bobrobertsxxx]

I'm not sure with Rick and T.C., but I'm quite sure their age was never mentioned. It's obvious they must be about Magnum's age, but it's never said. In real life Manetti (Rick) was born in 1943 and Mosley (T.C.) in 1938.

UPDATE: I'm watching Season 7 on DVD and in "Death of the Flowers" Rick reveals that "It was Jan. 23, 1958 he was 12 and his sister was 5 in 1958...(this episode also explains his connection to the character "Icepick" and the death of both of his parents in a car accident). Therefore he was likely born in 1946 making him 39 in 1985.

[Steve]

I was watching the new Blue Bloods Friday night. Frank Reagan said, in 1973, he was 20 yrs old, walking a beat. So his character was born in 1953! As stated before, 1945 for Selleck!

I caught that as well.......That means that Frank Reagan is only 62 on Blue Bloods, only one year older than me! I guess they have to do that since Len Cariou is only five years older than Selleck in real life..........

[Tesza]

I'm not sure with Rick and T.C., but I'm quite sure their age was never mentioned. It's obvious they must be about Magnum's age, but it's never said. In real life Manetti (Rick) was born in 1943 and Mosley (T.C.) in 1938.

UPDATE: I'm watching Season 7 on DVD and in "Death of the Flowers" Rick reveals that "It was Jan. 23, 1958 he was 12 and his sister was 5 in 1958...(this episode also explains his connection to the character "Icepick" and the death of both of his parents in a car accident). Therefore he was likely born in 1946 making him 39 in 1985.

Oh yes, thanks for correcting/adding.

[eagle]

I was watching the new Blue Bloods Friday night. Frank Reagan said, in 1973, he was 20 yrs old, walking a beat. So his character was born in 1953! As stated before, 1945 for Selleck!

I caught that as well.......That means that Frank Reagan is only 62 on Blue Bloods, only one year older than me! I guess they have to do that since Len Cariou is only five years older than Selleck in real life..........

I caught that too, and I also looked up the age diff between Tom Selleck and Len Cariou because I thought it was a bit much that there are 4 generations of Reagans, with Erin's daughter being around 20. (Just because I think it's a bit much doesn't mean I don't like the show. )

[Orrymain]

In the Video section, there's an interview with the Magnum gang on Merv. In it, Merv asked Tom how old Magnum was and Tom answered that Magnum was younger than him and was 40 while he was 41 (he actually implied that the difference was more than a year because of his then-current age). Show canon, as has been noted, wasn't as clear. They were not always great on continuity.

[MagnumILWU]

Watching "Lest We Forget" this morning on the Encore channel. When the senator( Mel Ferrer) and Magnum first meet and are talking, the senator, talking about Magnum, says Annapolis, class of 67. This would have him being born in 1945, same as real life!