Magnum Mania!

Just wondering what peoples' ideas are as to how much money Robin Masters actually had. 13 novels, of which 2 were made into films.
By comparison, Stephen King has around 40 novels with many having been made into films, and he's estimated to be worth $200M. Given that $200M was worth a lot more in the 80's, and RM had other sources of income, I.E. investments, still, castles in England, Estates in Hawaii, Jets, multiple Ferraris, etc. cost a lot of money. It was aparrent from his lifestyle that he really enjoyed his money, I wonder just how much RM had.

You wonder about things like I do. I have often wondered just how he enjoyed such a lavish lifestyle.

It's a tv show. We aren't supposed to think about those things.

I am assuming Robin made some really good investments.

Old money supplemented nicely by income from Higgins' novels.

N1095A wrote:Just wondering what peoples' ideas are as to how much money Robin Masters actually had. 13 novels, of which 2 were made into films.
By comparison, Stephen King has around 40 novels with many having been made into films, and he's estimated to be worth $200M. Given that $200M was worth a lot more in the 80's, and RM had other sources of income, I.E. investments, still, castles in England, Estates in Hawaii, Jets, multiple Ferraris, etc. cost a lot of money. It was aparrent from his lifestyle that he really enjoyed his money, I wonder just how much RM had.

In the 1970's it would be easier to buy land in Hawaii than today. There are condo's in Hawaii today probably cost more than Robins Nest estate cost in the 1970's. The Ferrari 308 sold for $60,000 in the early 80's. Today a top of the line Ferrari can cost more than a million dollars. Everything was cheaper in the 1970's and 1980's. A dollar could buy much more back then.

Buck wrote: In the 1970's it would be easier to buy land in Hawaii than today. There are condo's in Hawaii today probably cost more than Robins Nest estate cost in the 1970's. The Ferrari 308 sold for $60,000 in the early 80's. Today a top of the line Ferrari can cost more than a million dollars. Everything was cheaper in the 1970's and 1980's. A dollar could buy much more back then.

Everything was cheaper in the 70's and 80's but I thought the Castle in England was a bit over the top..........

Perhaps he won it in a poker game!

I agree with your investment idea, IKnowWhatYoureThinking. In fact, in Tropical Madness, the thief actually talks about Robin...a struggling young writer in Paris...spending his money on art that he thought was good and how now it's worth millions.

So I don't have a clue about how much money Robin has...just that he has WAY more than even seems possible to me! More zeros than I've ever seen!!

Wasn't Robin Masters loosely based on either Harold Robbins or Sidney Sheldon? One of them just passed away a short time ago. They lived a very lavish lifestyle, something like a real-life Robin!

Perhaps, just perhaps, JQ Higgins had all the money, not only from the novels he wrote using the pseudonym, Robin Masters, but also from his family inheritence. After all, we did see the episode where he visited his father in the castle. He could have been a rich young lad who simply detested the stigma he felt being one of the wealthy aristocracy. He played down his status from his grade school days. He enlisted and rose to the ranks of Sgt. Major rather than accept a commission. He chose combat duty in lieu of a comfortable and safe job behind a desk. Think of "The Prince and the Pauper."

Higgins was a great story teller. When his first book sold and the money really started to roll in he had to find a way to continuing enjoying the finer things in life whilst maintaining company with the common folk. What an ingenious scheme! Buy a magnificent estate in a tropical paradise and get to enjoy the trappings of wealth by posing as the estate's manager! His self discipline never betrayed the ruse until the last episode. When he told TM, "I lied" what did he lie about? Being Robin or living as himself and pretending that there was an actual Robin Masters, it made no difference. TM figured it out. He was too astute a p.i. to not figure it out.

Think about it. If you won say, $200 million in the lottery, what better way to enjoy your wealth and remain anonymous than to do exactly what Jonathan Q. Higgins did. After all, who would want every 'ner do well' relative begging for small change. The friends he made were true friends, not strangers looking for a handout.

So, my take, in summary......JQH was wealthy from the start and a best selling author using the name Robin Masters. Income derives from two sources.

Of all the main characters in MPI, I think that Higgins is the most complex and interesting. He certainly is the smartest and what he admires most in TM is TM's incredible ability at problem solving while remaining true to his nature. TM is seeking to find himself, "work it out" so to speak. This is what Higgins did through Robin Masters. He remained true to his ideals despite the perceived burden of inherited wealth. The money from the novels was earned. Hence it could be enjoyed but with boundries!

Jaybird wrote:Perhaps, just perhaps, JQ Higgins had all the money, not only from the novels he wrote using the pseudonym, Robin Masters, but also from his family inheritence. After all, we did see the episode where he visited his father in the castle. He could have been a rich young lad who simply detested the stigma he felt being one of the wealthy aristocracy. He played down his status from his grade school days. He enlisted and rose to the ranks of Sgt. Major rather than accept a commission. He chose combat duty in lieu of a comfortable and safe job behind a desk. Think of "The Prince and the Pauper."

Higgins was a great story teller. When his first book sold and the money really started to roll in he had to find a way to continuing enjoying the finer things in life whilst maintaining company with the common folk. What an ingenious scheme! Buy a magnificent estate in a tropical paradise and get to enjoy the trappings of wealth by posing as the estate's manager! His self discipline never betrayed the ruse until the last episode. When he told TM, "I lied" what did he lie about? Being Robin or living as himself and pretending that there was an actual Robin Masters, it made no difference. TM figured it out. He was too astute a p.i. to not figure it out.

Think about it. If you won say, $200 million in the lottery, what better way to enjoy your wealth and remain anonymous than to do exactly what Jonathan Q. Higgins did. After all, who would want every 'ner do well' relative begging for small change. The friends he made were true friends, not strangers looking for a handout.

So, my take, in summary......JQH was wealthy from the start and a best selling author using the name Robin Masters. Income derives from two sources.

Of all the main characters in MPI, I think that Higgins is the most complex and interesting. He certainly is the smartest and what he admires most in TM is TM's incredible ability at problem solving while remaining true to his nature. TM is seeking to find himself, "work it out" so to speak. This is what Higgins did through Robin Masters. He remained true to his ideals despite the perceived burden of inherited wealth. The money from the novels was earned. Hence it could be enjoyed but with boundries!

I'm all about it with the exception of the first paragraph.