‘Blue Bloods’ Star Tom Selleck Pulls a Frank Reagan In Real Life
Since 2010, CBS’s Blue Bloods has thrilled viewers with its inside look at police procedure and detective work. Its 11 seasons follow Frank Reagan, commissioner of the New York City Police and head of the starring Reagan family.
The American actor behind the Irish-Catholic Reagan patriarch is Tom Selleck, who quickly captured viewers’ hearts with his courage and compassion. Recently, Selleck gained even more praise when fans heard that he was taking his selflessness from the screen to his everyday life.
‘Blue Bloods’ is full of sacrifice and heroism
For Blue Bloods’ Reagan family, there’s very limited work-home separation. Though Frank is the highly-decorated Police Commissioner, he’s far from the only hero in the house.
His son Danny serves as a detective for the NYPD, while his youngest, Jamie, is a sergeant for the same department. His daughter Erin is an assistant district attorney, allowing viewers to get a holistic view of justice work through a single family.
The show has a history of using its justice-focused lens to highlight important societal issues. Blue Bloods made history by being the first film crew to capture a scene at the 9/11 Memorial — resulting in an emotional episode that Selleck cites as his favorite.
The premiere of the latest season also acknowledged issues of police brutality. Though this latest move was likely in response to the wrongful death of George Floyd, the show has never shied away from showcasing the imperfections of the legal system. In fact, the show frequently makes reference to an additional Reagan son, Joe, who was killed by a corrupt cop.
Selfless Frank Reagan is just one of Selleck’s many roles
According to CBS, Frank Reagan was a Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps before he began serving as a police offer. It’s no wonder that fans of the show were drawn to the story of this hero and his family. But despite the role of Reagan being Tom Selleck’s longest role, it’s far from the only recognizable personality he has taken on.
Selleck actually got his first long-standing, starring role in Magnum, P.I. For 162 episodes spanning eight years of the 80s, Selleck portrayed Thomas Magnum, a private investigator in Oahu, Hawaii. Although this show was also a CBS drama, Selleck has since occupied many other roles that show off his full range.
His Magnum character showed up in several episodes of Murder, She Wrote. He also took the titular role of Jesse Stone in several successful TV movies. Perhaps most notably, he found his way into the Friends cast. Despite his eventual loss to Chandler, Selleck appeared in ten episodes as Dr. Richard Burke in a bid to win Monica’s heart.
Selleck quietly participated in the 2020 Tip Challenge
Recently, Selleck took his charm and compassion from the screen to the service industry. According to People, Selleck left a $2,020 tip on a $204.68 bill at a New York restaurant, Elios. His gesture follows in the footsteps of many stars who took the #2020TipChallenge — a movement to show appreciation for service workers who have been greatly impacted by the coronavirus shutdown.
In fact, it was Donnie Wahlberg, a fellow Blue Bloods star, who first drew attention to Selleck’s kind act. On December 23, he tweeted, “I found out that my TV Dad #TomSelleck has generously accepted the #2020TipChallenge at Elios Upper East Side!” In a follow-up interview with People, he emphasized that Selleck had kept this extreme gesture of kindness to himself for weeks.
Selleck’s off-screen Reagan-like actions are evidence of his genuine character. We’re sure Selleck’s server felt as if they had just been a part of a heartwarming Blue Bloods family dinner.
