Tom Selleck's Career in TV Law Enforcement

Tom Selleck is famous for many things — "Three Men and a Baby," his role on "Friends," his timeless mustache — but in general, he's known for playing two types of characters: cowboys and detectives. Ironically, he doesn't seem to have ever played a sheriff, but in the new fall TV series "Blue Bloods," he plays an NYPD police chief with three children who are also in law enforcement. It seems like a natural fit for the gruff authority figure, but mostly, it's a great next step in his career of playing crime fighters, whether government-sponsored or independently licensed. Here are some of his best cop and detective roles.Thursday, September, 23, 2010, 9:23 PM

Lance White, "The Rockford Files" — Brought on to contrast with James Garner's low-rent private investigator Jim Rockford, Lance White was a flashy PI who had a lot more money and a lot more charm. He only appeared in two episodes, one of which had the pair team up at a PI convention, but it got his foot in the door with the network when the show went off the air, leading to his most famous character ... who was basically another Jim Rockford.Everett Collection - Thursday, September, 23, 2010, 9:23 PM

Thomas Magnum, "Magnum, P.I." — With his Hawaiian shirts, baseball caps, and winning smile, Magnum was an American icon, even though he was also a kept man. The Hawaiian guesthouse he lived in and the red Ferrari he drove were both owned by the famous author for whom he handled security, but the job also allowed him enough free time to do private investigation work on the side. It was thanks to this character that Selleck's mustache became a thing unto legend.Universal Television/Everett Collection - Thursday, September, 23, 2010, 9:23 PM

Sgt. Jack Ramsay, "Runaway" — Although it was sadly never made into a TV series, this film — written and directed by Michael Crichton — had Selleck playing a cop in the near future, when robots are used for a variety of tasks, and it's his job to stop them when they get out of control. Unfortunately, villain Gene Simmons was also out of control, and he had exploding bullets that could go around corners. Why was this not made into a TV series, again?TriStar Pictures/Everett Collection - Thursday, September, 23, 2010, 9:23 PM

Jesse Stone, the "Jesse Stone" TV movies — To date, Selleck has made seven of these TV movies — based on the series of books by Robert B. Parker — playing a former LAPD detective who was fired for his drinking problem. Stone has landed a job as police chief in the inaccurately named Paradise, Massachusetts, which is actually rife with crime. Doesn't he know that towns named things like "Paradise" and "Pleasantville" always turn out to be hellholes?CBS/hris Reardon - Thursday, September, 23, 2010, 9:23 PM

Jack McLaren, "The Closer" — When Selleck appeared on this compelling TNT crime drama, he — what? This is a different show? Also called "The Closer"? Yes, apparently, Selleck played an advertising executive in this short-lived sitcom, and in one episode he did a song-and-dance number with Bernadette Peters. We think there's a crime being committed somewhere in there, but we're not quite sure who's responsible.Warner Bros. Television - Thursday, September, 23, 2010, 9:23 PM

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