Re: Why not Selleck?

Posted by Michaelson from 150.182.1.47 on April 18, 2000 at 12:20:41:

In Reply to: Why not Selleck? posted by Northwest Smith on April 18, 2000 at 03:44:21:

: In my humble opinion, Tom Selleck would have made a great Indiana Jones. At the time Raiders was being cast, I don't think Magnum, P.I. was even on the air yet. He could have played both the the adventuring, brawling hero and the intelligent, knowledgeable archaeology professor. I disagree with those who say that he would have played Indiana Jones with that looking-into-the-camera, Bugs-Bunny-eyebrow-lifting crap. He would have played it like Harrison Ford did: the way Stephen Spielberg asked (told) him to. I think that those who like to bash Selleck's ability to play Indiana Jones might be forgetting about his ability to play a character with dignity. Remember Quigley Down Under? Even on Magnum, P.I. there were quite a few episodes devoid of stagey, fakey, vaudevillean mugging the camera when Magnum was presented as a dangerous operator, one bad mo-fo. Besides, plenty of men in the Thirties wore moustches, and I've seen pictures of Selleck without it. Believe me, it's much better he wear one.
: Remember, Selleck was Lucas and Spielbergs' FIRST CHOICE.
: But this is all sound and fury signifying nothing. Ford played our favorite archaeology professor and that's the reality we've got.
: I hope my opinions lead others to think; I'm not trying to hack anybody off.
: Regards to all.

The reason Selleck was not able to do the part originally was because CBS would not let him out of his Magnum PI contract, as it was their top rated show at the time, and so he had to pass on Lucas's offer. That's why I said if CBS were not around to screw up the contract talks in my posting. As to the "looking-into-the-camera" discussion, if you're referring to my posting again, you better go back and re-read my statements. I think you missed my point completely. At the time, 1980, that's ALL he had done for TV, that being Magnum. Before that he was the "Stetson" man for their commercials, and occasionally appeared on soap operas here in the US. He had no previous notable track record, and every part he played was Magnum like in characterization. It wasn't until later in the Magnum series, which was on for several years, that those years of experience before the camera began to age him as an actor with the kind of presence that could handle the different shades of a script character. It was after THAT amount of experience was under his belt that I believe he could have indeed played the part of Indy. Not before, and not at the place he was in 1980. Spielberg even said that Harrison Ford created the Indy character, as Ford did not agree with Spielberg's or Lucas's depiction of Indy. The characterization was totally created in Ford's mind. With Selleck at the stage he is now as an actor, I once again state it would have been interesting if he would have been offered the Indiana Jones part at the level he is now in his craft and see how HE would have created the character. I believe he would have been great. Regards. Michaelson

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Sort of like Brosnan/Bond, perhaps?... Goodsport 15:45:35 4/18/2000 (0)

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: : In my humble opinion, Tom Selleck would have made a great Indiana Jones.  At the time Raiders was being cast, I don't think Magnum, P.I. was even on the air yet.  He could have played both the the adventuring, brawling hero and the intelligent, knowledgeable archaeology professor.  I disagree with those who say that he would have played Indiana Jones with that looking-into-the-camera, Bugs-Bunny-eyebrow-lifting crap.  He would have played it like Harrison Ford did: the way Stephen Spielberg asked (told) him to.  I think that those who like to bash Selleck's ability to play Indiana Jones might be forgetting about his ability to play a character with dignity.  Remember Quigley Down Under?  Even on Magnum, P.I. there were quite a few episodes devoid of stagey, fakey, vaudevillean mugging the camera when Magnum was presented as a dangerous operator, one bad mo-fo.  Besides, plenty of men in the Thirties wore moustches, and I've seen pictures of Selleck without it.  Believe me, it's much better he wear one.
: : Remember, Selleck was Lucas and Spielbergs' FIRST CHOICE.  
: : But this is all sound and fury signifying nothing.  Ford played our favorite archaeology professor and that's the reality we've got.
: : I hope my opinions lead others to think; I'm not trying to hack anybody off.
: : Regards to all.

: The reason Selleck was not able to do the part originally was because CBS would not let him out of his Magnum PI contract, as it was their top rated show at the time, and so he had to pass on Lucas's offer. That's why I said if CBS were not around to screw up the contract talks in my posting. As to the "looking-into-the-camera" discussion, if you're referring to my posting again, you better go back and re-read my statements. I think you missed my point completely. At the time, 1980,  that's ALL he had done for TV, that being Magnum. Before that he was the "Stetson" man for their commercials, and occasionally appeared on soap operas here in the US. He had no previous notable track record, and every part he played was Magnum like in characterization. It wasn't until later in the Magnum series, which was on for several years, that those years of experience before the camera began to age him as an actor with the kind of presence that could handle the different shades of a script character. It was after THAT amount of experience was under his belt that I believe he could have indeed played the part of Indy. Not before, and not at the place he was in 1980. Spielberg even said that Harrison Ford created the Indy character, as Ford did not agree with Spielberg's or Lucas's depiction of Indy. The characterization was totally created in Ford's mind. With Selleck at the stage he is now as an actor, I once again state it would have been interesting if he would have been offered the Indiana Jones part at the level he is now in his craft and see how HE would have created the character.  I believe he would have been great. Regards. Michaelson

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