Rearview Mirror: Actor Tom Selleck captured in many islanders’ photos

STAR-ADVERTISER / 1983

Tom Selleck, on the set of "Magnum, P.I." with the crew.

COURTESY KATHY EBEY

Kathy Ebey got a photo of herself and Tom Selleck when "Magnum, P.I." was filming a scene near where she worked at Pearl Harbor.

COURTESY GENE KANESHIRO

Gene Kaneshiro's Columbia Inn Roundtable Allstars played softball against the "Magnum, P.I." cast and crew in the late 1980s and won four of seven games.

I asked readers who they managed to have a photo with. Did they cross paths with a celebrity and have a photo to prove it? Last month I shared stories of their meeting Neil Diamond, Willard Scott, Bea­trice Wood and Nancy and Ronald Reagan.

I had so many readers send photos of themselves with Tom Selleck, I decided this week to dedicate this column to him.

Columbia Inn Roundtable Allstars

Gene Kaneshiro had a picture of himself with Tom Selleck. "The Columbia Inn at the Top of the Boulevard had a softball team aptly named the Columbia Inn Roundtable Allstars comprised of local media and entertainers. We played a number of games to call attention to or to raise funds for various charities.

"It was named the ‘Roundtable’ after the infamous roundtable of the Columbia Inn where many of the team's ‘allstars’ hung out in between games!

"Some of the Allstars players were from the print and broadcast media like Joe Moore, Don Chapman, Don Robbs, Jim Leahey, Artie Wilson, Howard Dashefsky, Tim Tindall, Bob Sevey, Gary Sprinkle, Dave Donnelly, Larry Price, Randy Cadiente and Dave Pellegrin of Honolulu Magazine.

"And, we had local entertainers such as Don Ho, Jimmy Borges, Danny Kaleikini, Maestro Donald Johanos, Melveen Leed, Carole Kai, Kimo Kahoano and former jocks like John Pennebacker, Bo Belinsky, Russ Francis and many others.

"The most famous series of games was seven games against Tom Selleck and his cast and crew over the eight years they were filming ‘Magnum, P.I.’

"Universal Studios wanted to return the favor to the Hono­lulu community and allow them to help raise funds for charities for the inconvenience they created during filming around our city.

"So, they sponsored a softball team, and the Columbia Inn Roundtable Allstars were the opposing patsies. Little did they know that we were a team of destiny.

"Our only practice was carrying the coolers from the car to the dugout! And I was the team bartender!

"Seven games were played at the old and the new University of Hawaii baseball stadiums, and the Roundtable Allstars managed to defeat Tom Selleck and his ‘Magnum’ cast and crew four out of the seven games.

"We sold out the stadium at each game and raised good money for the Boys and Girls Club and the University of Hawaii baseball booster club.

"Selleck, being such a fierce competitor, proposed a final game to try to even the score and asked to play it in private with only our spouses and families present.

"We played it on a Sunday afternoon at Mid-Pacific high school's baseball field in Manoa. It was a battle, a true grudge match played with grit and determination on both sides, all for the final bragging rights.

"The Columbia Inn Roundtable Allstars prevailed, and Tom Selleck and his team graciously accepted defeat and we picnicked together the rest of the afternoon.

"The accompanying photo showing Selleck's mud-stained uniform revealed how serious and intense the game was, but he was always a good sport and even smiled for the photo with me.

"Tom Selleck and his fiance at the time — his wife since 1987 — Jillie Mack, were regulars for dinner at the Columbia Inn. There was a house rule that we sat them at a certain booth where they could dine without being seen and interrupted, and the staff was not to bother them for pictures and autographs.

"Of the many celebrities who came to the Columbia Inn, Tom Selleck was our favorite because he was always smiling, never demanding and a true gentleman."

No, wait

"I was working as a photographer for Leeward Community College, while getting my master's at UH Manoa," Gini Moore said. "One day I was picking up photo chemicals at a camera shop in Chinatown.

"As I pulled up, I noticed a big bus with ‘Magnum, P.I.’ written on it. They were filming next door at Smith's Union Bar. I saw the directors’ chairs outside the bar.

"An older, Filipino woman was standing and waiting with a camera just beyond the taped-off area.

"I thought, ‘Gee, I wonder if he’ll come out and she’ll get a picture?’ Sure enough, out he comes. She raised the camera to get his picture. He shakes his hand, saying, ‘No, wait!’

"He asks for her camera, gives it to someone on his crew, puts his arm around her, and she gets a picture of him and her! She was thrilled! I loved him even more after watching that.

"When he finished, he was playing around chasing little kids that were hanging around. Quite a contrast! He, at 6’ 4", goofing around with little kids. Such a nice guy!"

Residual check

Robert Kawai said, "I remember when my son Corey, who is 52 now, was an extra on ‘Magnum, P.I.’

"In one scene he was on TC's baseball team. The ‘game" took place on Kahala beach, and all of these pretty young girls were waiting for Thomas Magnum to show up.

"He came screaming down the street in his red Ferrari, and they went wild. It was so funny.

"Because Corey had a speaking part (the rest of family were extras), he is still getting paid. Of course, it's not the hundreds he originally got paid. He now gets a residual check of around $12.

"After he did ‘Magnum,’ they sent him a letter thanking him and included a copy of the script. Very classy."

Filming at Pearl Harbor

Kathy Ebey of Aiea recalled: "In February of 1981, my husband was working in the Navy Supply Center that handled cargo shipments at Pearl Harbor.

"They were loading a ship at the pier, and the ‘Magnum, P.I.’ crew came down to do some filming. I worked across the street and went over to watch.

"Tom Selleck called me over to take a picture with him. He was really nice. He was asking me questions and I was tongue-tied.

"The film crew was telling him to get back to work because they were ready to shoot his next scene, but he just blew them off and kept talking to Jack, my husband, and me. Afterward, I didn't take a shower for a week (LOL)!"

Were you photographed with someone famous? If so, tell me about it.

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Bob Sigall is the author of the five "The Companies We Keep" books. Contact him at [email protected] or sign up for his free newsletter at RearviewMirrorInsider.com.

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