Lance White, The Rockford Files
Brought on to contrast with James Garner's low-rent private investigator Jim Rockford, Lance White was a flashy P.I. 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 P.I. 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.

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 guest house 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. The character was so popular that it crossed over not only with similar P.I. series Simon & Simon, but also the venerable Murder She Wrote, and Selleck's mustache became a thing unto legend.

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 task, and it's his job to stop them when they run out of control. Unfortunately, villain Gene Simmons was also out of control, and he has exploding bullets that can go around corners. ...Why was this not a TV series, again?

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 totally inaccurately named Paradise, Massachusetts, which is actually rife with crime. Doesn't he know that towns named "Paradise" and "Pleasantville" and "Decenttown" always turn out to be hellholes?

Jack McLaren, The Closer
When Selleck appeared on this compelling TNT crime drama, he -- what? This is a different show? Also called "The Closer"? Huh. 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. I think there's a crime being committed somewhere in there, but I'm not quite sure who's responsible.

What's your favorite Tom Selleck role? Let us know below, then see how you can tell all of the new cop shows apart.

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