Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones.... (1 Viewer)

[todd s]

I was reading how Tom Selleck was originally offered the role as Indy in Raiders. But, since he was signed to do Magnum he couldn't. I am just wondering how the different to movie would have been with him? I guess I am so used to Harrison Ford as Indy that anything else would seem wrong.

 

[David C Lin]

It's hard to imagine Indy with mustache. But it could work too.

 

[Edwin-S]

I think it would have been a bomb. Selleck really fit the role of Magnum ,but his movie work hasn't been very impressive at all.

 

[todd stone]

NOOOOOOOO THANKS!

 

[Ricardo C]

It would have worked, definitely

Then again, I AM a pretty big Selleck fan. I even like "Folks!" and "Mr. Baseball" :b

 

[Ashley Seymour]

No

 

[Dennis]

I echo Ricardo_C's sentiments. Tom Selleck is a good actor and I think he would have gone to much bigger success had he been able to star in the film. I've imagined his face instead of Harrison Ford's when he first appears in the film (when he comes out of the shadow after disarming his "associate" with his bullwhip). He has strong features, especially without the moustache, and would have fit the role as well as Ford.

Selleck hasn't been able to capitalize on his early success, I don't know if it's due to bad choices or slim pickin's.

 

[Edwin-S]

If the rumoured big-screen adaptation of MAGNUM goes ahead and Tom Selleck is cast as the lead -and I can't see anyone else fitting it- then he might get a big boost in his career. It all depends on whether they actually can write a decent screenplay that captures the feel of the orginal series. So far the movie adaptations of TV properties have been scoring mostly a big zero. CHARLIE'S ANGELS, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, etc. have been nothing but pure shite.

I still could not see Selleck in the role of Indiana Jones. I'm so used to Ford in that role that I just cannot see anyone else playing the part.

 

[Ashley Seymour]

Selleck hasn't been able to capitalize on his early success, I don't know if it's due to bad choices or slim pickin's.

Maybe it's just ability or lack of. Arnuld has played action acventure rolls and he was around at the time this movie was cast. Yet I could not take seriously him in the role of Indy any more than Selleck.

Plus how could you have a character fighting Nazi's who had a thicker accent than the Nazis?

 

[Dominik Droscher]

There was a pretty funny Magnum episode where Selleck plays some kind of Indiana Jones parody.

Ironically, the production of Magnum was delayed by a writers strike (it was originally planned to begin broadcast in May 1980), so Selleck would have been free to take the role after all!

 

[Shane S.]

Its quite easy to picture Selleck in the role of Indiana Jones. I doubt he'd be as good as Ford but its not hard to picture.

 

[Ray H]

It'd be hard for me to see anyone else but Ford. He just brought a great deal to the role. He was a great underdog. Even though he always came out on top, when he did get himself into a big jam, Ford just made it look like he could be finished. The bigger the jam, the smaller he looked in the jacket and fedora. Selleck just seems too big and masculine to do that effectively. Like a big, invincible bronze God that just slams his fists into the faces of Nazis and winks back at the camera.

The Indy DVD is supposed to include Selleck's screen test. Should be fun.

 

[Steve_Tk]

Ford has his little mannerisms that made it great that I couldn't see Selleck doing.

 

[Les Samuel]

NOOOOOOOO THANKS!

I echo those sentiments!

 

[ChuckSolo]

I guess it all depends on who does the role first. I still can't watch George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, or even Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. I know, I know, David Niven ("Casino Royale") was first, but to me, 007 will always be associated with Sean Connery. I think if Tom Selleck had of done Indy first, most of us would be saying "Harrison Ford, I don't think so."

 

[todd stone]

Ford has his little mannerisms that made it great that I couldn't see Selleck doing.

exactly. Plus Indy said "Snakes. I hate snakes!"

Magnum saying "No hawaiian t-shirts? I hate nazis without hawaiian t-shirts!"

doesn't sound right

 

[BrettB]

What about Peter Coyote?

After 20+ years with Ford as Indy it's pretty much impossible to be objective. I'm just happy the way it turned out.

 

[TheLongshot]

After 20+ years with Ford as Indy it's pretty much impossible to be objective.

Very true. It could have happened the other way, with Sellick as Indy making it his own, and we couldn't imagine Ford in the role.

It probably would have been a very different Indy, but that doesn't say it wouldn't have worked...

Jason

 

[Rob Lutter]

Personally, I think he would have been just fine as 'Jones...

We are just so used to associating Harrison Ford w/ Indy that they are hard to separate from one another.

 

[Carlo_M]

Because Ford IS Indy, I can understand people hating the idea of Selleck as Indy.

But try, and this is a stretch, try to wipe Ford as Indy from your mind. Take yourself back to the early 80's (some LSD might help here ). Think about a new adventure film that's coming up starring a swashbuckling-yet-somewhat-intellectual archaeologist who plays by his own rules. Now imagine the cool dude from Magnum PI in that role.

It could work.

Would it have been as good as Ford?

No.

Would the movies have been the popular cultural icons they are now?

Probably not.

But it could have worked to some degree, I do believe.