Magnum PI question
Edward John Sabol
on most of the early ones I'm afraid. But there's always this nagging question
I've had. What the heck is that symbol on his ring? Why does he wear it? The
symbol must be French related as I saw it in "Casablanca" recently, and Lily's
mother wore it on a necklace.
Also, I'd die for a Magnum episode guide, but I'd settle for a list of
episode titles. If anyone has them, please let me know.
+-------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| Edward J. Sabol | Arpa: es...@andrew.cmu.edu |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Bitnet: es...@ANDREW.BITNET |
+-------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| "The streets that Balboa walked were his own private ocean and Balboa |
| was drowning." - August Wilson |
+-------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
Sandeep Shriram Mulgund
>I'm a big fan of Magnum and have seen probably 85% of the episodes, missing out
>on most of the early ones I'm afraid. But there's always this nagging question
>I've had. What the heck is that symbol on his ring? Why does he wear it? The
>symbol must be French related as I saw it in "Casablanca" recently, and Lily's
>mother wore it on a necklace.
>
TV Explanation:
The ring is that of Magnum's "unit" in Vietnam. Rick and TC have the
same rings.
Real Explanation:
Tom Selleck is a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. The ring he wore on
the show is the Sigma Chi ring.
Dani Climan
>TV Explanation:
>
>The ring is that of Magnum's "unit" in Vietnam. Rick and TC have the
>same rings.
>
>Real Explanation:
>
>Tom Selleck is a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. The ring he wore on
>the show is the Sigma Chi ring.
While I don't know about the Sigma Chi reference, I recall that the symbol
was prominently displayed in the pilot for the series which did not star
Tom Selleck. In fact, the symbol was used as an overlay in the opening
credits. Could it be that Bellisario or someone else is a member of the
fraternity? BTW, if I remember the symbol correctly, it was a Cross of
Lorraine (sp?) which is a cross with two horizontal bars.
Dani Climan
cli...@byron.sp.cs.cmu.edu
William December Starr
In article <1991Apr9.1...@cs.cmu.edu>,
cli...@cs.cmu.edu (Dani Climan) said:
> > Tom Selleck is a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. The ring he
> > wore on the show is the Sigma Chi ring. [s.s.mulgund]
> While I don't know about the Sigma Chi reference, I recall that
> the symbol was prominently displayed in the pilot for the series
> which did not star Tom Selleck. In fact, the symbol was used as
> an overlay in the opening credits.
The pilot movie for "Magnum, P.I." did star Tom Selleck in the title
role. In fact, as far as I know, the entire regular cast (Selleck,
John Hillerman, Roger E. Mosley and Larry Manetti) were with the
show right from the pilot through the final episode. The only major
change between the pilot and the series itself was that the gimmick
of having Orville "Rick" Wright (Manetti) dress and act like Bogart
in Casablanca and run a "Rick's"-like nightclub was dropped
(although it was resurrected in a flashback to Magnum's early P.I.
career in "Dream a Little Dream," which I always considered to be a
very admirable piece of continuity).
--
William December Starr <wds...@athena.mit.edu>
We want computers that explode.
Scott Marshall
>on most of the early ones I'm afraid. But there's always this nagging question
>I've had. What the heck is that symbol on his ring? Why does he wear it? The
>symbol must be French related as I saw it in "Casablanca" recently, and Lily's
>mother wore it on a necklace.
>
(I believe he means "choir" as it's little-used synonym of "cross.") Every
member of Magnum's unit in Viet Nam wore one of those rings. I'm afraid I
don't know of any significance beyond that.
>Also, I'd die for a Magnum episode guide, but I'd settle for a list of
>episode titles. If anyone has them, please let me know.
>
Well, don't go killing yourself; a list is on its way. If anyone else
wants one, please let me know...
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scott Marshall | 850...@aucs.acadiau.ca | I'd rather be sleeping...
Scott Marshall
>
>While I don't know about the Sigma Chi reference, I recall that the symbol
>was prominently displayed in the pilot for the series which did not star
>Tom Selleck. In fact, the symbol was used as an overlay in the opening
>credits. Could it be that Bellisario or someone else is a member of the
>fraternity? BTW, if I remember the symbol correctly, it was a Cross of
>Lorraine (sp?) which is a cross with two horizontal bars.
>
the first episode as it was broadcast in 1980, and Selleck was certainly
in it..it's been repackaged for syndication as a two-parter called
"Don't Eat The Snow In Hawaii." Was there an original pilot not shown
on TV, a la Star Trek, or what? This is the first time I've heard of
such a thing!
Scott Marshall
hope you've found it useful. Since I just had a problem sending it to
someone via email, I've decided to post it here on r.a.tv so that anyone
else who wants it can have it without bothering with email.
Since there does seem to be some fans of the show out there, I thought
I'd test your trivia knowledge:
1) who composed the ORIGINAL theme of the show?
2) what was Jeff "Mac" MacKay's first role on the show? Who else did
a single-episode stint before getting hired back as a regular?
3) for what series did Jeff MacKay leave the show?
4) what were Higgins' "last words" to Magnum before he died at the end
of Season 7?
5) what comic-book were Magnum and his little cousing both reading in
the last episode?
A couple of other things, just for interest: did anyone notice in the
repackaged version of "Resolutions," the last episode, there was a scene
involving that comic book which was not in the original broadcast? It
wasn't really very important, but it was interesting to see. Has anyone
noticed similar additions in other two-hour repackages?
Also, a question that's been stumping me for a while: in "Death And
Taxes," one of the best episodes IMHO, Magnum has to track down a "fan"
who has been killing prostitutes to try to get Magnum to catch him.
He gets Magnum's attention by telling him that he knows about Felipe,
the member of Magnum's Viet Nam unit who dies in the first episode..
how could he have known? Who was he? Any theories? Incidentally,
did anyone notice how similar that episode was to the pilot
episodes of HARRY O. (Starring David "Fugitive" Janssen) and the
Selleck/Reynolds MAGNUM-clone, B.L. STRYKER? Recycled plots, tsk.. :)
Sally Smith
>cli...@cs.cmu.edu (Dani Climan) said:
>> > wore on the show is the Sigma Chi ring. [s.s.mulgund]
Sigh.
All right. I don't know anything about Sigma Chi, but the symbol is a
Cross of Lorraine. It was used in WWII by the French Resistance, and that's
where the Magnum boys picked it up from.
You observant QL fans will have seen it on the bad guy's lighter in "Honey-
moon Express", too.
Thomas, Rick, and TC all had rings with the symbol on it. Thomas' wife
Michele had a necklace.
After the series ended, the rings went to the actors involved. Don Bellisario
had one, too, but his house was broken into and his was, alas, stolen. He's
got this nifty leather jacket with patches from all his shows, and one of the
Magnum patches has the cross, as do the Magnum crew shirts. Although my
favorite Magnum reference is the patch/logo for "The Great Hawaiian Adventure
Company". I giggled when I saw that hanging on the office wall. Shows come
and go, but the props live on forever.
Sally
P.S. Did anyone else giggle helplessly at the Japanese-dubbed clip of
Magnum in this week's "Northern Exposure"?
--
Sally Smith (415)790-0608 | ...!uunet!olivea!tymix!tardis!sally
sa...@tardis.tymnet.com | I'm unemployed--these opinions *must* be mine!
William Kucharski
>P.S. Did anyone else giggle helplessly at the Japanese-dubbed clip of
>Magnum in this week's "Northern Exposure"?
Actually, when I saw that I was wondering if you were watching NE and I was
sure you'd mention it if you were.
I was half expecting a foreign version of QL to show up, too...
--
| William Kucharski, Solbourne Computer, Inc. | Opinions expressed above
| Internet: kuch...@Solbourne.COM | are MINE alone, not those
| uucp: ...!{boulder,sun,uunet}!stan!kucharsk | of Solbourne...
| Snail Mail: 1900 Pike Road, Longmont, CO 80501 | "It's Night 9 With D2 Dave!"
Craig R. Falkenham
>Since there does seem to be some fans of the show out there, I thought
>I'd test your trivia knowledge:
Ok, I'll give it a shot. I consider myself a "fan".
>1) who composed the ORIGINAL theme of the show?
Mike Post? No? How about Angelo Badalamenti?
>2) what was Jeff "Mac" MacKay's first role on the show? Who else did
> a single-episode stint before getting hired back as a regular?
Could this be a trick question with the answer being Mac? Oh well, I'm
stumped. As for the second question, in Missing In Action, Lance LeGault
guessed starred as a Naval officer (not Buck Greene). His name was Captain
(don't call me Issac) Newton. He got shot at the end, and was exposed as
a murderer in the Washington Post. Also, in Ghost Writer, Elisha (Icepick)
Cook guest-starred as an eccentric millionaire. But he really wasn't.
>3) for what series did Jeff MacKay leave the show?
Don't know. It must have been a short-lived one, since he was back 1 year
after he died.
>4) what were Higgins' "last words" to Magnum before he died at the end
> of Season 7?
"Magnum! I demand you come back immediately!"
>5) what comic-book were Magnum and his little cousing both reading in
> the last episode?
Hmm. I don't seem to be doing to well on some of these ...
>A couple of other things, just for interest: did anyone notice in the
>repackaged version of "Resolutions," the last episode, there was a scene
>involving that comic book which was not in the original broadcast? It
>wasn't really very important, but it was interesting to see.
I guess since I can't even remember the name of the comic book, I've got
nil chances with this one.
>Also, a question that's been stumping me for a while: in "Death And
>Taxes," one of the best episodes IMHO, Magnum has to track down a "fan"
>who has been killing prostitutes to try to get Magnum to catch him.
>He gets Magnum's attention by telling him that he knows about Felipe,
>the member of Magnum's Viet Nam unit who dies in the first episode..
>how could he have known? Who was he? Any theories?
I haven't seen this one in syndication at all. I remember seeing it first-
run, and I did figure out how he knew about Felipe (hefe!), but I'm damned
if I can remember. I'll just have to wait. About who he was, didn't Magnum
say that he was a former client who thought his wife was having an affair,
and Magnum found out she was just planning a suprise party for him? Or do
I have the wrong plot? or show?
Ok, now it's my turn. Who was Walter Pigeon and what episode were we intro-
duced to him? Heh, heh, heh.
- Craig F.
Craig R. Falkenham
>In article <1991Apr11.0...@aucs.AcadiaU.ca>, 850...@aucs.AcadiaU.ca (Scott Marshall) writes:
>> 4) what were Higgins' "last words" to Magnum before he died at the end
>> of Season 7?
>
Those darn dangling participles! It should read:
4) What were Higgins' "last words" to Magnum before Magnum died at the end
of Season 7?
All those years of English finally pay off!
- Craig F.
gle...@mwk.uucp
> of Season 7?
Did Higgins die? I thought I saw him in the final episode?
gle...@mwk.uucp
Craig R. Falkenham
purdue.edu (Susan L. McConihay) writes:
>
> Which of those episode titles was the first half of the
> two-parter with Simon & Simon ???? AJ & Rick & Magnum &
> crew were looking for some sort of idol, I think; anyway,
> the second part is a Simon & Simon episode set in Central
> America....
>
>Susan
It was Ki'is Don't Lie.
- Craig F.
Susan L. McConihay
>posting. Please note that the number (if any) after a title is the
>season (I'm hoping to get a better list from MCA soon). All 162
>episodes are there; those marked with a * are two hours long. Note that
>the episode of MURDER SHE WROTE is not listed; if I had a copy and knew
>the title, I would, but I don't so I can't... If anyone has it, I'd be
>much obliged if I could copy it!
>
>The list follows....
(but was deleted)
Which of those episode titles was the first half of the
two-parter with Simon & Simon ???? AJ & Rick & Magnum &
crew were looking for some sort of idol, I think; anyway,
the second part is a Simon & Simon episode set in Central
America....
Susan
--
***************************************************************
Susan McConihay * "Imaginary" Engineer in
mcco...@gn.ecn.purdue.edu * training -countdown to next May
***************************************************************
Weev
How about some descriptions to go along with
the episode list? Just an idea!!
config
>
>The ring is that of Magnum's "unit" in Vietnam. Rick and TC have the
>same rings.
>
>Real Explanation:
>
>Tom Selleck is a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. The ring he wore on
>the show is the Sigma Chi ring.
I thought it was an United States Naval Academy class ring. Don't graduates
get them? Wasn't Magnum a graduate? TC, haveing been a USMC officer could
have also been a graduate too. That only leaves Rick who was a noncom.
Maybe "Icepick" gave it to him.
BOB
Scott Marshall
> Which of those episode titles was the first half of the
> two-parter with Simon & Simon ???? AJ & Rick & Magnum &
> crew were looking for some sort of idol, I think; anyway,
> the second part is a Simon & Simon episode set in Central
> America....
>
never heard about that one being continued in S&S; I was a regular viewer of
both shows at the time and never saw such a thing. In the MAGNUM episode,
they found the idol they were looking for but it was dropped in the ocean
or something and lost forever. Did Selleck guest-star in S&S too? Has anyone
else heard of this?
Craig R. Falkenham
(Scott Marshall) writes:
>In article <1991Apr12.1...@gn.ecn.purdue.edu>
mcco...@gn.ecn.purdue.edu (Susan L. McConihay) writes:
>> Which of those episode titles was the first half of the
>> two-parter with Simon & Simon ???? AJ & Rick & Magnum &
>> crew were looking for some sort of idol, I think; anyway,
>> the second part is a Simon & Simon episode set in Central
>> America....
>>
>The SIMON & SIMON guest-shot on MAGNUM was "Ki'is Don't Lie." Funny, I've
>never heard about that one being continued in S&S; I was a regular viewer of
>both shows at the time and never saw such a thing. In the MAGNUM episode,
>they found the idol they were looking for but it was dropped in the ocean
>or something and lost forever. Did Selleck guest-star in S&S too? Has anyone
>else heard of this?
I too was an avid viewer of both shows, but failed to see the part II episode
in SIMON & SIMON. From the end of part I, I expected Higgins to be the only
guest star, chasing the escaped villainess Morgan Fairchild.
- Craig F.
Sally Smith
>>The SIMON & SIMON guest-shot on MAGNUM was "Ki'is Don't Lie." Funny, I've
>>never heard about that one being continued in S&S; I was a regular viewer of
>>both shows at the time and never saw such a thing. In the MAGNUM episode,
>>they found the idol they were looking for but it was dropped in the ocean
>>or something and lost forever. Did Selleck guest-star in S&S too? Has anyone
Uh, considering it was IMMEDIATELY continued on S&S (the shows were on
back-to-back at the time), I don't know how you missed it. ;-)
The rest of this is from memory--I haven't watched these eps in years.
The S&S ep is called "Emeralds Are Not a Girl's Best Friend". Selleck is
in the first scene, chasing the bimbo (Morgan Fairchild?) thru the airport.
Thomas hurts his shoulder ("_the_ shoulder" as Higgins puts it), leaving
Higgins and the Simons to carry on pursuit.
Most of the ep is Rick and AJ in some fictitous-but-real-sounding So.
American country, chasing the woman, trying to get her across the border to
a country the US has an extradition treaty. AJ is forced to romance her,
poor guy. ;-)
The ep's don't really have a whole lot to do with one another, so I can
understand people forgetting.
Hmm. I wonder where my tape of that one is, I'm curious to watch it again.
(Crash thud boom rattle bang--I've gotta get these tapes in better order)
Sally
Lester Ng
>>2) what was Jeff "Mac" MacKay's first role on the show? Who else did
>> a single-episode stint before getting hired back as a regular?
If I recall correctly, Mac's first role was in the first episode when
Magnum was on his way to pick up his arriving from Japan. Mac was a
guard at the gate.
>>5) what comic-book were Magnum and his little cousing both reading in
>> the last episode?
That comic book was "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" (gack I can't stand them).
Mitch Mcgowan
>In article <1991Apr12.1...@gn.ecn.purdue.edu> mcco...@gn.ecn.purdue.edu (Susan L. McConihay) writes:
>> Which of those episode titles was the first half of the
>> two-parter with Simon & Simon ???? AJ & Rick & Magnum &
>> crew were looking for some sort of idol, I think; anyway,
>> the second part is a Simon & Simon episode set in Central
>> America....
>>
>The SIMON & SIMON guest-shot on MAGNUM was "Ki'is Don't Lie." Funny, I've
>never heard about that one being continued in S&S; I was a regular viewer of
>both shows at the time and never saw such a thing. In the MAGNUM episode,
>they found the idol they were looking for but it was dropped in the ocean
>or something and lost forever. Did Selleck guest-star in S&S too? Has anyone
>else heard of this?
When the episode "Ki'is Don't Lie" was originally aired, Simon & Simon followed
directly after Magnum, P.I. The two shows played back-to-back like a
two-hour made-for-TV movie. If my memory serves me correctly, and I
would appreciate corrections/comments if it doesn't, the Magnum episode
ends with Higgins getting on a plane for San Diego and Magnum following
at the last moment. The show was then continued on Simon & Simon.
I don't think it was set in Central America, though.
There was also a similar cross-over with Murder, She Wrote.
And here, with his bird's eye view, and a brain to match,
is Mr. Know-It-All. - Rocket J. Squirrel
*********************************************************
Mitch McGowan A.K.A. ham...@u.washington.edu
*********************************************************
Au revoir, ma petite potato du couch. - Fifi LaFume
Mitch Mcgowan
(stuff about rings, that has been determined to be a) the ring of Magnum's
unit in Vietnam and b) the ring of Tom Selleck's fraternity, deleted.)
>I thought it was an United States Naval Academy class ring. Don't graduates
>get them? Wasn't Magnum a graduate? TC, haveing been a USMC officer could
>have also been a graduate too. That only leaves Rick who was a noncom.
>Maybe "Icepick" gave it to him.
TC graduated from Grambling, where he was a football star. Although he
may have been an officer, he did not attend a military academy.
You keep using that word. It obviously doesn't mean
what you think it means. - Inigo Montoya, "The Princess Bride"
*********************************************************
Mitch McGowan A.K.A. ham...@u.washington.edu
*********************************************************
My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.
Mitch Mcgowan
>850...@aucs.AcadiaU.ca (Scott Marshall) writes:
>>In article <1991Apr12.1...@gn.ecn.purdue.edu> mcco...@gn.ecn.purdue.edu (Susan L. McConihay) writes:
>>> the second part is a Simon & Simon episode set in Central
>>> America....
>I don't think it was set in Central America, though.
I stand corrected. The S&S episode did take place in a fictitious
Central American country.
The Unknown User
In article <2808AF...@ics.uci.edu> l...@ics.uci.edu (Lester Ng) writes:
>>>5) what comic-book were Magnum and his little cousing both reading in
>>> the last episode?
>
>That comic book was "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" (gack I can't stand them).
I guess I don't remember the last episode completely, but is the
"little cousin" the French girl? If so, I thought that was his DAUGHTER.
And Michelle was his wife... (You know, the one that got blown up in the car,
and the little French girl got out of the car in time to get her doll)
Are we talking about the same girl?
Also, was it the original TMNT (black and white, and "spoof-ish")
or the 'new' TMNT (color, serious, and try to put your name on any product
under the sun)?
--
/unk...@ucscb.ucsc.edu Apple IIGS Forever! WANT ULTIMA VI //e or GS?-mail me.\
\CHEAP CDs info-mail me. McIntosh Junior: The Power to Crush the Other Kids. /
Scott Marshall
>
>In article <2808AF...@ics.uci.edu> l...@ics.uci.edu (Lester Ng) writes:
>>>>5) what comic-book were Magnum and his little cousing both reading in
>>>> the last episode?
>>
>>That comic book was "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" (gack I can't stand them).
>
>
> I guess I don't remember the last episode completely, but is the
>"little cousin" the French girl? If so, I thought that was his DAUGHTER.
>And Michelle was his wife... (You know, the one that got blown up in the car,
>and the little French girl got out of the car in time to get her doll)
>
> Are we talking about the same girl?
>
> Also, was it the original TMNT (black and white, and "spoof-ish")
>or the 'new' TMNT (color, serious, and try to put your name on any product
>under the sun)?
>--
of Magnum's cousin Karen..the little boy who runs away in "Going Home."
Sorry, I can't remember his name. And, as near as I can tell, it was the
original, B&W Eastman-Laird TMNT comic, which was quite a good book for a
while; it started out as a parody, now it's a parody of itself (TMNT Meet
Archie??? Please! :-)
Besides..Lily can't speak (or read, presumably) English. :)