Tom Selleck says the cast of Blue Bloods took a 25 percent pay cut in an effort to keep the show on the air before CBS canceled it.
The actor, 81, who played New York City Police Commissioner Frank Reagan on the police drama, shared the detail on the podcast “Where Everybody Knows Your Name,” hosted by Ted Danson. He called the series a “labor of love” for everyone involved.
The 81-year-old shared the detail on Ted Danson’s podcast ‘Where Everybody Knows Your Name.’ By: MEGA
Selleck said the effort to save the show came during its final stretch. He recalled that at the last cast dinner, everyone wanted to come back, and that the group had already accepted the salary reduction and done other things to keep the production going. He described the willingness of the full cast to stay as unusual for a long-running series.
He argued the cancelation did not fit the show’s performance. Selleck said that among the top 100 broadcast television programs, Blue Bloods ranked sixth in its fifteenth year. The series was officially canceled by CBS in 2023, and its final episode aired in 2024.
At the last cast dinner, Selleck said everyone wanted to come back. By: MEGA
Selleck framed the ensemble’s chemistry as rare in the industry. He said no one wanted to leave and that keeping the same cast intact for so long might be a kind of record. A lot of shows become miserable to work on, he said, describing sets where clashing egos leave actors refusing to leave their dressing rooms until others do.
Blue Bloods ran for 14 seasons on CBS, following the Reagans, a multigenerational family of New York law enforcement officers, anchored by the family’s weekly Sunday dinners. Alongside Selleck, the cast included Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, Will Estes and Len Cariou.
The final season was split into two parts. By: MEGA
The cancelation drew pushback when it was announced. The final season was split into two parts, and cast members and fans campaigned to keep the show going, though CBS did not reverse the decision. Network executives have pointed to the economics of producing a long-running drama rather than its rati
Selleck has spoken before about his attachment to the series and his hope that it could continue in some form. He also said he needed the show to keep working, tying its run to the upkeep of his California ranch.
‘Blue Bloods’ ran for 14 seasons on CBS with Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, Will Estes and Len Cariou. By: MEGA
The actor’s comments came during a wide-ranging conversation with Danson, a fellow veteran of long-running television. Selleck remains one of the most recognizable television actors of the past several decades, with earlier starring roles on Magnum, P.I. and a recurring part on Friends.