Before Magnum and Blue Bloods, there was Jacqueline Ray. Tom Selleck married the model-actress on May 15, 1971. They were young, carving out careers, and trying to build a quiet life in California while he chased roles that didn’t always land. By early 1982, they were separated, a detail Tom discussed in his first PEOPLE cover story that March. The divorce was finalized later that year.
Hawai‘i changed the scale of everything. When Magnum, P.I. hit in 1980, production was based primarily on O‘ahu, which meant long stretches thousands of miles from home and a new level of attention Tom hadn’t lived with before. He’s been clear, though: the separation preceded the full Magnum whirlwind. Fame complicated life; it didn’t single-handedly end the marriage.
What still lingers isn’t gossip—it’s the human part. Tom rarely dissects the breakup itself, but you can feel the aftershocks in roles he’s chosen, especially Jesse Stone, a man whose private life is messy and unresolved. That emotional register—distance, regret, trying again—fits. (There are nine TV films to date.)
Starting over, quietly. On August 7, 1987, Tom married Jillie Mack in a small chapel near Lake Tahoe. The day almost went sideways—they forgot the marriage license—but the minister saved it, sprinting paperwork to Reno while the newlyweds ate dinner. It’s a very Tom & Jillie story: low-key, a little chaotic, and warm.
Home base became a working ranch in Ventura County. Not long after, they set up life on acreage north of Los Angeles. Tom has said it plainly: “My relationships and my ranch keep me sane.” When he’s not on set, he’s doing grunt work, walking the rows, fixing things, and enjoying the kind of results you can touch. It’s the opposite of show business—and that’s the point.
Family, clarified. Kevin was born in 1966 to Jacqueline Ray. Tom legally adopted him in 1987, when Kevin was 21—years after Tom and Jacqueline divorced. He and Jillie welcomed their daughter, Hannah, in 1988. Two kids, one very private household, and a marriage that’s lasted decades.
The first marriage, in focus—without the tabloid fog.
- Dates that matter: Married 1971; separated by early 1982; divorced 1982.
- Context that helps: Magnum’s Hawai‘i production and sudden celebrity reshaped his life, but the separation was already in motion.
- What endures: A steady home life with Jillie; the Ventura ranch; and work that sometimes echoes real life more than he lets on.
Quick FAQ (tight and factual)
Who was Tom Selleck’s first wife?
Jacqueline Ray. They married in 1971 and divorced in 1982.
Did he adopt Jacqueline Ray’s son?
Yes—Tom adopted Kevin in August 1987 (age 21). The legal adoption happened years after the first marriage ended. HELLO!
When did he marry Jillie Mack, and where do they live?
August 7, 1987, near Lake Tahoe; they later settled on a ranch in Ventura County.
Why was Magnum disruptive?
Filming primarily in Hawai‘i for the 1980s meant distance and a grueling schedule during and after the separation.