Guest stars on Magnum, P.I. can be said to have a part in elevating the series from a hit procedural into a cultural phenomenon. Every time a celebrity made a guest appearance, viewers were impressed by the talent and fresh vibe they brought to the show.
Guest stars also attracted more viewers who tuned in to see their favorite actors & singers make special appearances. This smart use of guest talent boosted the show's standing, helping Magnum, P.I. stay popular and leave a mark on TV history.
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List of popular guest stars that appeared on Magnum, P.I.
1) Frank Sinatra
The legendary singer was renowned for his silky baritone voice and was one of the most popular performers during the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. During his lifetime, he was awarded nine Grammys. Sinatra made a notable guest appearance on Magnum, P.I. in the episode "Laura".
He played Michael Doheny, who is a retired police officer from New York. Doheny's granddaughter is kidnapped and murdered by two men while he is celebrating his retirement. Sinatra's character becomes sad as a result of this event.
He makes a vow of vengeance and recruits Magnum to assist him in locating the perpetrators of the murders without revealing the real reason to the investigator for finding them.
2) Sharon Stone
Sharon Stone had a guest role on Magnum, P.I. as Diane Dupres and her twin sister Deirdre Dupres before she became famous for her parts in Basic Instinct and Casino. This episode, called "Echoes of the Mind," was part of the show's fifth season. Stone was just starting out as an actress then, and this part showed off how well she could play different roles.
The episode brought trouble for Magnum, who found himself falling for Diane Dupres, who is a mystery woman. Later, he discovers through her twin sister, Deirdre that Diane is unstable, paranoid, and prone to fits of hysteria with a history of attempted murder.
As Magnum encounters one strange turn after another regarding Diane and Deirdre's real identities, he is left uncertain about who to trust and must determine which of the sisters is telling the truth.
3) Angela Lansbury
In the world of mysteries, Angela Lansbury reigns supreme. The eighth episode of the seventh season of Magnum P.I. had a crossover with another cult series, Murder, She Wrote. This episode attempts to investigate the lives of Robin's visitors by focusing on their experiences.
The fact that one of the guests believes that a mainland detective should be in charge of the inquiry is extremely upsetting to Magnum. Magnum's interest is piqued when Amy Salyer, one of the guests, departs from the house, even though she is feeling anxious about the event that occurred the day before.
Magnum is successful in locating Salyer, but not before they have to dodge gunfire fired by the person who is pursuing Salyer. The private investigator that Bates hired finally arrived at the mansion where he works. Magnum is completely taken aback to discover that it is none other than Jessica Fletcher (played by Angela Lansbury), a mystery novelist from the series Murder, She Wrote.
4) Carol Burnett
The iconic Carol Burnett, who rose to fame with her comedy variety show, The Carol Burnett Show, also appeared on Magnum, P.I. Episode 14 ("Rembrandt's Girl") of Season 4, which aired in 1984, starring Burnett as Susan Johnson, an assistant branch manager at First Anglo Hawaiian Bank.
She intended to employ Thomas Magnum to follow her notorious ex-con father, who she believed was planning a heist. Magnum declined the assignment, saying he couldn't passively wait for an alleged criminal to commit a crime.
Magnum meets with Susan on Friday after Higgins (John Hillerman) sends him to the bank. She accidentally locks herself and Magnum in the bank vault, where they share wine and sweets while they wait for help. Higgins, T.C. (Roger Mosley), and Rick (Larry Manetti) save everyone and arrest Susan's lover who was planning a robbery. At the end, Susan offers Magnum commemorative plates as a thank-you gift.
After four years, Burnett plays the rival private investigator Susan Johnson on Magnum, P.I, in Season 8, Episode 7 ("A Girl Named Sue").
5) Samantha Eggar
Oscar-nominated actress Samantha Eggar, known for The Collector, appeared on Magnum, P.I. as Laura Bennett on the episode titled "Fragments". She played a psychic who hires Magnum to save her from the future she has seen for herself—being killed.
She is well-known in Hollywood for her roles in films like Doctor Dolittle and Return from the Ashes and her frequent television appearances. This made her a significant guest star on Magnum, P.I.
6) Patrick Macnee
Patrick Macnee is well known for his role as John Steed in The Avengers. He guest-starred in Magnum, P.I. as David Worth in the episode, "Holmes Is Where the Heart Is." In a flashback, Patrick Macnee plays Higgins' old friend, who attends the funeral of a mutual friend.
Patrick Macnee thinks he is Sherlock Holmes, and Higgins is Dr. Watson. Higgins suspects "Holmes" is pursuing Mr. Moriarty. In the present, Higgins is confined in Robin Masters' mansion's library penning the full account of this frightening memory.
7) Ernest Borgnine
Ernest Borgnine played the role of Earl Gianelli in the episode titled, "Mr. White Death" of Magnum, P.I., which is the eighth episode of the third season. He played a former boxing champion who asked Magnum to locate his kid, who had been missing for a very long time. However, there are aspects of his story that do not ring true.
Ernest Borgnine was a well-known actor noted for his varied roles. He gained global fame for his performances in classic films such as Marty (1955), for which he was awarded the Academy Award for Best Actor, and The Dirty Dozen (1967).
Adding to his best career performances are prominent appearances in the television series, McHale's Navy (1962-1966), in which he played the character of Lieutenant Commander Quinton McHale, and the film Escape from New York (1981), in which he played the Duke.
8) Cesar Romero
Cesar Romero, best known for his iconic portrayal of the Joker in the 1960s Batman series, guest-starred on Magnum, P.I. as Doc Villoroch in the episode titled, "Little Games." In this episode, Magnum, to make amends for the fact that he caused the security system of the Estate to malfunction, instructs Mac to restore it and then challenges Ms. Krista Villaroch, a stunning insurance security specialist, to certify that it is appropriate for the Estate to organize a jewelry competition.
Cesar Romero did not make his first appearance until the thirty-five-minute mark of the episode, and he is barely given a total of approximately four minutes of screen time. But it was enough for the fans to celebrate the appearance of the legendary figure on their favorite show of the time. Romero's extensive career also includes notable roles in films like Ocean's 11 (1960) and The Rio Bravo (1959) and television appearances in The Love Boat and Fantasy Island. His portrayal of the Joker remains a defining moment in his career, cementing his legacy in television history.
To conclude
Magnum, P.I., went on to receive cult status in the eighties and still remains a talking point. The series was rebooted on September 24, 2018. This modernized version of the classic series, developed by Peter M. Lenkov, followed the adventures of Thomas Magnum, a former Navy SEAL turned private investigator played by Jay Hernandez.
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