According to his first PEOPLE cover in 1982, Tom Selleck’s love life had no “Hawaiian punch”

Today, Selleck is happily married to his wife Jillie Mack, whom he married in 1987.

Tom Selleck’s love life hasn’t always been smooth.

The Blue blood The 79-year-old actor, who is featured on this week’s cover, spoke to PEOPLE more than four decades ago for its first cover story on March 8, 1982, just as the Emmy-winning Magnum PI Star gained increasing fame as the face of the successful CBS show.

At the time, PEOPLE wrote that Hollywood was becoming increasingly aware of Selleck’s “stunning Hawaiian chops” and that the actor, who played private detective Thomas Magnum, was quickly swarmed by legions of fans wherever he appeared.

In the early days of Magnum PISelleck was separated from his first wife, Jacquelyn Ray, but was not yet legally divorced. He admitted at the time that he was hesitant to enter into a new relationship.

Silver Screen Collection/Getty

Tom Selleck in “Magnum PI”” src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/HpIWAZic1z.SWxv1maQ7kw–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTY0MDtoPTk2MA–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/people_218/2f62e25d42ef2e824813352086200001″ class=”caas-img”/>

“I’m self-protective,” he said at the time. “One of my nightmares would be to get involved with someone while I’m still trying to figure out what’s going on in my life.”

“I’ve told a few people I’ve dated, ‘If I don’t call you for five or six days, it’s not because I didn’t have fun. It’s because I’m a weirdo,'” he added.

Related: Tom Selleck Looks Back on His ‘Happy Life,’ His ‘Accidental’ Career and the 4 Decades He Loved His Wife Jillie (Exclusive)

Selleck’s newfound fame – he was also in ABC’s The Divorce Wars: A Love Story with Jane Curtin – also brought challenges when it came to dating.

“There aren’t enough hours in the day to nurture relationships,” he recalls, adding, “It’s very tiring knowing that everything you do all day is being photographed. I’m not saying it’s a heavy burden, but it’s just not an easy adjustment.”

Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Tom Selleck and his wife Jillie Mack in 1990″ src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/kS_SFo_ffpYnhs3v8yB_rg–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MQ–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/people_218/cad818c3d87c52f65b4eed54389b451e” class=”caas-img”/>

Today, Selleck has been happily married to his wife of decades, Jillie Mack, and he recalled their wedding on August 7, 1987, ahead of the release of his new memoir. You never knowwill be released on May 7th.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The couple married in a private ceremony near Lake Tahoe in the US state of Nevada – and experienced a surprising mess on the big day.

“Jillie can talk very fast and a lot and loudly, and I heard all of that, and I think Dan went to check, and we had all forgotten the (marriage certificate),” Selleck said.

Jeff Lipsky

Tom Selleck poses for his 2024 PEOPLE cover shoot” src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/GJamSxvTUQdjUOjVZxzLSA–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MQ–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/people_218/aada833fa2a2c510095522fce1172992″ class=”caas-img”/>

Related: Tom Selleck Took a Three-Year Break from Acting After His Daughter Was Hospitalized with ‘Viral Pneumonia’ as a Toddler (Exclusive)

Despite the surprising mix-up, Selleck, who has a daughter, Hannah, with Mack, says he will always remember the incident that the Reverend saved.

“That’s what I remember most about the wedding. And Reverend David said, I’m going to sign this thing anyway,” he continued. “And he drove all the way to Reno himself so we could have dinner and brought it back. So yeah, it was just an adventure. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

For more on Tom Selleck, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE (on newsstands Friday) or subscribe here.

You never know hits bookstores on May 7th.

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive more People news!

Read the original article on People.