Actor Roger E. Mosley, best known for his role as the helicopter pilot Theodore “T.C.” Calvin in the CBS television series “Magnum P.I.,” died on Sunday morning after being involved in a horrific car crash last week, his daughter announced on Sunday. He was at the age of 83. The car crash left the actor paralyzed following the crash.
According to his daughter Ch-a, Mosley died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center three days ago following injuries sustained in the car accident in Lynwood, California. Ch-a posted the tragic update before later confirming his death to the Hollywood Reporter. No further details were given on his death.
Death of a Star
Mosley’s daughter confirmed the news of his death via a tribute post on her Facebook. “Roger E. Mosley, my father, your friend, your ‘coach Mosley’ your ‘TC’ from Magnum P.I., passed away at 1:17 am,” Ch-a wrote.
She said that Mosley was “surrounded by family as he transcended peacefully,” adding, “We could never mourn such an amazing man. He would HATE any crying done in his name.”
“It is time to celebrate the legacy he left for us all. I love you daddy. You loved me too. My heart is heavy but I am strong. I will care for mommy, your love of almost 60 years. You raised me well and she is in good hands. Rest easy,” the post further read.
Mosley co-starred with Tom Selleck in the hit series “Magnum P.I.” as Theodore “TC” Calvin from 1980 through 1988. He appeared in 158 episodes. Calvin, the protagonist of the play, ran Island Hoppers, a helicopter company.
He and Selleck previously collaborated on the film “Terminal Island”, and Selleck suggested him for the role.
The California native’s biggest and most popular film role was in Leadbelly, which premiered in 1976.
An Illustrious Career
However, Mosley was initially against doing a television series as he believed that would ruin his film career. Mosley, who was born on December 18, 1938, in Los Angeles, was raised in Watts and attended Jordan High School.
He made his acting debut on the big screen in 1971 by taking on small roles in the films “Cannon” and “Longstreet.” He later played Monk alongside Phyllis Davis and his soon-to-be co-star Selleck in the film “Terminal Island.”
In an interview with Jim Conlan in 2019, Mosley had said how, he was against doing a television series. “It’s starring this guy Tom Selleck. Tom Selleck has made about five pilot shows … and none of them have sold. So here’s what you do, Roger: Sign up for the show, go over to Hawaii, they’ll treat you good for the 20 days it will take to shoot the [pilot], you’ll get a lot of money, and then you come home. A show with Tom Selleck always fails, and you’ll be fine,” he said during the interview.
“Well, eight-and-a-half years later …” He claimed that the original plan for his role was to be a broke entrepreneur operating a failing company, but he but he vetoed that as he didn’t want to “be the only Black person in Hawaii and be broke.”
The actor, in addition to his work on Magnum, P.I., also starred in a number of other TV shows, such as Fact Checkers Unit, Las Vegas, Rude Awakening, Walker, Texas Ranger, Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper, Night Court, You Take the Kids, The Love Boat, Starsky and Hutch, Baretta, Sanford and Son, Kung Fu, and Kojak.
After taking a sabbatical from acting in 2010, Mosley reemerged in 2019 to appear in the Magnum P.I. reboot episode ‘A Kiss Before Dying.’
Mosley and Toni Laudermick have been in a relationship since 1976, and the two are parents to Ch-a. The actor previously married Sandra Locke in 1960. However, the marriage ended in divorce two years later.
They co-parented two children they had together, but this aspect of his life was very private.
