Magnum Mania!

I saw a scene from "Past Tense" where TC and Higgins are skyjacked and taken hostage. After they crash and the bad guys are taking them some place on the island TC and Higgins push the bad guys over the hill and try to make a run for it. Higgins is lagging behind and TC says something like "Higgins I told you to stop smoking!" I've never seen Higgins smoke so can someone please shed some light on this? Was TC just being sarcastic?

Hi Diver Down,

Higgins smoked in a couple of episodes.This is from Computer Date.

Short answer....yes...at least when the script called for it.

He always had cigars available, which TM was famous for lifting when he could.

TC scolded him with "Smoking will stunt your growth too." when TM was laid up in the hospital.

TM took cigs away from Higgins when he was "in training" trying to get in shape to meet his future fiance'.

That's just off the top of my head. I'm sure there will be others along in due time who will not only cite examples, but provide links and/or pics/vids of scenes where the proof is clear.


Sam and I posted a minute apart, him first, and backs up my suspicion that there will be pics to support the claim!

HIggins also smoked cigars as I remember one time he was upset with Magnum for smoking his Canary Island cigars.

308GUY wrote:Short answer....yes...at least when the script called for it.

He always had cigars available, which TM was famous for lifting when he could.

TC scolded him with "Smoking will stunt your growth too." when TM was laid up in the hospital.

TM took cigs away from Higgins when he was "in training" trying to get in shape to meet his future fiance'.

That's just off the top of my head. I'm sure there will be others along in due time who will not only cite examples, but provide links and/or pics/vids of scenes where the proof is clear.


Sam and I posted a minute apart, him first, and backs up my suspicion that there will be pics to support the claim!

I can relate to Higgin's as to how TM always lifted cigars when he could, I have family members that do that to mu humidor and my wine collection....not kidding!

I have a moochador so they don't get my good cigars. They don't even know the difference.

Can't recall the name of the episode off hand, but Higgins Aldo has a cigarette in his hand while he's rehearsing his greeting for his date Emily (?) to arrive - which TC blows for him by showing up instead.

Bloody funny scene!

steveadl wrote:Can't recall the name of the episode off hand, but Higgins Aldo has a cigarette in his hand while he's rehearsing his greeting for his date Emily (?) to arrive - which TC blows for him by showing up instead.

Bloody funny scene!

Tropical Madness.. definitely one of the best scenes in the series, IMO

Doc Ibold wrote:

steveadl wrote:Can't recall the name of the episode off hand, but Higgins Aldo has a cigarette in his hand while he's rehearsing his greeting for his date Emily (?) to arrive - which TC blows for him by showing up instead.

Bloody funny scene!

Tropical Madness.. definitely one of the best scenes in the series, IMO

Thank Doc, that's the one! Between that scene, and the Sumo Wrestler and a Dwarf dialogue between Higgnins and Magnum (at 1:20 http://youtu.be/6jccPxC8yO8 ) make this episode an absolute riot!

DIVER DOWN wrote:I saw a scene from "Past Tense" where TC and Higgins are skyjacked and taken hostage. After they crash and the bad guys are taking them some place on the island TC and Higgins push the bad guys over the hill and try to make a run for it. Higgins is lagging behind and TC says something like "Higgins I told you to stop smoking!" I've never seen Higgins smoke so can someone please shed some light on this? Was TC just being sarcastic?

Both I think, haha. He did tell Higgins and Rick to stop smoking "or it will stunt your growth" in S2 "Try to Remember." Higgins smokes as late as S2 "Computer Date" and Rick is seen smoking in S3 "Black on White" but those seem to have been the last cigs for each of them.

Doc Ibold wrote:

steveadl wrote:Can't recall the name of the episode off hand, but Higgins Aldo has a cigarette in his hand while he's rehearsing his greeting for his date Emily (?) to arrive - which TC blows for him by showing up instead.

Bloody funny scene!

Tropical Madness.. definitely one of the best scenes in the series, IMO

All I have to do is think to myself, "A little champagne?" and I literally can't help but start laughing.

Higgins smoked occasional cigarettes early on, apparently only when under stress, but seems to have quit around season 3. Perhaps he had been trying to quit before then and that's why they only appeared in stressful situations such as an old flame arriving or Magnum on the brink of death. JQH also had that box of cigars on his desk but never seemed to smoke any. Magnum kept taking them!

I seem to recall an interview where John Hillerman stated that he loved to smoke also.

#1 Buzzettes Fan wrote:I seem to recall an interview where John Hillerman stated that he loved to smoke also.

He did smoke. Higgins' cigarette holder as seen in "Computer Date" was Hillerman's own. He used the same one in other roles in the 1970s.

The question is, did Magnum smoke?



Smoke these kids, I do



P.S. Apologies if this has been posted before.

jno wrote: ↑Mon Jun 27, 2022 6:00 am The question is, did Magnum smoke?

Yeah, this has been posted before, but I haven't seen it in a while. I think he was doing this sort of advertising work work before Magnum, if memory serves.

Styles Bitchley wrote: ↑Mon Jun 27, 2022 4:58 pm

jno wrote: ↑Mon Jun 27, 2022 6:00 am The question is, did Magnum smoke?

Yeah, this has been posted before, but I haven't seen it in a while. I think he was doing this sort of advertising work work before Magnum, if memory serves.

Yes, lots of ad work in the mid to late 70’s, including some kind of soap or deodorant where he was showering in the commercial. My mom knew that one in the day. LOL! He had another cigarette ad with a cowboy hat and one for Pepsi, I think. They paid the bills when all the TV pilots he did were turned down.