Tom Selleck is known as one of the most beloved actors in Hollywood, but it’s the way he lives his life behind the scenes that is truly impressive.

Selleck began his career as a model in the 1960s before he was signed by Twentieth Century Fox.

Though he was on the precipice of a hugely successful film career, he gave it all up when he was drafted to serve in the Vietnam War, something that he was proud to do.

“I am a veteran, I’m proud of it,” he said. “I was a sergeant in the U.S. Army infantry, National Guard, Vietnam era. We’re all brothers and sisters in that sense.”

After the war ended, Selleck began starring in the hugely popular television show “Magnum P.I.”

Though he quickly became one of the most famous stars in the world, Selleck continued to live his life by the old adage his father taught him, which goes “a man is only as good as his word.”

Throughout the 1980s, Selleck won numerous awards for his work on “Magnum P.I.,” but it was his family life that was really important to him.

He had married model Jacqueline Ray back in 1971, but they broke up soon thereafter and Selleck blamed his career for their divorce.

When he married Jillie Mack in 1987, Selleck was determined not to make that same mistake again.

That’s why, when their daughter Hannah was born in 1988, Selleck walked away from “Magnum P.I.” and devoted his time to his wife and daughter.

Over the years, Selleck started becoming concerned over the changes he saw in young people, so he started the non-profit organization Character Counts.

“I’ve tried very hard to conduct myself in an ethical way because that’s important to my stability now,” Selleck explained. 

“I work with exceptional kids,” Tom said, “gang kids, deprived kids, enriched kids, and they all have an astounding sense of entitlement.”

These days, Selleck devotes much of his time to charity work. He is a spokesman for the National Fatherhood Initiative and he works with the Skin Cancer Foundation, as well as the Los Angeles Mission, which helps the homeless.

When he’s not doing charity work, Selleck is spending time with his family on their 65 acre ranch in California.

Many Hollywood stars lose sight of what’s important in life, but Selleck certainly is not one of them!