Roger Earl Mosley, Original 'Magnum P.I.' Star, Dead at 83 (Theodore "T.C" Calvin)

Pop Culture ^ | Aug 7, 2022 | Daniel S. Levine

[dayglored]

Roger Earl Mosley, who played helicopter pilot Theodore "T.C." Calvin on the original Magnum, P.I., has died. He was 83. Mosley starred alongside Tom Selleck during the show's entire run, from 1980 to 1988. Mosley appeared in two episodes of the remake series starring Jay Hernandez.

Mosley's daughter, Ch-a Mosley, announced her father's death on Facebook, reports CBS Los Angeles. He died at 1:17 a.m., surrounded by his family, Ch-a wrote. "We could never mourn such an amazing man. He would HATE any crying done in his name," Ch-a continued. "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."

[dayglored]

Sad day, another great actor gone to the Great Gig In the Sky.

[dayglored]

Mosley was born in Los Angeles and made his debut in 1971 episodes of Longstreet and Cannon. In 1973, he worked with Selleck for the first time in Stephanie Rothman's Terminal Island. He had several minor roles in movies and television in the early 1970s, even working with John Wayne in McQ. In 1976, he scored his most prominent film role, playing legendary folk singer Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter in Gordon Parks' Leadbelly biopic.

Throughout the rest of the 1970s, Mosley continued appearing in hit movies and shows. He appeared in The Rockford Files, Starsky and Hutch, and Roots: The Next Generation. He played boxer Sonny Liston in The Greatest, in which Muhammad Ali played himself. Mosley also starred in Burt Reynolds' football comedy Semi-Tough.

[EvilCapitalist]

He named his daughter Ch-a?

[Rio]

Che-dash-a?

[Macho MAGA Man]

Is the actor who played Rick still living?

[Rio]

[nesnah]

RIP, Good Man.

https://youtu.be/xIaXl7SqkBw

[MNDude]

He was 83???

I feel old.

[1raider1]

The dash don’t be silent.

[DFG]

Clu Gulager died today as well.

[MayflowerMadam]

I really liked him — liked his character, too.

[DFG]

Correction: Clu Gulager died August 5, 2022.

[M Kehoe]

Ch-a

How do you pronounce that and what does it mean, if anything.

5.56mm

[laplata]

RIP, good man.

[Rockingham]

Unusually, for then and now, the character Mosley played in Magnum, helicoper pilot T.C., was Black but was not a Black character. He was simply Magnum’s friend and ally.

[laplata]

“Clu Gulager died today as well”.

Dang. RIP

[NautiNurse]

IIRC, he was the oldest of the Magnum, Rick and TC crew. Had a pilot license, but was not permitted to fly the chopper in the show.

[scottiemom]

I really liked him. He was 93! Alittle about him: .He was in the Marines, stationed at Camp Pendleton from 1946 to 1948. He grew up an only child on his alcoholic uncle’s farm near Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Clu (the nickname means “Red Bird”) was part Cherokee and was Will Rogers ‘s cousin.

[MayflowerMadam]

Why are you capitalizing “black”? Have you gone to the dark side?

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Thought that was Carl Weathers