You Never Know: A Memoir

Written by Tom Selleck and Ellis Henican

Narrated by Tom Selleck

There are many miles from the business school and basketball court at the University of Southern California to 50 million viewers for the final episode of a TV show called Magnum P.I. Tom Selleck has lived every one of those miles in his own iconoclastic and joyful way.

Frank, funny and open-hearted, You Never Know is an intimate memoir from one of the most beloved actors of our time, the highly personal story of a remarkable life and thoroughly accidental career. In his own voice and uniquely unpretentious style, the famed actor brings readers on his uncharted but serendipitous journey to the top in Hollywood, his temptations and distractions, his misfires and mistakes and, over time, his well-earned success. Along the way, he clears up an armload of misconceptions and shares dozens of never-told stories from all corners of his personal and professional life. His rambunctious California childhood. His clueless arrival as a good-looking college jock in Hollywood (from the Dating Game to the Fox New Talent Program to co-starring with Mae West and escorting her to black-tie social functions). What it was like to emerge as a mega-star in his mid-thirties and remain so for decades to come, an actor whose authenticity and ease in front of the camera connected with audiences worldwide while embodying and also redefining the clichés of onscreen manhood.

In You Never Know, Selleck recounts his personal friendships with a vivid army of A-listers, everyone from Frank Sinatra to Carol Burnett to Sam Elliott, paying special tribute to his mentor James Garner of The Rockford Files, who believed, like Selleck, that TV protagonists are far more interesting when they have rough edges. He also more than tips his hat to the American western and the scruffy band of actors, directors and other ruffians who helped define that classic genre, where Selleck has repeatedly found a happy home. Magnum fans will be fascinated to learn how Selleck put his career on the line to make Thomas Magnum a more imperfect hero and explains why he walked away from a show that could easily have gone on for years longer.

Hollywood is never easy, even for stars who make it look that way. In You Never Know, Selleck explains how he’s struggled to balance his personal and professional lives, frequently adjusting his career to protect his family’s privacy and normalcy. His journey offers a truly fresh perspective on a changing industry and a changing world. Beneath all the charm and talent and self-deprecating humor, Selleck’s memoir reveals an American icon who has reached remarkable heights by always insisting on being himself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Nov 19, 2024
• ISBN: 9780062945792

Tom Selleck

Tom Selleck is an award-winning actor and producer best known for his iconic role as Thomas Magnum in the original Magnum P.I. television series. Among the many unforgettable roles he has played are PI Lance White on The Rockford Files, Peter Mitchell in Three Men and a Baby, Matthew Quigley in Quigley Down Under, and Peter Malloy in In & Out. He was beloved as Dr. Richard Burke, Monica’s older boyfriend, on Friends and is currently starring as NYPD Commissioner Frank Reagan on the hit crime drama Blue Bloods, now in its 14th season. 

Reviews for You Never Know

[RobynGermaine · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent trip down memory lane! Such a wonderfully warm, sincere fantastic reading and writing! Great book Mr. Selleck!

[Joseph Chiles · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I remember when Magnum PI debuted, it was part of my TV viewing growing up years. I thoroughly enjoyed Tom Selleck’s memoir. I highly recommend it.

[laytonwoman3rd · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's no secret in certain circles that I love Tom Selleck. I was a bit queasy about reading his memoir, in case I learned something I didn't want to know, you know? 'Cause really, you never know. Well, having finished it, I confess to being a bit disappointed---no, he seems to be exactly what you expect and want him to be, a great big handsome guy, perfectly cast as tough-but-tender, who always does the right thing, even when it's REALLY hard. But he downplays the drama so much that (dare I say this?) he's a little boring sometimes. There is NO dirt dished here. There is little about his personal life, and what there is is neither self-serving nor syrupy. There are some endearing stories about people he's worked with; there are some not-so-endearing stories about other people he's worked with (some network executives don't come off too well), but he's so careful about how he expresses his dissatisfaction and criticisms that no one could possibly be offended. He is never mean-spirited, and never accuses anyone else of being so. If you are or were a big fan of Magnum, you will probably love reading about Selleck's years making that series. Nearly 200 of the book's 340 pages are devoted to it. Not until the epilogue does he mention his still-current series, Blue Bloods, which has now run close to 100 more episodes than Magnum and has never fallen as low in the ratings as the latter did for a couple seasons (when lined up against The Cosby Show). His turn on Friends does not even get a nod, and neither does what I consider some of his finest work ever, the nine TV movies he produced and starred in as Jesse Stone, based on Robert B. Parker's novels. He clearly views his work during those Hawaii years as critical to his professional development. It's impossible to come away from reading this memoir without a solid respect for Selleck's integrity and work ethic, his commitment to doing right by the story, its creators and the crew, on every job. And the epilogue leaves me with hope that, while Blue Bloods is probably drawing to a close with the end of this season, Selleck doesn't sound like he intends to ride off into the sunset just yet.

[john.cooper · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Far and way beyond the usual glass-bubble, self-focused Hollywood memoir, Ron and Clint's The Boys takes you behind the scenes of twentieth-century showbiz, but with a twist: your guides are actually nice, thoughtful people. In fact, I'd venture to say that Ron Howard in particular is an example of how growing up in a truly nurturing family can give someone the strength to grow into a strong, ethical person who is able, through hard work and just a little luck, to realize his potential. Such a background is probably rarer than you might think, and it's certainly rare in Hollywood.

In fact, I would have enjoyed hearing more from Clint, who struggled far more. One gets the sense that he didn't want to rain on Ron's sunny parade by talking about his struggles — and the difficult, dark-side-of-Hollywood things he saw and Ron didn't — by saying as much as he could have. He definitely plays second fiddle in this book, and that seems like a shame.

Aside from the Howards' personalities, and the loving and detailed portrait of their shared, almost unbelievably supportive parents, I enjoyed the trips behind the stages of The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days, and learning about Ron's far from straightforward journey from acting to directing with the help of Roger Corman, who seems to have been a mentor to dozens of great directors.

[villemezbrown · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was taking a road trip to see my daughter graduate from college, so I downloaded a few audiobooks to listen to in the car. My wife had already read this, but said she wouldn't mind hearing it narrated. We started it on the last day of our return trip and got halfway through before we finally arrived home. We still had the paper book from the library too, so I switched over to that to finish out the book.


The Boys is an engaging and easy read with plenty of guest star cameos and a little bit of insider dirt. This is sort of a nostalgia wallow for me since I grew up watching Ron Howard on The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days, and large chunks of the book are given over to anecdotes from the sets of those two shows. As presented, Ron is the rare child actor who transitioned relatively smoothly to adult roles and a successful directing career. More than a bit of a square, he had a pretty golden life and has a fairly positive attitude about everything now. To add a little spice and darkness, his brother Clint contributes the occasional chapter and interjection that present his more cynical take on things, as his child acting career petered out and he found himself becoming a bit of a cult figure due to his adult career as a character actor. Clint also talks about his problems with substance abuse.

The brothers let the book serve mostly as a love letter to their parents, who started and guided their childhood careers while their father scrabbled to keep his own acting career alive and their mother struggled with mental and physical health issues. They had their ups and downs but launched an entertainment dynasty while keeping everyone fairly humble.

The book pretty much ends with Ron directing his first movie, making me feel like there may be a second volume down the road covering the rest of his filmmaking career. I'd certainly pick it up if it came to be.

[kslade-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Really interesting to me since I always wondered how "Opie" became a director of really good films.
I was not as much a fan of Clint's work but I knew who he was and did not realize he had a really bad alcohol and drug addiction before he was able to get it under control. The family they grew up in was very close and supported each other but were down-to-earth. Ron did not have the crazy problems of some other child actors who grew up. This is a fun read for a film buff and former TV addict like me.

[sriddell_8 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this look back on Ron and Clint Howard's careers, families and lives.

Warm, honest and nostalgic. A great memoir!

[dianekeenoy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a wonderful book, especially in audio with Ron and Clint Howard reading it! It was so interesting to hear about their upbringing by their actor parents who let their careers slow down when Ron got the role that made him famous as Opy on the Andy Griffith show and Clint in Gentle Ben. Hearing about the people and how things worked on their shows and movies was fascinating especially since we have been watching The Andy Griffith show on MeTV! Highly recommended!

[janarose1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Rance and Jean, parents of Ron and Clint, move to California to pursue their dreams of becoming movie stars. Instead, their children become stars. Ron stars as Opie in the Andy Griffith Show, Richie in Happy Days, and in numerous movies. Once grown, he becomes a world famous movie director. Clint stars in numerous shows as a child, and then after battling addiction, becomes a character actor in films. However, this book is a tribute to Rance and Jean, who encouraged them, treated them fairly, and set them up for success.

This was an absolutely fascinating book. I knew little about the Howard family before reading this book and was captivated by their family dynamic. The writing style was dynamic, oftentimes funny, and brutally honest. Overall, highly recommended!

[shellys_70 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As celebrity memoirs go, this is fairly tame. No big scandals, no tell-all about other celebrities. Aside from Clint's addictions, (he's now sober), this is just a simple, sweet story about a family of working actors. Both Ron and Clint started acting when they were very young, their careers for a while eclipsing their father's.

The book covers the years when their parents met and fell in love, through The Boys' acting and growing up in Hollywood, to the beginning of Ron's directing career. The structure of the book works really well, with alternating views of the authors, including asides/interruptions by the other, giving the feeling of sitting with the two of them as they tell their story. What resonated most for me is that other than being in show biz, the Howard family was normal and relatable. The book is a delight.

[boundtogetherforgood · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love memoirs, and especially those related to favorite TV programs or movies. I have liked the work of both Ron and b Clint Howard. The audiobook is especially fun because they read it.
.

[gpangel_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Boys by Ron and Clint Howard is a 2021 William Morrow publication.

As I read and listened to this book it struck me that the Howard brothers have been a presence in my life since I was a small child. This is very rare as we all know, but although they have popped in and out of my awareness, either with series television, movies, guest roles, or behind the scenes work, I occasionally marveled at the staying power of the Howard ‘boys’.

Have their lives been as charmed as they appear to be?

Other than what most other people know- I really didn’t know anything about the brother’s parents, what kind of upbringing they had, their personal relationships- friendships or romances, etc. But, even if I did have more than the surface information, I would still want to read this book.

I'd just like hearing the story come straight from Ron and Clint. It is their life, and they can give people insights they could never ascertain any other way. Telling one’s story, with both personal and career elements is such a personal endeavor, as one decides what to share, what readers would be interested in knowing, and still be honest, and forthright.

I would say that the Howard brothers did a great, and very thorough job. Maybe it is just me, but I never would have guessed that Ron and Clint were brothers, if didn’t already know. I see very little physical resemblance, and that seems to be true in temperament as well. Clint’s perspective and personality, though ambitious, didn’t seem to have the same drive as Ron. He isn’t the boy scout that his older brother is, and his career has not followed the same path. I knew very little about Clint from a personal standpoint and found his portions of the story, though not as generous as Ron’s, to be more comical at times, but the darker tones of his life are quite evident.

Although the book was a bit too long, and maybe not all the stories told are as interesting or impactful to the reader as they were for Ron or Clint, for most part the book was very interesting and the two brothers were both very articulate, and the information they included in the book gave readers an up close and personal view of what it is like to be a child star, to try and live a ‘normal’ life, how they each coped with fame, and how some doors opened and some closed at just the right time and place.

Although both brothers have been successful, Ron’s goals were a bit more focused, and his personality is more positive, looking at the things through a rosier lens than Clint. Clint chose to be an actor, not a behind the scenes guy, and his experiences weren’t always as rosy as Ron’s- far from it, in fact.

In the end, though, I reflected back in the book, after learning who had prodded Ron and Clint to consider writing it, and how it came to fruition, I thought that of all the memoirs, especially when dealing with Hollywood actors and players, it is true, that the child star, especially that of a television series star, rarely ever makes it through to this point in their lives where they can write a memoir about their long, long, long careers in the entertainment industry.

Despite some dark days for Clint, the brothers have weathered the stereotypes, and pitfalls, and have enjoyed careers that have spanned decades, and that is quite an accomplishment all on its own.

The book, maybe because it comes from two seasoned performers, has a slick, polished presentation, but it has a very honest quality about it, and felt sincere.

There is a great deal of material to cover, with two people contributing to the memoir, but the book is well organized and overall, I appreciated the approach, and the obvious amount of work the guys put into the book, and I enjoyed taking this journey with them. I loved that the memoir was like an ode to the ‘Boys’ parents, and it is obvious, that though they’ve lived unconventional lives in many ways, they have also lived traditional ones, where family relationships are at the center of their lives, first and foremost.

I really loved the way the book ended, as the brothers ribbed one another good- naturedly with jokes the readers will now fully understand.

4 stars

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a delight this memoir is! Especially for anyone growing up watching Ron and Clint Howard on television, it is a real treat to get backstage insight to their growing-up years. With a candid look at their parents and themselves, the boys tell readers what life was like for the whole family. It wasn’t always easy. Tough decisions, sacrifices for others, dogged pursuing of roles, and more are all laid out in this memoir. Though good things happened for both the brothers, there were still disappointments for each, especially as they got older. Each had to chose where his future success would be. For Ron, it was undoubtedly directing. For Clint, it was becoming a character actor. Ron’s path seemed smooth, but it was not without some troubles. Clint’s path was really rocky, made that way by his own indulgences to drugs. But both seem to have achieved what they sought, and now have a fulfilled and happy life. It was so nice to read about a Hollywood family who supported each other in the business, and in Ron’s case, is still married to his high school sweetheart, 46 years later. Listen to the audio version, narrated by Ron and Clint Howard - it’s a great performance by both.

[rhodesdavis · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Watching Ron Howard in my childhood and his movies as an adult, I was interested in his story. The audiobook is excellent and the two sides of Ron and Clint Howard play off each other wonderfully. Starting his career in the incredibly successful Andy Griffith Show and then Happy Days it is easy to think that everything was easy for him but the book reveals how the great selfless sacrifice and leadership of his parents, a strong work ethic, enduring career identity crises, and pursuing and creating opportunities. Likewise, Clint's career and lifestyle challenges are characterized by risk-taking (sometimes dangerous and poor risks), a strong work ethic, and the confidence to be his own person not living jealously in the shadow of his older brother. Instead, the deep and sincere love and mutual respect between the brothers is an encouraging story. Their parents were talented and dedicated parents who didn't live through their children nor completely sacrificed themselves for their children (and didn't exploit them), but enjoyed a crazy Hollywood journey together that didn't crash and burn or become a cringy sideshow.

[samsattler · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I’m four or five years older than Ron Howard, but when I see him or watch one of the movies he’s directed, I feel like I almost grew up with the guy. For those of us of a certain age, our relationship with “Ronny” Howard began with the still wonderful-to-watch The Andy Griffith Show, but that was far from Ron Howard’s first venture into movies and television. That is, however, where the Ron Howard clean-cut image began taking form before being further strengthened by smash hits like the George Lucas film American Graffiti and the hit television series Happy Days. Ron Howard seemed to us to be the ideal All-American boy even though some may have suspected that the image was just too good to be true.

Well, they were wrong. Ron Howard really was the All-American boy he appeared to be on film. And strangely enough, before I read The Boys, the new biography/memoir by Ron and Clint Howard, I ran across quite a few negative comments saying that The Boys makes for pretty boring reading. Why? Because all the love in his family, their work ethic, and their success in the business became too plain vanilla to hold a reader’s attention for a whole book. They were hoping for some dirt on the Howard family, and they were obviously disappointed not to find much of it there. (I do have to believe that some of the book’s harshest critics quit reading before Clint Howard opened up about his alcohol and drug abuse problems, however.)

The Boys is co-written by the Howard brothers, although Ron, as you would expect, gets the bulk of the page count. That doesn’t, however, mean that Clint does not contribute to the flow of their memoir. In fact, the contrasting views of the two authors combine to tell a family story that neither of them could have come close to telling as accurately or as movingly on their own.

And it’s pretty much all there. Both men cover their individual careers in some detail, offering stories and insights that only they are privy to. Ron hits all the highlights, especially his Andy Griffith Show, Happy Days, American Graffiti, and Music Man highlights. He also explains where, and when, his great desire to become a movie director originated, and how lucky he considers himself to be that he was able, ultimately, to live his true dream. Clint Howard’s work will likely surprise some readers because he has accumulated some 200 movie and television credits since he began acting as a toddler, including, of course, the Gentle Ben television series. Clint whole heartedly embraces his status as a character actor, and it has translated into a career that has served him well for over fifty years now.

Personally, what I find most compelling about The Boys is learning about the personal sacrifices that the Howard parents made so that their boys could find and earn their places in life. Those sacrifices were numerous, and as it turns out, they were well worth it.

Bottom Line: The Boys will be of particular interest to fans of Ron Howard’s acting and movie directing talents but, really, the best thing about the book is the way the boys credit their parents for their success. That Jean and Rance Howard were able to give their sons a relatively normal upbringing while working in an industry that so often destroys families is remarkable. The critics are right: with a couple of exceptions, this is a feel-good book…just what I needed as we close out a year like the one 2021 turned out to be.

[sdbookhound · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was so good! Both Ron and Clint Howard give us an exclusive peek into their lives as child stars. Their upbringing was definitely different than most kids, but they didn't suffer for it. Their parents were exceptional and were actors in their own right. I loved the insider information given about the shows they were involved in and the relationships they formed with people in the business. Learning what it was like attending a PUBLIC school as a child star, and navigating every day challenges of being recognized and judged based on their tv characters was truly interesting. I can't praise this book highly enough. Next I want to listen to it on audio as it is read by them. 5 stars.

[formerenglishteacher · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Actor/director/producer Ron[ny] Howard and his actor brother Clint alternate as memoirists in this enjoyable book about one of Hollywood’s most wholesome families. All four Howards, the boys and their parents, were actors their entire adult lives. Ron, of course, has become one of Hollywood’s most respected directors. In addition, he is known as one of Hollywood’s genuine nice guys. There is a lot of behind the scenes story telling here, and some technical talk compliments of Ron as he transitioned from child actor on the Andy Griffith Show to his role behind the camera. All in all, the book is enjoyable and stays away from the typical tell all scandal sheets we so often read after a celebrity has decided to write a memoir. The closest to that is brother Clint’s admission that for a decade he was addicted to alcohol and drugs, an addiction he has long since beaten.

[knahs_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent book by brothers Ron and Clint Howard on their early childhood career and how their parent's supported them - even though they wanted to be actors. The parents (Rance and Jean) were exception in the fact that essentially, they gave up their hopes for an active film career to support their sons. Rance especially was there for Ron during the Andy Griffith days and supported his son through shooting as well as plainly explaining why men drew pictures of their private parts on bathroom walls. Rance then supported Clint during his time on the Gentle Ben series. The parents took a small fee for management and socked the rest of the funds in a savings account/savings bonds so by the time Ron graduated from high school he had 6 figures in the bank (but was not at the top of the list in his high school's Most Likely to Succeed poll). The book is organized where Ron will provide his story/perspective on something and then Clint provides his story/perspective on the same thing or a different topic. It was interesting to read the two perspectives and I thought the book was well written. Most of all I think this is a good book for a parent of any "child star" to read. The boys were always given a choice as to what they wanted to do (Ron in doing films like The Music Man during the Andy Griffith hiatus). They also had a chance to play baseball and basketball and just be boys. This is a loving tribute to their parents and I say well done.