Legend of the Lost Art (10 Feb. 1988)

Higgins asks Magnum to find a long-lost artifact, "The Lost Art of the Ancients" before it can fall into the wrong hands.

Director:

Burt Brinckerhoff

Writers:

Donald P. Bellisario (creator), Glen A. Larson (creator),

Stars:

Tom Selleck, John Hillerman, Roger E. Mosley

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Tom Selleck	...	Magnum
John Hillerman	...	Higgins
Roger E. Mosley	...	TC
Larry Manetti	...	Orville 'Rick' Wright
Anthony Newley	...	Peter Riddley-Smythe
Kabir Bedi	...	Malcolm, the Eastern Bloc Spy
Margaret Colin	...	Connie Northrop
Carmella Barut	...	Carmella, King Kamehameha Club Waitress
Esmond Chung	...	Police Sergeant Kenny Chung
Harland Reed	...	Bodyguard

Storyline

Higgins asks Magnum to find a long-lost artifact, "The Lost Art of the Ancients" before it can fall into the wrong hands.

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Plot Keywords:

artifact | bound and gagged | double agent | scroll | old flame | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 February 1988 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Alexander Estate, Lanihau & Haumalu, Diamond Head, O'ahu, Hawaii, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Belisarius Productions, Glen A. Larson Productions, Universal TV

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Tom Selleck's prior commitment to the series forced him to turn down the role of Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark. However, production on the series was slated to start in May of 1980, but was delayed by an actors' strike. When the series finally went into production a few months later, "Raiders" had just completed filming. Although this time period would have allowed Selleck to do the movie, Harrison Ford had already been cast in the film by the time the actors' strike began. (The 1988 episode "Legend of the Lost Art" served as a "Raiders" parody, with Magnum dressed up as Indiana Jones.)

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Connections

Spoofs Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

User Reviews

"Raiders" retelling with tongue firmly planted in cheek.

This particular episode of "Magnum" is one of the most famous, almost as famous as "Did You See the Sun Rise," because it addresses one of the most notorious "missed opportunity" stories in Hollywood history. Everyone (almost) knows how Selleck missed out on doing "Raiders" because of the conflict with "Magnum," and how the writers' strike of 1980 would have let him do it, and how (dammit!) they *were even shooting scenes in Hawaii while he was there*!!! Well, this one shows what might have been.

An almost shot-for-shot (with obvious abridging and Magnumesque touches) remake of the movie, we get to see what the film might have been like with Selleck in the lead, and, for my part, I think it would have made even more money.

As for the episode itself, it is very well done, with humorous dialogue (the characters flip-flopping between self-aware expository dialogue and stilted "heroic" dialogue when they realize they're breaking character is especially amusing), good action, and effective physical comedy.

All in all, worth a re-watch if you can track it down.