# Magnum P.I. Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnum-p-i-question/20189>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 22, 2000, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnum-p-i-question/20189 "2000-05-22T15:22:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Joe\_x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Joe\_x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_x)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2000, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnum-p-i-question/20189/1 "2000-05-22T15:22:50Z")

</div>

In the old series “Magnum PI” (probably the greatest thing to come out of TV in the 80’s), what did Thomas Magnum do while serving in the Navy?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2000, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnum-p-i-question/20189/2 "2000-05-22T15:55:17Z")

</div>

Magnum was in Naval intelligence, but he also saw some combat action.  
The show often referred to Magnum’s friends in Naval intelligence.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Joe\_x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Joe\_x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_x)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2000, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnum-p-i-question/20189/3 "2000-05-22T16:00:34Z")

</div>

Thanks & am I correct to assume that Robin Masters and Higgins were one in the same?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2000, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnum-p-i-question/20189/4 "2000-05-22T16:06:09Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*\*  
> …what did Thomas Magnum do while serving in the Navy?  
> \*\*

He was a Thread Mover First Class. His specialty was moving TV threads to MPSIMS.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PatrickM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7feea3/32.png) [@PatrickM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickM)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2000, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnum-p-i-question/20189/5 "2000-05-22T16:55:09Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*\*  
> Thanks & am I correct to assume that Robin Masters and Higgins were one in the same?  
> \*\*

In the early shows Robin Masters was played by the voice and back of the head of Orson Welles. It was only after Welles died in the show’s later years that the show tried to pretend that Higgins and Masters were one and the same.