Tom Selleck's Private Agony: 'Thrown Out and Divorced by Wife – and How a Shattered Dream Broke His Heart'

On the surface, Blue Bloods star Tom Selleck seems to have it all – a high-flying career, loving wife and fabulous California ranch where he can get away from it all, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

But when the camera stops rolling, the primetime icon still secretly agonizes over sorrows and regrets from the past – failing to achieve his dream of playing pro basketball and guilt over allowing fame to ruin his first marriage, sources said.

What's more, the 6-foot-4 actor is secretly battling the pain and suffering of crippling arthritis as he approaches his 73rd birthday in January.

An insider said: "Tom's been to doctors and learned techniques to alleviate the pain, but it's a disease that isn't going to go away. He's learning to adjust to it as best he can."

Tom was born in Detroit and moved to the Los Angeles area with his family as a youngster.

A star basketball player, he won a spot on the University of Southern California squad after playing at Los Angeles Valley Community College. But Selleck got into only seven games in 1965-1966, scoring only four points.

The following year, he tallied zero points in three games.

Forced to give up his dream of playing professionally, Selleck turned his attention to acting.

His first wife, Jacki Ray, whom he married in 1971, was there to support him during his early years of struggle. But when Selleck landed the plum lead role on Magnum, P.I. in 1980, he became a sought-after man about town while filming in Hawaii.

In turn, he "fell in love with the island and with the island girls," a source said.

Soon enough, Ray turned on the television and saw Selleck surrounded by a bevy of Hawaii beauties. She hit the roof.

Ray told pals that "she couldn't stand the pain of seeing Tom have a good time with other women. He was playing the field – and enjoying it.

"She never suspected Tom would dump her after she had stood behind him during all the lean years when he was a struggling actor looking for a major role," the insider added.

Ray soon filed for divorce. The split crushed Selleck.

"The bust-up was the worst thing that ever happened to me," Tom admitted. "I thought I'd be married for always."

Another casualty of the broken marriage was Ray's son, Selleck's stepson, Kevin.

The divorce "ruptured" his relationship with Kevin, causing more guilt for Selleck, sources said.

More recently, Tom has been brought to his knees by a secret struggle with arthritis.

It's put him in a "lot of pain and agony," one source said.

The pain is sometimes so bad Selleck can't do his own stunts on Blue Bloods, forcing a double to step in.

The star also sometimes has to film scenes sitting down and easily can get winded from exertion.

An insider said: "Tom's days as the car-jumping, scuba-diving action star are a thing of the past. Like most stars, there's a stunt double for dangerous action shots, but Tom even uses the guy for simple scenes, like getting out of the police car.

"His arthritis bothers him more some days than others. But Tom is an old-school, true professional, so he never complains about the pain. He's got a great sense of humor, and even jokes with the young actors and crew that he's not 'Magnum, P.I.' anymore."

But, a source added: "Tom's a trooper, and he's putting on a brave face. It's painful for others to watch him. Even when he retires, this is something he's going to need to manage.

"Until then, he's just going to get through it in his usual macho fashion."