Quigley Down Under

Top 10 Fun Facts

1. The tagline used to advertise the Western "Quigley Down Under" was "The West was never this far west." Audience members were asked to turn their imaginations far west of California to the Australian continent.
2. The Emmy Award-winning director of television's "Lonesome Dove" wanted to put the classic Western genre back where he felt it belong, on the big screen. With the movie "Quigley Down Under" he also set the Western in a place it had never been before, Australia.
3. Infamous Republican Tom Selleck donated the custom made rifle he used in "Quigley Down Under" to the National Rifle Association, for their exhibit "Real Guns of Reel Heroes." There was nothing "real" about the "reel" character Quigley.
4. The big firearm used by Quigley in "Quigley Down Under" was a single-shot 1874 Sharps Rifle, weighing 13 pounds.  Tom Selleck, no doubt, got his big guns from carrying this heavy piece around!
5. John Hill first began writing "Quigley Down Under" in 1974 as a starring vehicle for Steve McQueen. McQueen fell ill before the film could be shot and the film was put on hold until a decade later when Magnum PI's Tom Selleck filled McQueen's cowboy boots.
6. The filmmakers of "Quigley Down Under" took some literary license when it came to historical accuracy. Aboriginals are seen playing a Didgeridoo in a region of Australia where they would have never even have heard of the musical instrument. After all, they did not have TV in the 1800s.
7. "Quigley Down Under" wasn't a money loser, but it came close. It was made for $20 million and earned a mere $21,413,000 at the box office.
8. The film "Quigley Down Under" was set in the Australian Outback. Sadly, there were no steakhouses.
9. Tom Selleck really had to eat Bug Meat in a scene while shooting "Quigley Down Under." Don't feel too sorry for him, Bug Meat is actually a type of Australian lobster-like crustacean and considered a delicacy.
10. Laura San Giacomo's character in "Pretty Woman" may have been a little nutty, but her character in "Quigley Down Under" was literally insane and therefore called 'Crazy Clara.'

Cast

Crew