History Trivia / TheThornBirds

** The role of Mary Carson was offered to Creator/AudreyHepburn. Creator/BetteDavies campaigned for the role.

** Creator/MichellePfeiffer, Creator/JaneSeymourActress, Creator/KimBasinger, Music/OliviaNewtonJohn and Creator/SissySpacek were among those considered for the role of Meggie.
** The role of Mary Carson was offered to Creator/AudreyHepburn.

* CaliforniaDoubling: Literally. While set in Australia, the miniseries was filmed in California, though the Matlock Island scenes were shot in Hawaii.

** In ''The Missing Years'', a ''17''-year-old Olivia Burnette is cast as the ''10-year-old'' Justine. Ironically, her petite stature initially does her make her look much younger that she is, but her, er, development gives away the fact that she's older.
** Also occurs briefly in ''The Missing Years'', when the then-36-year-old Amanda Donohoe plays the 17-year-old Meggie in a quick flashback.

* FakeNationality: All over the place. The only aversion is the Australian Bryan Brown as the Australian Luke. Meanwhile, other characters from [[FakeAustralian Australia (Justine and Dane)]], [[FakeIrish Ireland (Ralph, Paddy, Mary)]], New Zealand (Fee and most of the Cleary children), and Germany (Rainier) are played by Americans and Brits, while Canadian Christopher Plummer plays an Italian cardinal.

** Creator/TristanRogers was considered for the role of Father Ralph.

* FakeNationality: All over the place. The only aversion is the Australian Bryan Brown as the Australian Luke. Meanwhile, other characters from Australia (Justine and Dane), [[FakeIrish Ireland (Ralph, Paddy, Mary)]], New Zealand (Fee and most of the Cleary children), and Germany (Rainier) are played by Americans and Brits, while Canadian Christopher Plummer plays an Italian cardinal.

* CreatorBacklash: Colleen [=McCullough=] disliked the character of Meggie, despite her having several of her own characteristics.

** Creator/MichellePfeiffer, Creator/JaneSeymourActress, Creator/KimBasinger, Creator/OliviaNewtonJohn and Creator/SissySpacek were among those considered for the role of Meggie.

* CaliforniaDoubling: Literally. While set in Australia, the miniseries was filmed in. . .California, though the Matlock Island scenes were shot in Hawaii.

** In ''The Missing Years'', a ''17''-year old Olivia Burnette is cast as the ''10 year old'' Justine. Ironically, her petite stature initially does her make her look much younger that she is, but her, er, development gives away the fact that she's older.
** Also occurs briefly in ''The Missing Years'', when the then-36 year old Amanda Donohoe plays the 17-year old Meggie in a quick flashback.

* TheOtherDarrin: ''Everyone'' in "The Missing Years", except for Richard Chamberlain as Father Ralph. This is justified in the case of Dane and Justine, as they are younger versions of who we seen in the original.

* DisownedAdaptation: Colleen [=McCullough=] absolutely ''loathed'' the miniseries, to the extent that interviewers were warned [[BerserkButton not to bring it up]]. Needless to say, she didn't think highly of ''The Missing Years'' either, and thanks to the numerous and major continuity errors produced, neither do most fans of the original.

* CreatorBacklash: Colleen [=McCullough=] dislikes the character of Meggie, despite her having several of her own characteristics.

* FakeNationality: All over the place. The only Australian actually playing an Australian is Bryan Brown, who played Luke. Meanwhile, Americans and Brits play characters from Australia (Justine and Dane), [[FakeIrish Ireland (Ralph, Paddy, Mary)]], New Zealand (Fee and most of the Cleary children), and Germany (Rainier), while Canadian Christopher Plummer plays an Italian cardinal.

* CaliforniaDoubling: Literally. While set in Australia, the miniseries was filmed in. . .California, though the Matlock Island scenes were shot in Hawaii

** Creator/MichellePfeiffer, Creator/JaneSeymour, Creator/KimBasinger, Creator/OliviaNewtonJohn and Creator/SissySpacek were among those considered for the role of Meggie.

* DawsonCasting: Rachel Ward was in her mid-20's when cast as the teenaged Meggie, but this is justified in that she continued to play Meggie even as the character aged. Additionally, in ''The Missing Years'', a ''17''-year old Olivia Burnette is cast as the ''10 year old'' Justine. Ironically, her petite stature initially does her make her look much younger that she is, but her, er, development gives away the fact that she's older.
** Occurs briefly in ''The Missing Years'', when the then-36 year old Amanda Donohoe plays the 17-year old Meggie in a quick flashback.

* RomanceOnTheSet: Rachel Ward (Meggie) and Bryan Brown (Luke) fell in love while working on the show (ironic, as they were playing people trapped in a loveless marriage). They married shortly after, are still married today, and have three children. Meanwhile, [[StraightGay Richard Chamberlain]] met his partner while on set, an actor playing a priest who like Ralph, broke his vow of chastity.

* HeyItsThatGuy: [[Film/TheCountOfMonteCristo Edmond Dantes]] is a priest, [[Anime/HowlsMovingCastle Sophie]] is a housewife, [[Franchise/StarTrek Q]] is a toff who rides horses and [[Film/TheSoundOfMusic Captain von Trapp]] is a cardinal.

* HeyItsThatGuy: [[Film/TheCountOfMonteCristo Edmond Dantes]] is a priest, [[Anime/HowlsMovingCastle Sophie]] is a housewife, [[Franchise/StarTrek Q]] is a toff who rides horses and [[TheSoundOfMusic Captain von Trapp]] is a cardinal.

* FakeNationality: All over the place. The only Australian actually playing an Australian is Bryan Brown, who played Luke. Meanwhile, Americans and Brits play characters from Australia (Justine and Dane), [[FakeIrish Ireland (Ralph, Paddy, Mary)]], and New Zealand (Fee and most of the Cleary children), while Canadian Christopher Plummer plays an Italian cardinal.

* HeyItsThatGuy!: [[Film/TheCountOfMonteCristo Edmond Dantes]] is a priest, [[Anime/HowlsMovingCastle Sophie]] is a housewife, [[Franchise/StarTrek Q]] is a toff who rides horses and [[TheSoundOfMusic Captain von Trapp]] is a cardinal.

* DisownedAdaptation: Colleen [=McCullough=] absolutely ''loathed'' the miniseries, to the extent that interviewers were warned [[BerserkButton not to bring it up]]. Needless to say, she didn't think highly of ''The Missing Years'' either, and thanks to the major continuity errors produced, neither do most fans of the original.
* FakeNationality: All over the place. The only Australian-born actor in a major role is Bryan Brown, who played Luke. Meanwhile, Americans and Brits play characters from Australia (Justine and Dane), [[FakeIrish Ireland (Ralph, Paddy, Mary)]], and New Zealand (Fee and most of the Cleary children), while Canadian Christopher Plummer plays an Italian cardinal.

* TheOtherDarrin: ''Everyone'' in "The Missing Years", except for Richard Chamberlain as Father Ralph.

* DisownedAdaptation: Colleen [=McCullough=] absolutely ''loathed'' the miniseries, to the extent that interviewers were warned [[BerserkButton not to bring it up]].

* DawsonCasting: Rachel Ward was in her mid-20's when cast as the teenaged Meggie, but this is justified in that she continued to play Meggie even as the character aged. Additionally, in ''The Missing Years'', a ''17''-year old Olivia Burnette is cast as the ''pre-teen'' Justine. Ironically, her petite stature initially does her make her look much younger that she is, but her, er, development gives away the fact that she's older.

* FakeNationality: All over the place. The only Australian-born actor in a major role is Bryan Brown, who played Luke. Meanwhile, Americans and Brits play characters from Australia (Justine and Dane), Ireland (Ralph, Paddy, Mary), and New Zealand (Fee and most of the Cleary children), while Canadian Christopher Plummer plays an Italian cardinal.

* RomanceOnTheSet: Rachel Ward (Meggie) and Bryan Brown (Luke) fell in love while working on the show (ironic, as they were playing people trapped in a loveless marriage). They have been married nearly 30 years and have three children. Meanwhile, [[StraightGay Richard Chamberlain]] met his partner while on set, an actor playing a priest who like Ralph, broke his vow of chastity.

* TheOtherDarrin: ''Everyone'' in "The Missing Years", except for Richard Chamberlain as Father Ralph'