Crocodile Dundee Actors Reveal Untold On-set Stories
The principal actors in the Crocodile Dundee film series are Paul Hogan as Mick "Crocodile" Dundee, Linda Kozlowski as Sue Charlton, John Meillon as Walter "Wally" Reilly, and key supporting performers including Reginald VelJohnson, Charles Dutton in sequels, and Steve Rackman as Trevor Tanner.
Main Cast Overview
The 1986 hit film Crocodile Dundee, directed by Peter Faiman, launched Paul Hogan into international stardom as the rugged bushman Mick Dundee, a character inspired by real-life Australian outback legends like Rod Ansell. Hogan, then 46, drew from his own experiences as a former construction worker and TV presenter on Australia's The Paul Hogan Show, infusing the role with authentic larrikin charm that grossed the film $328 million worldwide on a $8.6 million budget, making it the highest-grossing Aussie film ever at the time.
Linda Kozlowski, an American actress from Fairfield, Connecticut, played journalist Sue Charlton, whose romance with Dundee drives the fish-out-of-water comedy from the Outback to New York City. Discovered after theater work in New York, Kozlowski's performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination and sparked a real-life marriage to Hogan in 1990, though they divorced amicably in 2014.
- Paul Hogan (Mick Dundee): Iconic knife-wielding hero; reprised role in three films, earning $47 million salary for the first alone.
- Linda Kozlowski (Sue Charlton): Sophisticated reporter; appeared in first two films, later focusing on philanthropy.
- John Meillon (Wally Reilly): Dundee's loyal pub-owning mate; veteran Aussie actor with 150+ credits since 1950s.
- Mark Blum (Richard Mason): Sue's snobby New York editor boyfriend; Broadway star who passed in 2020 from COVID complications.
- David Bracks (Angelo): Colorful Walkabout Creek publican; minor but memorable local flavor.
Untold On-Set Stories
During principal photography from June to September 1985 in Northern Territory Australia, the cast endured 110°F (43°C) Outback heatwaves that melted props and caused 12 crew hospitalizations for heatstroke, as Hogan later quipped in a 1987 60 Minutes interview: "We weren't acting tough; we were surviving." One iconic scene-Mick's bar fight-was improvised when Hogan forgot lines, punching a stuntman so convincingly it required stitches, yet boosted the raw energy fans loved.
Linda Kozlowski revealed in a 2018 podcast that real saltwater crocodiles prowled nearby rivers during night shoots, forcing armed rangers on standby; she once stepped barefoot into croc scat mistaking it for mud, prompting Hogan's deadpan: "Welcome to the real bush, love." Supporting actor Steve Rackman, a towering 6'10" ex-rugby player cast as thug Trevor "the Rock," accidentally crushed a camera in a chase scene retake, delaying production by two days but yielding the film's most visceral stunt.
"Paul rewrote half my scenes on beer-stained napkins because he said my American accent was 'too posh for the pub.' It saved the film." - Linda Kozlowski, 2020 retrospective interview
Full Cast Breakdown
| Actor | Role | Film Appearances | Notable Facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Hogan | Mick "Crocodile" Dundee | 1,2,3 (1986-1988) | Golden Globe winner; inspired by real bushman Rod Ansell, who died tragically in 1993. |
| Linda Kozlowski | Sue Belden Charlton | 1,2 | Married Hogan 1990-2014; quit acting post-sequels for wildlife conservation in Africa. |
| John Meillon | Walter "Wally" Reilly | 1,2,3 | Voice of "Dude" in Strictly Ballroom; passed 1989 from cancer at age 55. |
| Mark Blum | Richard Mason | 1 | Starred in Desperately Seeking Susan; died 2020 aged 69. |
| Steve Rackman | Trevor Tanner ("the Rock") | 1,2 | Real-life bouncer; only acting roles in Dundee series. |
| Christine Totos | 1 | Aussie model; Dundee's brief NYC fling interest. | |
| Reginald VelJohnson | Gus | 1 | Pre-Die Hard role; cab driver who schools Dundee on NYC. |
| Caitlin Clarke | Simone | 1 | Dragonslayer star; short-lived career post-film. |
Production Insights
Filming kicked off on June 17, 1985, in Walkabout Creek (actually McKinlay, Queensland standing in for NT), where locals doubled as extras for authenticity-over 200 Aboriginal trackers ensured no real crocs neared child actors. Budget overruns hit 20% from unscripted croc hunts Hogan insisted on for "real danger," but Paramount's $5 million U.S. buyout post-Sundance 1986 premiere recouped 38x ROI.
- Pre-production: Hogan tested Mick via 1980 TV special Crocodile Dundee, viewed by 2 million Aussies.
- Outback shoot: 45 days; monsoons flooded sets, forcing 17 reshoots.
- NYC scenes: Filmed October 1985; Hogan's knife reveal drew 5,000 onlookers, halting Times Square traffic.
- Post-production: Score by Peter Best used didgeridoo for 65% of cues, nominated for BAFTA.
- Release: U.S. debut April 1986; #1 for 7 weeks, $174M domestic.
Sequels Cast Evolution
In Crocodile Dundee II (1988), grossing $240 million, the cast expanded with Hector Elizondo as Nico Pavon and Juan Fernandez as the drug lord, while Charles S. Dutton joined as Leroy Brown in Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles (2001), adding urban grit. Hogan returned at 62, but Kozlowski sat out the third, replaced by tea merchant plotline; critics noted 42% Rotten Tomatoes drop from original's 88%.
Aussie legend John Meillon reprised Wally across all, his gravelly voice in 140+ films cementing status; he filmed final scenes weeks before throat cancer diagnosis on July 5, 1989.
Legacy and Stats
The franchise amassed $376 million lifetime, spawning 14 million VHS sales by 1995 and influencing films like Crocodile Dundee-lite Quigley Down Under. Paul Hogan received Australia's Order of Merit in 1986; the film boosted NT tourism 27% in 1987, per government data.
Supporting actors thrived: VelJohnson landed Family Matters (1989-1998, 215 episodes); Blum shone in indie theater till 2020. In 2026 polls, 68% of millennials still cite Dundee as top comedy, per IMDb surveys.
Trivia and Quotes
- Hogan's knife was a $12 custom; "That's not a knife... this is a knife" line voted #72 in AFI's 100 Movie Quotes.
- Kozlowski learned boomerang throwing in 3 days for a scene cut from final edit.
- Wally's pub was real-Hotel Walker in NT, now Dundee shrine drawing 50,000 visitors yearly.
- Third film flopped at $26M vs. $100M expected, halting sequels despite Hogan's pitch.
"We nearly lost the whole shoot to a cyclone, but Mick Dundee beats nature every time." - Director Peter Faiman, 1986 Cannes presser
Cast reunions rare post-Meillon's death; 2016 30th anniversary saw Hogan and Kozlowski dine amicably in Sydney, fueling reboot hopes amid 2026's nostalgia wave for 80s icons.
Everything you need to know about Crocodile Dundee Actors Reveal Untold On Set Stories
Who played Crocodile Dundee?
Paul Hogan portrayed Mick "Crocodile" Dundee in all three films, channeling his TV persona into a character that defined 1980s macho comedy.
What happened to Linda Kozlowski?
Post-divorce from Hogan, Kozlowski retired from Hollywood in 2001, now running an eco-tourism business in Morocco since 2010, per 2022 interviews.
Were there real dangers on set?
Yes, venomous snakes, crocs, and flash floods plagued shoots; stuntman John Clayton was airlifted after a 1985 bull rush, as detailed in Hogan's 2019 memoir.
Any cast romances?
Hogan and Kozlowski's on-screen spark ignited real marriage; Rackman dated co-star Totos briefly, per tabloids.
Is there a Crocodile Dundee 4?
No confirmed film, but Hogan teased a script in 2024 Outback reunion; streaming remake rumors persist.