7+ Facts About The Iconic 1993 Film “Tombstone”

Tombstone Was A Film Released In 1993 That Set The Precedence For Westerns

One of the most incredible things about the movie is the star-studded cast, which includes Kurt Russell, Sam Elliott, Val Kilmer, Bill Paxton, and Powers Boothe.

Here are some fun and interesting facts that you may or may not know about the Western classic.

1. It’s A True Story

Tombstone is based on historical events in Tombstone, Arizona, during the 1880s, including the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, a 30-second shootout between lawmen and a group of outlaws. Even the characters were based on real people.

2. Kurt Russell Directed It

The credits for Tombstone declare that George P. Cosmatos directed it; however, years later, the actual director was revealed as Kurt Russell himself. Kurt swore to Cosmatos that he wouldn’t say anything about it until after the director’s death, and sure enough, he didn’t reveal it until 2013, nearly 10 years after Cosmatos had died.

It’s been said that Russell didn’t want his co-stars know that he was directing them. Kilmer has gone on record saying that Russell worked behind the scenes and he “essentially” directed the film.

3. Willem Dafoe was almost in the movie.

Val Kilmer’s portrayal of the infamous Doc Holliday has become iconic.

It’s hard to imagine anyone but Kilmer in the role, but at one point, the part was going to Willem Dafoe. The producers felt it would be too risky to hire Dafoe since he appeared in the highly controversial film The Last Temptation of Christ five years earlier.

4. Sam Elliott Got Knocked In The Head

In the movie, there is a scene where Sam Elliott’s character, Virgil Earp, is shot and then later staggers into the bar. He collapses in pain, and his brothers go to help him up. If you watch closely, you might notice that during the filming of this scene, Kurt Russell accidentally bumped Elliott’s head into the side of the bar while helping him up. Thankfully, the injury wasn’t serious.

While the clip below is in Spanish, Elliot’s head gets bumped around the 38-second mark.

5. The mustaches were real.

Most of the time in Hollywood movies facial hair can be glued onto an actor’s face – not in Tombstone though. To make things as realistic as possible, each one of the actors grew out their own mustache!

6. Val Kilmer And Kurt Russell Gave Each Other Gifts To Commemorate The Film

Playing Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp, Val Kilmer and Kurt Russell bonded during the filming of Tombstone and became good friends by the end. As a joke, Kurt surprised Val by buying him a grave plot in Tombstone, Arizona. Unbeknownst to Kurt, Val had a similar idea to buy a gag gift, and ended up gifting him with a piece of property in the town as well. Neither one of them had any idea what the other had planned until they actually exchanged the gifts!

7. Doc Holliday’s Lines Were Real

Throughout the movie, Doc Holliday has quips and one-liners that people often quote to this day. The interesting part about this is many of those lines were taken from newspapers that had recorded Holliday’s words.

8. Wyatt Earp’s Fifth Cousin Was In The Movie

The role of Billy Claiborne was played by Wyatt Earp, a fifth-generation cousin of the historic lawman who also bears his name.

Watch the clip from the movie below of the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral.