Funny Things Happen Down Under

Funny Things Happen Down Under is a 1965 Australian-New Zealand musical film directed by Joe McCormick. It stars Olivia Newton-John, Ian Turpie and Howard Morrison, and is best remembered today for being Newton-John's first film.

Plot
The film centres around a barn that is used by a group of children as a meeting place for singing practice. When the owner of the property experiences financial difficulties and considers selling the barn, one of the children comes up with an idea to raise money. The children dye sheep on his property and market the coloured wool as a naturally occurring phenomenon.

The coloured wool soon becomes sought after by buyers all over the world. However, when the coloured wool runs thin, the owner is still in danger of losing his barn. Two station hands, sympathetic to the plight of the children, decide to help by winning the remaining money in a sheep shearing contest.

Cast

 * Sue Haworth as Teena
 * Ian Turpie as Lennie
 * Bruce Barry as Frank
 * Howard Morrison as Kingie
 * Olivia Newton-John as Livvy
 * William Hodge
 * Kurt Beimel as Herr Kuhn
 * Frank Rich as Mr. McIsaac
 * John Gray
 * The Terrible Ten (troupe of child actors)
 * Frank Taylor as Policeman (uncredited)

Production
The film was a spin-off of the Terrible Ten TV series. It was shot entirely in Victoria, on location near Melbourne and in the studio of Pacific Films.

Olivia Newton-John and Ian Turpie were dating during filming.

Reception
Filmink magazine said that Joe Latona's choreography for the film's finale featured "the campest dancing shearers in cinematic history".