Sam Elliott, Tom Selleck, and Jeff Osterhage had such a good time doing this project together, they reunited on another Louis L'Amour story, The Shadow Riders (1982).
Called The Daybreakers in Australia.
L.Q.Jones plays Belden. In the Virginian TV series, L.Q.Jones plays a cowhand also named Belden, working on the Shiloh ranch.
According to Jeff Osterhage, the role of Orrin Sackett was originally to be played by Buck Taylor, but the studio wanted Tom Selleck to play a major role.
Sam Elliott and Tom Selleck play brothers, but there's only five months difference between their ages.