Carolyn Mitchell, who played the love interest in this movie, was Mickey Rooney's fifth wife until she was murdered at the age of twenty-nine. They were married for seven years, and had four children together.
Roger Corman has claimed that this was the first film he released that didn't make money, although he subsequently earned his costs back by selling the television rights.
According to an interview with co-star Ed Nelson, Jack Nicholson was so mentally overwhelmed by starring in his film debut, he actually left Hollywood and show business after this film's release to "find himself" for two years not returning until 1960.