According to Cameron Mitchell, his Boss character was based on Jimmy Hoffa, while the character of Herb was modeled after Neil Simon.
In order to show footage from swashbuckling matinée idol Alan Swann's (Peter O'Toole) film career, the production utilized clips from O'Toole's earlier movies Lord Jim (1965) and Great Catherine (1968), which doubled as those of his character's films. New specific footage was also shot to create other scenes of Alan Swann's adventure movies.
The part of Lil, the wardrobe lady, was played by Selma Diamond. She, herself, was a writer for Your Show of Shows (1950), the television program on which the film was based.
Director Richard Benjamin offered Peter O'Toole the role of Alan Swann the day that O'Toole was nominated for an Academy Award for The Stunt Man (1980). When executive producer Mel Brooks found out about the timing of the offer, he yelled at Benjamin, "Well, that was brilliant. Do you have any idea how much money that cost us?"
In later years, writer Dennis Palumbo quit the film business to become a psychotherapist, specializing in dealing with difficult actors, directors and other creative types.