The first science fiction film to be shot in three-color Technicolor.
"Dr. Cyclops" was Albert Dekker's signature part, and virtually all of his obituaries mentioned the film.
Standing more the 6'6" Schoedsack was very aware of his status as a giant among men. Some of his colleagues from that era suggest that the filmmakers height may have motivated , at least unconsciously, his desire to approach the subject in his artistic endeavors. While many mad doctors were played by actors who were relatively modest in size, Albert Dekker (who had never before been associated with this genre) was selected for the role in part because of the similarity between his own bulky build and that of the director.
Allen Fox as "Cab Driver" is in studio records/casting call lists for that role, but he did not appear or was not identifiable in the movie.
One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since. Its earliest documented telecast took place in Seattle 3 February 1959 on KIRO (Channel 7), and it soon became a popular local favorite as it was initially aired in Milwaukee 11 April 1959 on WITI (Channel 6), in Pittsburgh Wednesday 6 May 1959 on KDKA (Channel 2), in Phoenix 15 June 1959 on KVAR (Channel 12), in Chicago 5 October 1959 on WBBM, in Minneapolis 25 October on WTCN (Channel 11), in Toledo 1 November 1959 on WTOL (Channel 11), in Detroit 11 November 1959 on WJBK (Channel 2), in Philadelphia 12 November 1959 on WCAU (Channel 10), in San Francisco 14 November 1959 on KPIX (Channel 5), in Johnstown 23 November 1959 on WJAC (Channel 6), and finally in New York City 6 April 1960 on WCBS (Channel 2). At this time, color broadcasting was in its infancy, limited to only a small number of high rated programs, primarily on NBC and NBC affiliated stations, so these film showings were all still in B&W. Viewers were not offered the opportunity to see these films in their original Technicolor until several years later. in more recent years, it has enjoyed occasional outings on cable TV on Turner Classic Movies and was released on DVD 15 November 2016 as part of the Universal Vault Series.
Luana Walters was originally slated for the role of Mary Robinson.