Kristy McNichol took up smoking as part of the preparation for the role, but couldn't quit the habit. She was a regular smoker for nearly 10 years after finishing the movie.
The movie's summer camp scenes were filmed at Hard Labor Creek State Park on Fairplay Road, Rutledge, approximately fifty miles east of Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Apparently, props and signage manufactured for the movie still remain there today.
Tatum O'Neal taught Kristy McNichol how to smoke for her role. Ironically, Tatum had taken up smoking for her last huge role; her Oscar winning turn as Addie Pray in Paper Moon (1973).
Actor Perry King was originally cast as Gary Callahan. Before any of his scenes were shot however, King had a falling out with either the producer or the director. While the film crew shot around Gary Callahan, a replacement for King was sought. By the time Armand Assante got the role, half of the movie was already completed.
The film had one of the longest jumps in home video formats, approximately 40 years. Licensing rights problems resulted in a number of songs being removed from its videocassette and laserdisc releases. The songs were replaced with sound alike songs. Efforts to restore the original soundtrack delayed future domestic home video and streaming releases until 2023, when boutique label Vinegar Syndrome released a 4K UHD special edition in 2023.
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