“Studio publicity in 1941 claimed that Ronald Reagan and Ann Sheridan were scheduled to appear in this film, and Dennis Morgan is mentioned as the third lead. This was never the case, however, and the false story was planted, either by a studio publicist or a press agent for the three other actors, to keep their names in the press. Meanwhile George Raft was angling for the part with Jack L. Warner, but Hal B. Wallis had been assigned to search for what would be Humphrey Bogart’s next starring role. He wrote to Warner that he had found the next movie for Bogart, and the role was perfect for him. Nobody else was ever considered for the part.”

— Source: Internet Movie Database

One of the first Japanese films to be shot in anamorphic widescreen, The Mysterians (1957) is also the first of a long line of low-budget Toho Studio movies that feature alien invaders.

“When former Olympic star Johnny Weissmuller was approached to play Tarzan, he was under contract with BVD to advertise their underwear and swimming trunks. BVD strenuously objected to its spokesman appearing in just a loincloth — the company only wanted him to appear wearing its product. In return for letting Weismuller play Tarzan, MGM allowed BVD to run ads featuring the studio’s contract players in BVD swimsuits (including Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, Jean Harlow, and Marie Dressler).”

— Source: Gabe Esso’s book Tarzan of the Movies (as cited by Internet Movie Database)

Independently produced by Sherman S. Krellber, The Lost City (1935) was a 12-part low-budget serial that mixed not-so-convincing jungle locales with cool-looking mad scientist laboratory equipment. If the laboratory equipment looks familiar, it may be because Ken Strickfaden also created the electrical effects for Frankenstein (1931) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935).

Produced by Hal Roach and directed by Fred Guiol, Flaming Flappers (1925) may survive today only as a fragment. Sadly, the majority of silent films are lost forever.

“It is widely believed that Ted Turner had plans to colorize Citizen Kane, but that wide public outcry led to his decision not to. The rumor came from a tongue-in-cheek comment from Turner that he would colorize the film in order to bait critics of the process.

“In actuality, Orson Welles had the rights to the film, and Turner couldn’t have colorized the film even if he had wanted to. Nonetheless, the controversy over the potential alteration of this film was one of the catalysts that eventually led to the film industry requirement that all future video and TV releases of films that have been altered in any way — including the standard conversion from widescreen to ‘pan and scan’ — must carry a disclaimer indicating the film has been ‘modified from its original version.’

“It is also widely believed that when he heard about it, Welles supposedly roared, ‘Tell Ted Turner to keep his crayons away from my movie!’ However, being that he owned the rights to the film, it is highly unlikely that he ever made any such statement.”

— Source: Internet Movie Database

“The running time for The Wizard of Oz was originally 120 minutes. Producer Mervyn LeRoy realized that at least 20 minutes of the film needed to be deleted to get it down to a manageable running time. Three sneak previews aided LeRoy in his decision in what to cut. The original film in its entirety was seen only once by an audience in either San Bernadino or Santa Barbara, and it was the only time the famed Jitterbug number was seen by the public.

“After this preview, LeRoy cut the aforementioned Jitterbug number and the Scarecrow’s extended dance sequence to ‘If I Only Had a Brain.’ A second preview was held in Pomona, California, where the film ran 112 minutes. After the preview, LeRoy cut Dorothy’s ‘Over The Rainbow’ reprise and a scene in which the Tin Man turned into a human beehive, and the Emerald City reprise of ‘Ding Dong The Witch is Dead,’ as well as a few smaller scenes and dialogue, notably two Kansas scenes in which the Hickory character was building a machine to ward off tornadoes, as well as dozens of threatening lines by the Wicked Witch of the West.

“By the third preview, held in San Luis Obispo, the film finally was down to its 101-minute running time, where it has remained ever since.”

— Source: Internet Movie Database

“Thirty-seven doctors in the continental U.S. had the same name the writers had given to Groucho Marx in A Day at the Races. It was feared the studio would be sued the minute they were portrayed on the screen by Groucho as horse doctors.”

What name was dropped and replaced with Hackenbush? The answer is Quackenbush.

— Source: Marx Brothers – Night at the Opera Treasury