This is one of the most successful films ever released by American International Pictures.
Michael Landon later wrote and directed I Was a Middle Aged Werewolf (1987), in which the angel Jonathan Smith turns himself into a werewolf to scare off some bullies. When Smith and his friend Mark Gordon watch this film on TV, Mark tells Jonathan, "You know, this guy in the movie reminds me a lot of you. I mean, when he's a regular guy, not when he's got fuzz all over his face."
Made for just $150,000. The film went on to gross over $2 million.
American International Pictures rushed out a number of similar films in hopes of capitalizing on its success, including: I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1957), How to Make a Monster (1958), and Blood of Dracula (1957).
This film started the popular title motif "I Was a *insert noun here*." Numerous films, songs, and books have paid homage to this film through their titles.