Brandon De Wilde's sudden death due to a traffic accident just months after the film's release may seem to make the movie title an ironic heavenly reference, except for the correct pronunciation of the actor's last name being "da-will-da."
Castmates Dick Gautier and Bernie Kopell had previously both been series regulars on the classic sitcom Get Smart (1965), respectively as Hymie the Robot and evil KAOS leader Siegfried.