The movie was not the cinema film debut of singer Rick Springfield who had previously portrayed Lieutenant Zac in the feature film Battlestar Galactica (1978). This was despite the fact that film posters for the movie boasted slogans like "Rick Springfield in his motion picture debut".
When offered a choice between a role in The Right Stuff (1983) and this movie, Rick Springfield chose this one because it meant he would have the leading role.
Rick Springfield wrote most of the seven new songs used on the soundtrack on set. "Love Somebody" was written while filming at the Fairmont Hotel.
The movie was designed as a star vehicle for rock star Rick Springfield and to both promote the singer and his music and establish him as a viable screen icon.