In a 1987 interview on Sinister Image (1987), Vincent Price revealed that the stage version had terrified him as a child. He accepted the film role in because he thought the filmmakers "would revive it and bring it up to date", but he was disappointed with the final result because "It wasn't a good script."
The first of only two films in which Agnes Moorehead was the lead. The other was Dear Dead Delilah (1972), in which she received top billing.
RKO bought the rights to remake the film from Mary Pickford, who had produced the first screen version, The Bat (1926).
Director Crane Wilbur didn't have a problem finding an actress to play Lizzie Allen. Lenita Lane was the director's wife. It was her final film role.