Most of Popeye's lines were discovered to be inaudible once filming wrapped. Robin Williams had to re-dub much of the dialogue.
In a print interview released around the same time as this film, Shelley Duvall admitted that children used to call her Olive Oyl when she was in grade school.
Shelley Duvall said that making this movie was a pure joy after the intense stress Stanley Kubrick caused her while she was making The Shining (1980).
The set for the small town of Sweethaven was built at Anchor Bay on the Mediterranean island of Malta. After filming, it became a popular tourist attraction.