Anecdotes

In an early scene, Ed Harris, clad only in a towel wrapped around his waist, plops down on a chair. For a split second, his genitals are fully exposed. This scene somehow evaded the censors (and in a PG-rated film) and in the first video release, the scene is intact. The scene has now disappeared from subsequent releases. However, it is included on the print shown on Turner Classic Movies.

Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell fell in love and moved in together after working on this project.

The role of Ethel the landlady is played by Goldie Hawn's mother Laura Hawn.

Swing Shift (1984) has become a case study in star/producer/director conflict. Over Jonathan Demme's objections, an additional 30 minutes' worth of new scenes were written and shot to emphasize Goldie Hawn's onscreen love triangle, pushing back the intended release date from Christmas 1983 and inflating the budget. Demme was so upset by all of this he wanted an Alan Smithee credit, but was talked out it, and then refused the customary "A Film By" credit before the title, before being talked into keeping it.

Among the footage removed by Warner Bros. from the cut that Jonathan Demme delivered was a scene showing the internment of Japanese-Americans.

Roger Corman: As Mr. MacBride.

Jonathan Demme: [Roger Corman] Demme's mentor Roger Corman has a role in the film.