* ChannelHop: Between 1975 and 1981, the film was turned down by Creator/NewLineCinema, Creator/ColumbiaPictures, Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox, Creator/UnitedArtists, Creator/WarnerBros, Creator/AmericanInternationalPictures, General Cinema, Creator/{{CBS}}, Creator/{{EMI}}, Allied artists, Creator/{{NBC}}, Zanuck/Brown, Creator/{{Universal}}, Creator/{{Viacom}}, Creator/FirstArtists, Creator/{{MGM}}, Creator/{{Pathe}}, Creator/{{Paramount}} and Time Life Films before being picked up by Universal.
* CreatorsFavoriteEpisode: Creator/ChevyChase named this as his favourite film of his own because it allowed him to be himself.
* DevelopmentHell: A prequel entitled ''Fletch Won'' has been stuck in limbo for about fifteen years now. First it was going to be directed by Creator/KevinSmith and star Creator/JasonLee. Then it was passed to Creator/BillLawrence, with Creator/ZachBraff as Fletch, and then later pitch had [[Film/HotTubTimeMachine Steve Pink]] and star Creator/ZachGalifianakis. In the end, this was dropped in favour of an adaptation of ''Confess, Fletch'' directed by Greg Mottola and starring Creator/JonHamm, which wrapped up filming in August 2021.
* HeyItsThatPlace: At the end of the movie, when Fletch hops over the fence and walks along the pool area to gain access to Alan Stanwyk's house, it's Jack Woltz's house from ''Film/TheGodfather''.
* OrphanedReference: While in Chief Carlin's office, Fletch punches a framed photo of the Chief with Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, saying "I hate Tommy Lasorda!" In a sequence that was filmed, but cut, Fletch had another fantasy moment akin to the Lakers Dream where he's pitching in the World Series and Lasorda pulls him from the game. While the sequence never made it into the movie, there are existing production stills of Fletch on the pitchers mound and Lasorda coming to take the ball away from him.
* PropRecycling: While Fletch is packing his stuff at the office for his trip to South America at the end of the film, the cap he puts on is of the Nostromo, the same cap worn by Creator/HarryDeanStanton in ''Film/{{Alien}}''.
* SavedFromDevelopmentHell: The movie was in development for 11 years before it was released. [[note]]The second printing, which came out in 1974, noted that it was soon to be a motion picture.[[/note]] Originally Fletch was a 1970s AntiHero, which had to be changed when the movie ended up getting released in the 1980s.
* SequelGap: ''Fletch Lives'' came out in 1989. It would would be 33 years before the next film, an adaptation of ''Confess, Fletch'', was released, starring Creator/JonHamm as Irwin Fletcher rather than Creator/ChevyChase.
* ThrowItIn: Creator/ChevyChase ad-libbed ''a lot'' in this movie.
--> "It all began when Creator/TimMatheson asked me what my name was. Right away, with a straight face: 'Music/TedNugent'."
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: This was initially developed as a vehicle for Creator/KirkDouglas. Producer Jonathan Burrows wanted Creator/RichardDreyfuss. Creator/BarryBostwick, Creator/JeffBridges, Creator/CharlesGrodin, Music/MickJagger and Creator/GeorgeSegal were also considered.
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