Trivia / Girls Town

• The Cast Showoff:
  • Paul Anka, in his role of Jimmy, gets to sing several times throughout the movie.
  • The Platters also get a song in the movie, as themselves.
• Dawson Casting: Most of the cast are much older than the teenagers they're supposed to be playing.
  • Mamie Van Doren was actually 28 at the time, a good 11 years older than her character.
  • Mel Tormé was 34 (and it definitely showed).
  • Gigi Perreau (who played Serafina) and Paul Anka were at least much closer to their characters' ages, both being 18 at the time. (Ironically, Peggy Moffitt, who plays Flo, was also 18, but only mostly looked it.)
  • Elinor Donahue was 22 and played a 15 year old.
• Playing Against Type: Mel Tormé plays a blackmailing Jerkass gang member. Though, considering how jazz musicians were viewed in The '50s, it was probably Typecasting.
• Science Marches On: At the time the film was made, Serafina would simply be viewed as a troubled young girl who just needed to be loved. This drives Girls' Town's and Jimmy's handling of her behavior, which unfortunately only makes matters worse and leads to Serafina's suicide attempt. Today, this would be recognized as a very serious and potentially dangerous mental health issue, and Serafina would be subjected to psychiatric treatment.