History Trivia / ReturnOfTheLivingDead

** Concerning the sequels, Don Calfa auditioned for the role of Doc Mandel in the sequel (the part ultimately went to Philip Bruns) and was set to play Colonel Peck in III, but had to pull out of production due to personal reasons.

* PlayingAgainstType: The Tarman is performed by actor and puppeteer Allan Trautman, who is best known for his work with Creator/JimHenson and ''Series/TheMuppets''.
* ThrowItIn: [[spoiler: Frank's self-immolation scene was suggested by James Karen, who didn't wish to shoot any scenes in the cold Los Angeles rain.]]

** Ernie didn't intend Burt's favor to be to "watch [his] ass out there" after leaving the funeral parlor with Spider. The workprint reveals that he intended the favor to be more of a MeaningfulEcho to the very first scene:
-->'''Ernie''': Burt, that favor you still owe me... no matter what happens, don't name it after me.
** Frank was supposed to be completely transformed into a zombie and join the zombie mob. See ThrowItIn above as to why it was changed.
** Trash's original name was Legs.
** Dan O'Bannon wrote the role of Trash for Jewel Shepard, who plays Casey, because she was a stripper and Dan met her in a strip joint. Jewel had enough of being naked in public and she chose to play Casey instead.
** Another actress was offered the role of Trash, but dropped out because she was pregnant.
** The biggest is that the original intent was for a serious [=3D=] sequel to ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'', but when O'Bannon replaced Creator/TobeHooper as director he also requested a total rewrite to make it stand apart from the Romero canon. But it's doubtful few are complaining about what we got instead.

** The biggest is that the original intent was for a serious [=3D=] sequel to ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead'', but when O'Bannon replaced Tobe Hooper as director he also requested a total rewrite to make it stand apart from the Romero canon. But it's doubtful few are complaining about what we got instead.

* HeyItsThatGuy: In the third film, [[Series/{{Firefly}} Nandi]] is a zombie with control issues. With a boyfriend named Reynolds, too.

* HeyItsThatGuy: Jesse Wilson is Michael Kenworthy, who would later appear in ''Film/TheBlob'', is also in ''Return of the Living Dead Part II'' [[spoiler: and survives]].

** Calfa also penned an outline for a proposed sequel entitled ''The Revenge of the Living Dead''. The story revolved around Ernie, Casey, Chuck, Tina and Spider who would have survived the events of first film (Burt would have been hit with SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome) dealing with increased zombie hordes in order to escape to freedom. Along the way, they would have figured out how to use Ernie's embalming techniques to control the zombified Freddy.

** Frank was supposed to be completely transformed into a zombie and join the zombie mob.

** Speaking of sequels, Calfa also penned an outline for a proposed sequel entitled ''The Revenge of the Living Dead''. The story revolved around Ernie, Casey, Chuck, Tina and Spider who would have survived the events of first film (Burt would have been hit with SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome) dealing with increased zombie hordes in order to escape to freedom. Along the way, they would have figured out how to use Ernie's embalming techniques to control the zombified Freddy.

** Speaking of sequels, Calfa also penned an outline for a proposed sequel entitled ''The Revenge of the Living Dead''. The story revolved around Ernie, Casey, Chuck, Tina and Spider who would have survived the events of first film (Burt would have been hit with SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome) dealing with increased zombie hordes. Along the way, they would have figured out how to use Ernie's embalming techniques to control the zombified Freddy.

** Speaking of sequels, Calfa also penned an outline for a proposed sequel entitled ''The Revenge of the Living Dead''. The story revolved around Ernie, Casey, Chuck, Tina and Spider who would have survived the events of first film (Burt would have been hit with SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome) dealing with increased zombie hordes. Along the way, they would have used Ernie's embalming techniques to control the zombified Freddy.

** Speaking of sequels, Calfa also penned an outline for a proposed sequel entitled ''The Revenge of the Living Dead''. The story revolved around Ernie, Casey, Chuck, Tina and Spider who would have survived the first film (Burt would have been hit with SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome) dealing with increased zombie hordes. Along the way, they would have used Ernie's embalming techniques to control the zombified Freddy.

** Speaking of sequels, Calfa also penned an outline for a proposed sequel entitled ''The Revenge of the Living Dead'' The story revolved around Ernie, Casey, Chuck, Tina and Spider who would have survived the first film (Burt would have been hit with SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome) dealing with increased zombie hordes. Along the way, they would have used Ernie's embalming techniques to control the zombified Freddy.

** Concerning the sequels, Don Calfa auditioned for the role of Doc Mandel in the sequel and was set to play Colonel Peck in III, but had to pull out of production due to personal reasons.