Roger Corman exploited all of the young people who worked for him, but he really gave you responsibility and opportunity. So it was kind of a fair deal.

This was his UCLA thesis project that also received a theatrical release via Warner Bros. Coppola graduated from Hofstra university in 1959 with a bachelor's degree in Theatre Arts. Amongst Coppola's classmates at Hofstra were James Caan and Lainie Kazan.

Brooks to be honored three times for the same film. In 1970 Coppola won the Oscar for best original screenplay as co-writer with Edmund H.