Elvis Presley was inducted into the Los Angeles Indian Tribal Council by Native American Wah-Nee-Ota after portraying the son of an Indian and a white settler in this film.
Barbara Steele walked off the picture on the third day of shooting after an argument with director Don Siegel. The studio threatened to sue her, and she told to go ahead because she wasn't coming back. They never did. She was then replaced by Barbara Eden.
The original title for this movie was "Black Star". Elvis Presley even recorded a song by that name. After the title was changed he re-recorded the song, using the same words and melody but changing the word "black" to "flaming". The song "Black Star" was unreleased for years, until it appeared on the Presley boxed set "Collectors Gold" in 1991.
Elvis Presley had another song in the film, "Summer Kisses, Winter Tears", which was cut after preview audiences laughed at the staging (Presley singing to the Indians around a campfire, accompanied by a chief on war drums). A studio version of the tune was recorded, but the original "Indian" version was resurrected only recently on the German "Elvis: Double Features" CD collection.