Three endings were shot, and a different one shown at each theater. All three are included on video. The DVD, however, aside from all three endings, also offers the option to play the movie with one randomly selected ending. In some cities, the newspaper print ads indicated which version ("Ending A", "Ending B", or "Ending C") was being shown at each theater.
Madeline Kahn's short "Flames...on the side of my face" monologue about her hatred for Yvette the French maid was ad-libbed.
According to an interview with writer and director Jonathan Lynn, after a screening on the 25th anniversary of this movie's release, Carrie Fisher was originally cast as Miss Scarlet, until she ended up in rehab for drug addiction four days before filming started. Fisher called Lynn and agreed to a work furlough, which received approval of her clinicians and the producers, but was vetoed by the production's insurance company, forcing Lynn to dismiss her from the project. Lesley Ann Warren was cast as a last-minute replacement.
The entire house is a set, except for the ballroom, which was shot on-location at a mansion in Pasadena, California. The main set was then bought by Aaron Spelling, who used it as The Carlton hotel on Dynasty (1981).