Michael Landon was the first choice to play Steven Bennett. He declined, feeling that he was so strongly identified with the role of the morally upright father Charles Ingalls on "Little House on the Prarie" that no one accept him portraying a sexually abusive father.
Near the start of the film, Steven is talking to Amelia about her date for the dance. At one point, he says, "I can't believe I didn't know anything about you going to a dance with some boy." He immediately repeats the words "with a boy" again.