History Trivia / Firestarter

*** Creator/RichardDreyfuss was the first choice to play Andy [=McGee=]. This would have led to a bit of HilariousInHindsight for the novel, where Andy watches ''Film/CloseEncountersOfTheThirdKind'' (1977) on television at one point.

* DisownedAdaptation: Creator/StephenKing apparently hated the 1984 film version, which Mark L Lester was baffled by; considering the author was on set and very hands-on with the production. He criticized the wind blowing through Charley's hair, when he was the one who had suggested it in the first place!

* NamesTheSame: [[Literature/{{It}} Patrick Hockstetter.]]

* DisownedAdaptation: Creator/StephenKing apparently hated the 1984 film version, which Creator/MarkLLester was baffled by; considering the author was on set and very hands-on with the production. He criticized the wind blowing through Charley's hair, when he was the one who had suggested it in the first place!

** Had Creator/DrewBarrymore turned down the lead, Creator/JenniferConnelly would have been the second actress offered the role. Coincidentally, Barrymore and Connelly would appear together in ''Film/HesJustNotThatIntoYou'' 25 years later. Anong the other little young ladies and teenage actresses that were considered for the role, Creator/HeatherORourke (the child lead in the original ''[[Film/Poltergeist1982 Poltergeist]]'') was actually screen-tested, as was Bridgette Andersen (who was the child lead in the VindicatedByCable ''Savannah Smiles'' (1982)).

** Had Creator/DrewBarrymore turned down the lead, Creator/JenniferConnelly would have been the second actress offered the role. Coincidentally, Barrymore and Connelly would appear together in ''Film/HesJustNotThatIntoYou'' 25 years later. Anong the other little young ladies and teenage actresses that were considered for the role, Creator/HeatherORourke (the child lead in the original ''[[Film/Poltergeist1982 Poltergeist]]'') was actually screen-tested, as was Bridgette Anderson (who was the child lead in the VindicatedByCable ''Savannah Smiles'' (1982)).

* DisownedAdaptation: Creator/StephenKing apparently hated the 1984 film version, which Creator/MarkLLester was baffled by; considering the author was on set and very hands-on with the production. He supposedly criticized the wind blowing through Charley's hair, when he'd suggested it in the first place!

** Had Creator/DrewBarrymore turned down the lead, Creator/JenniferConnelly would have been the second actress offered the role. Coincidentally, Barrymore and Connelly would appear together in ''Film/HesJustNotThatIntoYou'' 25 years later. Creator/HeatherORourke was also up for the role.

* ActorInspiredElement: Art Carney requires a hearing aid, so he suggested that his character wear one too.
* DisownedAdaptation: Stephen King apparently hated the 1984 film version, which Mark L. Lester was baffled by; considering the author was on set and very hands-on with the production. He supposedly criticized the wind blowing through Charley's hair, when he'd suggested it in the first place!

** Had Creator/DrewBarrymore turned down the lead, Creator/JenniferConnelly would have been the second actress offered the role. Coincidentally, Barrymore and Connelly would appear together in ''Film/HesJustNotThatIntoYou'' 25 years later. Heather O'Rourke, best known as Carol Anne in the ''Poltergeist'' films, was also up for the role.

** Creator/JohnCarpenter was originally attached to direct, with drafts of the script from Bill Lancaster and Bill Phillips, writers of the ''[[Film/TheThing1982 The Thing]]'' (1982) and ''Film/{{Christine}}'' (1983), respectively. After the former flopped at the box office, Universal balked at Carpenter's proposed budget and bumped him off the project. Notable details included:

* DisownedAdaptation: Stephen King apparently hated the film, which Mark L Lester was baffled by; considering the author was on set and very hands-on with the production. He supposedly criticized the wind blowing through Charley's hair, when he'd suggested it in the first place!

** Had Creator/DrewBarrymore turned down the lead, Creator/JenniferConnelly would have been the second actress offered the role. Coincidentally, Barrymore and Connelly would appear together in ''Film/HesJustNotThatIntoYou'' 25 years later.

** Had Creator/DrewBarrymore turned down the lead, Creator/JenniferConnelly would have been the second actress offered the role. Ironically, Barrymore and Connelly would appear together in ''Film/HesJustNotThatIntoYou'' 25 years later.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: Andy makes a cab driver think a one dollar bill is actually $500. Bills larger than $100 were discontinued in 1969 but were never actually stricken as legal tender, and in 1980 there were still enough $500 bills floating around to make this plausible.

** Bill Lancaster's father [[Creator/BurtLancaster Burt]] was approached to appear in the film, but turned it down due to his ailments after a long and very physical career. He would only appear in one more film, ''Film/FieldOfDreams'', before retiring.

** Although considering Andy is deliberately manipulating the driver's mind in the first place and lying directly to his face, it's honestly not that jarring to consider that, even if $500 bills don't exist anymore, the driver might still have believed it anyway

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Had Creator/DrewBarrymore turned down the lead, Creator/JenniferConnelly would have been the second actress offered the role. Ironically, Barrymore and Connelly would appear together in ''Film/HesJustNotThatIntoYou'' 25 years later.

* NamesTheSame : [[Literature/{{It}} Patrick Hockstetter.]]

** Bill Lancaster's father [[Creator/BurtLancaster Burt]] was approached to appear in the film, but turned it down due to his ailments after a long and very physical career. He would only appear in one more film , ''Film/FieldOfDreams'', before retiring.

*** John Rainbird and Dr. Wanless were composited into a single character, the female Dr. Rahv, who presided over the Lot Six experiment and later posed as a maid to gain Charlie's trust.

* NamesTheSame : Patrick Hockstetter.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Had Creator/DrewBarrymore turned down the lead, Creator/JenniferConnelly would have been the second actress offered the role. Ironically, Barrymore and Connelly would appear together in ''Film/HesJustNotThatIntoYou'' 25 years later.

* HeyItsThatGuy - [[Literature/OneFlewOverTheCuckoosNest Nurse Ratched]] and ''Series/TheHoneymooners''' Ed Norton are a married couple in the movie.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Had Creator/DrewBarrymore turned down the lead, JenniferConnelly would have been the second actress offered the role. Ironically, Barrymore and Connelly would appear together in ''Film/HesJustNotThatIntoYou'' 25 years later.

* HeyItsThatGuy - [[OneFlewOverTheCuckoosNest Nurse Ratched]] and TheHoneymooners' Ed Norton are a married couple in the movie.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Had DrewBarrymore turned down the lead, JenniferConnelly would have been the second actress offered the role. Ironically, Barrymore and Connelly would appear together in ''HesJustNotThatIntoYou'' 25 years later.

* HeyItsThatGuy - [[OneFlewOverTheCuckoosNest Nurse Ratched]] and TheHoneymooners' Ed Norton are a married couple in the movie.