Trivia / Black Mama, White Mama

• California Doubling: Although set in an unspecified Latin American country, the whole film was shot in the Philippines.
• Executive Meddling: The title change to 'Black Mama White Mama' came from AIP, not the filmmakers themselves.
• Method Acting: Lynne Borden had no idea how to play a lesbian, and had a writer friend of hers take her to various bars and did lots of research to prepare.
• No Stunt Double: Eddie Romero recalls Pam Grier often volunteering to do things she overheard him discussing with the stunt woman.
• On-Set Injury: Pam Grier and Lynne Borden fell ill during filming; the former contracting a deadly virus that left her without eyesight and unable to walk for a month.
• Real Life Writes the Hairstyle: Lee wears her hair in an afro because the film was made during the 'Black Power' era, and they wanted her to resemble civil rights activists such as Angela Davis.
• Those Two Actors: Pam Grier and Sig Haig had starred together in The Big Doll House, and in its sequel The Big Bird Cage with Andrés Centenera and Vic Diaz.
• Troubled Production: The film began shooting in the Philippines right as they were having an uprising. Martial law was declared, and Lynne Borden recalls the crew having to film in bullet proof cars all the time. Pam Grier fell ill with a deadly tropical virus that left her bedridden and unable to walk or see for a month. Lynne Borden also caught typhoid fever, and had to keep working so she didn't lose her part in Walking Tall, which was filming two weeks later.
• Typecasting:
  • Pam Grier had already done several Girls Behind Bars films, such as The Big Doll House, The Big Bird Cage and Women In Cages.
  • Margaret Markhov had also done The Big Bird Cage, which was a prison film set in Latin America, like this one.
• Working Title: 'Chains of Hate'. Producer John Ashley was quite annoyed when it was changed to 'Black Mama, White Mama'.