Beam Me Up, Scotty!: "Make my day" is sometimes attributed to the first film.
California Doubling: Played with. San Francisco scenes were filmed on location, but the second half of the film, in the fictitious town of San Paulo, was actually filmed in Santa Cruz. For the record, that wooden roller coaster that Harry shoots Mick off of at the end is the Giant Dipper at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk.
Dolled-Up Installment: The screenplay was initially written for a separate film for Sondra Locke, but was later adapted into a Dirty Harry film.
The Red Stapler: Unlike with the guns in past films, this is averted with the AMC Auto Mag. AMC/AMP went bankrupt in 1972 due to "questionable" business practices, and while the Auto Mag was made by various other manufacturers afterwards, all production stopped in 1982, and was not revived... For 33 years, anyway.
Referenced by...: Many other TV shows and movies, from The Golden Girls to DuckTales, have all referenced the "Go ahead, make my day!" line in this movie. Perhaps the most surprising occurrence of the line was in the PBS Kids series The Noddy Shop, in which the Crybabies say the line in their alternate personality.
You Look Familiar: Instead of appearing as a mook, Albert Popwell now plays a policeman. The film even plays a little bit with his Typecasting with a bit of Bait-and-Switch.
