Frank Sinatra did not want to make this movie, feeling that he was not right for the part. (He was right. It was more of a Bob Hope-type vehicle.) But the studio, anxious to build him up as a leading man, forced him to be in it. He stated later that he never watched the film, since he was embarrassed by the whole thing. Kathryn Grayson likewise disliked the film, saying that it was her least favorite of all her films. In later years, Don Rickles would often zing Sinatra about it; e.g., "Frank, I saw 'The Kissing Bandit.' It's over."
The "Dance Of Fury", danced by Ann Miller, Ricardo Montalban and Cyd Charisse and choreographed by Robert Alton, is considered by some to be one of the greatest dance sequences ever.
This film was first telecast in Seattle Saturday 26 January 1957 on KING (Channel 5), in Hartford CT 10 February 1957 on WHCT (Channel 18), in Phoenix 23 February 1957 on KPHO (Channel 5), in Minneapolis 4 March 1957 on KMGM (Channel 9), in Los Angeles 8 March 1957 on KTTV (Channel 11), in Chicago 16 June 1957 on WBBM (Channel 2), in Philadelphia 26 July 1957 on WFIL (Channel 6), in Altoona PA 23 August 1957 on WFBG (Channel 10), and in New York City 3 November 1957 on WCBS (Channel 2); in San Francisco it was finally seen 3 August 1959 on KGO (Channel 7). At this time, color broadcasting was in its infancy, limited to only a small number of high rated programs, primarily on NBC and NBC affiliated stations, so these film showings were all still in B&W. Viewers were not offered the opportunity to see these films in their original Technicolor until several years later.